Good food and a warm kitchen are what makes a house a home.” ~ Rachel Ray
We take a very structured approach to your kitchen or bath remodeling project. This keeps the process focused and productive, and ensures that the project will be completed on time, on budget, and result in exactly the kitchen you had planned, dreamed of and hoped for. Our job is not just to deliver the highest quality of product and service possible, but to work with you to take your vision and ideas – and turn them into reality.
A complete kitchen or bathroom design and remodeling project is really a partnership. We take your vision and combine it with our experience to bring it to life. There are many decisions to make and there are always tradeoffs in terms of use of space, cabinets, sinks, appliances, colors, textures and so on.
It can seem overwhelming to deal with all these factors, so our approach breaks it all down into manageable project stages. The objective is always to optimize all the considerations to end up with the best possible design and layout and choice of cabinets, countertop, appliances, hardware, flooring materials etc. – within a budget that meets your needs.
Here’s an Overview of a Typical Project Process
Meet, Greet & Measure
We come to your home and get to know each other. We’ll be working closely, so it’s important to first develop a great working relationship and get to know a little more about each other. You can ask all the questions that come to mind, and we’ll answer all of them! Our job is to get a thorough understanding of what you have envisioned for your new kitchen or bathroom. You’ll have been looking at pictures and will probably already have a pretty good idea of what you’d like to see in your new kitchen.
You’ll probably also have idea of the style you want for your new cabinets, the countertop material, sink styles and maybe even the hardware. We’ll try to narrow down these choices to create a starting point for the design. We’ll also take some preliminary measurements so we can come up with a starting point for a layout.
Starting the Design Process
This is where we get to work. If we’re building a new kitchen for you, then it starts with the creation of a preliminary floor plan so you can see how your kitchen will be laid out. This is an important part of the process because it’s where the functionality of the kitchen is carefully considered. By that we mean that the position of the appliances, the sink, the various types of cabinets which should be in harmony with respect to how you move about the kitchen when cooking, or entertaining. For example, you don’t want the refrigerator to be in an awkward spot when you’re reaching in, taking ingredients out and placing them on the counter.
The location of the main workspace counter, in relation to the stove and other prep areas, needs to be carefully considered, so the entire layout works in harmoniously. When you’re ready to cook, the pots need to be in a logical position with respect to the prep area and the stove. When you’re ready to serve, the plates and cutlery need to be accessible without being in an awkward access location. Even the small kitchen appliances that you use, either regularly or infrequently, need to be positioned – or stored – in close proximity to where they’re used, and according to how frequently they are used.
Based on the floor plan, the cabinets can be selected for style and color, and by the function they serve. Like pantry cabinets, pot cabinets, cutlery drawers and cabinets which will contain dinnerware, and drawers for cutlery and miscellaneous kitchenware. Deciding on the style of the cabinets comes last in this process, since most styles can be made for just about any design. So focusing on the function and layout of the kitchen first is the most important thing. Styles and colors are cosmetics which round out and package the functionality of the kitchen for its intended use. Whether it’s used mostly for cooking, primarily for entertaining, or a hybrid between the two – which is the most common layout consideration.
For bathroom remodeling projects, we follow the same process, but of course with different considerations for the use and function of the bathroom. Like bathtub types, sizes, and jacuzzi functions. For example, you may prefer a luxurious and large shower area with multiple water jets instead of a large jacuzzi or Roman style bathtub. Or you may want both.
Your bathroom project may be for a guest bathroom, as a basic, but quality space, or for your master ensuite with all the spa luxuries – or anything in between.
Getting Ready for Construction
With the floor plan and the design completed, we take what we call the “technical measurements”. This is where the tape measure is really put to work to make sure your new kitchen (or bathroom) will fit like a glove. Right down to an eighth of an inch. We user computers to make sure every cabinet and countertop will be made to very exacting standards.
At this point we take a good look at the whole project again just to make sure everything has been considered and thoroughly thought through for your kitchen (or bathroom) remodel. This is the point where changes can still be made, so a final review of options is done.
The next step takes us to the doorstep of construction. We review all the utilities like electrical, water and (if you have) gas connections and availability for your new kitchen or bathroom. Typically, the relocation of, or the addition of more connections (whether electrical or plumbing) is necessary during the remodeling process.
Final Design
We’re just about ready to get to work with our team. Cabinet styles, materials, sinks, flooring, finishes and appliances will have been chosen. All design, floor plan and layout decisions will have been made. This is the final review stage and it’s very exciting part of the process! Your job – in terms of design input and decor decisions – is now done and we get ready to take over and make it happen.
Construction Time
The cabinets, appliances and other materials are ordered and we schedule in the work. This part will be exciting for you to watch, as you’ll see step by step your vision come alive… and you won’t have to get dirty!
Move In!
Once the kitchen is complete, we will make sure that it’s clean, with no debris or even dust to be seen. It will be move in ready and all set for you to enjoy. There’s really not much more to say, since the magic will be there the moment you step into your new kitchen or bathroom and live the vision you created.
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