For many households, the kitchen is the center of the home and the hub of much—if not almost all--family and social activity. Some people serve everything from morning coffee to sit-down dinners for guests in their kitchens. At East Coast Contractors, we have vast experience in remodeling kitchens, and have learned over the years that clients usually have one or more of several reasons for choosing to update their kitchens in relatively minor ways, undertaking a big remodel, or changing the entire floor plan of that part of the house.
A kitchen remodel can be a very major undertaking. It is not just the cost that must be considered, but also the inconvenience to the household that will inevitably occur. Water, gas, and electricity will likely be shut off for short--or even long--periods of time. The kitchen will become unusable to the owners for a while, and other arrangements must be made for food preparation, serving, and washing up. All kinds of other issues must be considered when making such a large decision.
In spite of all of this, homeowners continue to find good reasons to proceed with a kitchen remodel. Reasons for remodeling vary quite a bit, and your own reasons may differ from your neighbors’. For example:
Accessibility Issues and Special Needs
It is sometimes necessary to remodel the kitchen to better accommodate the needs of disabled family members. If one is raising a blind child, for example, or if a family member becomes wheelchair-bound and/or unable to reach over his or head to retrieve items from tall cabinets, a remodel can convert the kitchen into one that is far safer and more accessible.
Age and Deterioration of Kitchen
The kitchen might simply be beginning to fall apart. Peeling countertops or cracked tiles with stained grout, non-functional or chipped cabinet doors, and outdated appliances don’t inspire gourmet cooking or social gatherings. A deteriorating kitchen has outlived its efficiency and beauty.
Resale Value
Remodeling of the kitchen is often undertaken in order to increase the value or marketability of a property. A remodeled showcase kitchen will appeal to prospective home buyers far more than a boring, deteriorating, and outdated one. Even if you don’t totally recoup the value of the investment, you will have a beautiful new kitchen to enjoy yourself for a while.
Your Lifestyle
Perhaps you bought a house with a kitchen that did not totally meet your own family’s needs. Do you want a breakfast bar added? Perhaps a warm and highly functional oak pass-through into the dining room? Does traffic not flow the way you would like it to? A remodel is called for!
Gourmet Cooking
For a homeowner who is a gourmet chef and really loves to cook, the main reason for a remodel will likely be the desire to create a dream kitchen. Perhaps you need two ovens, or even two stoves, or wish to switch from electric to gas for faster temperature control. A huge butcher block kitchen island can be a great boon to the cook who entertains guests frequently. The sky is the limit, really—as well as your budget, of course.
Other reasons for remodeling the kitchen may include energy savings, financial incentives (such as low or no-interest loans), getting inspired by watching home improvement shows, or … simply growing tired of the kitchen and desiring a change of scene. Whatever your reasons for choosing to remodel this oh-so-important room in the house, please consider East Coast Contractors to get the job done right the first time. Give us a call, and we will be happy to meet with you to discuss your hopes and dreams, and the realities of time and finances.