The decision to remodel your home is never one to make lightly. If you’re looking to get the place sold, then remodeling can have a big impact on buyer appeal and overall sale value. And if you plan to stay put, remodeling will affect your day-to-day quality of life. Either way, it’s a significant financial commitment.
That’s why we’re starting a new blog series where we go room by room and provide homeowners with some questions to consider before they embark on a remodeling process, ensuring a truly prudent decision. Today, we’re going to start in the nerve center of any home… the kitchen.
If you’ve been toying with the notion of revamping your kitchen, we’d commend you to ask these six questions, first.
What to Ask Before Remodeling Your Kitchen
Who uses your kitchen?
Before you think about anyone else, think about who you’re renovating the kitchen for. Simply put, the needs of a large family will be different from the needs of two empty nesters. If you have kids, you may want to have some food storage areas that are within their reach, or a microwave that’s accessible to your older children. Think through who your current kitchen users are and also consider any young ones who will be reaching that point within the next few years.
How often do you make big meals? How often do you entertain?
Again, think about the ways in which your kitchen gets used. If you regularly prepare elaborate meals for the whole family, you may want to have some extra surfaces for food prep. And if you tend to have a lot of guests in your home, some additional fridge space may come in handy, perhaps even a second microwave or other additional appliances.
Does your kitchen need dining space?
Perhaps you have a separate room where you and your family take meals. But a lot of families make use of their breakfast nook, bar/counter area, and in-kitchen seating area. There’s no right or wrong answer here, but it’s important to ensure your family has somewhere everyone feels comfortable gathering for grub.
How can you maximize storage space?
For many homeowners, kitchen storage space is a big issue. It seems like, no matter how many cabinets or drawers you have, it’s never quite enough for all your dishes and flatware, to say nothing of your food. There’s probably not much you can do to expand the size of your kitchen, but if storage is a concern, you can work with your remodeling team to maximize what space you do have.
What are your must-haves?
Your budget may curtail your ability to get every last item on your wish list, but there’s still a lot of value in dreaming big. Create a list of your priorities: The things you desperately want in your kitchen, the things it would be nice to have, the things you can live without, and the things you don’t care about at all. Some families are really going to want an extra wine cooler, or an extra-large range; other families may not care about those things a bit!
What’s your favorite kitchen aesthetic?
We’ve spent most of this post focusing on function, but there is also real aesthetic value to a good kitchen! Before remodeling, spend some time thinking about the visual style you like, the colors you prefer, etc. You might consider working with a designer who can talk to you about colors that will help look the space look warmer, brighter, and/or more spacious. If you find any photos of other kitchens you like, hold on to them and show them to your designer, who can try to emulate that style.
Should You Remodel Before Selling Your House?
As you think about remodeling your home, think through the impact on your day to life… but also about the impact it will have on resale value.
We’ll be back with more tips in our next post, but for now, we’ll invite you to claim your FREE home seller’s report from SOLD.com. In it, you’ll find individualized recommendations for selling your own property. Get your report today!
