Expectations Of A Kitchen Renovation Project: Part 2
Welcome to part 2!
In part 1 we talked about what to expect as a timeline for this project. Everything from product orders to weighing the pros and cons of doing the renovations yourself or hiring a professional.
In part 2 we will be taking a closer look and the expectations for the physical labor this kind of project involves.
Don’t worry, this is a topic everyone has to weigh and consider when trying to do a renovation project on their own. A lot of people may find themselves not fully aware of how much labor is involved-HGTV makes hard labor look fun and easy and it sucks when reality laughs at you as you are pouring sweat just trying to take the old cabinets out.
In this post, I will go over everything you can expect as labor-intensive for your kitchen renovation project so you can create a well-informed plan on how to disassemble and assemble your kitchen.
Let’s jump in!
Demolition
Just about everyone on home improvement shows loves demolition day-at least that’s what it seems. Throwing hammers, large machines and even bodies into a demolition project looks like a tone of fun. I mean, how many times have you cringed when you watch someone go through a wall, knowing that it will need to be repaired? On TV it’s almost encouraged, for everyone and anyone to try and see if they can break down the sheetrock with a body or body part in one shot.
This is the day you get to let out all of your pent-up anger and frustration by completely destroying your house on purpose!
Don’t be fooled, however. Demolition is not a walk in the part. It does require you to have some kind of strength in order to breakthrough. This will be the workout of a lifetime for sure!
Make sure to have the right tools and protection for demolition day. You definitely want to protect your eyes with safety glasses, at the very least, but it’s also a good idea to protect your head with a hard hat and your hands with work gloves. It is also worth mentioning, to look into having some form of protection for surfaces you want to preserve and or areas of the home you would like to keep clean and demolition free-I’m looking at you living and dining room. A tarp or painter’s plastic will help protect these areas and keep the debris centralized in the kitchen.
For tools, well that will depend on the extent of your demolition. Hammers will get you a long way-this includes sledgehammers. If you are looking to save some pieces or sections you will want to look into the correct tools to disassemble or cut out the section you want to keep or no longer want.
Lastly, it’s a good idea to have a plan for where everything is to go. What’s getting recycled? Where are you putting the items you want to keep? Do you have an adequate size trash bin for all of the debris?
Cabinet Installation
If you decided to keep your old cabinets right where they are or you hired a professional then you will probably be able to skip this section! If you have removed them completely then read on!
During demolition, you probably became aware of how the cabinets were installed and possibly the coordination needed to maneuver them. Depending on how fancy you went with your new cabinets will depend on their weight and delicacy. This may or may not affect how easy it will be to install them.
If they were cheap, chances are they will ding and scratch easily. If they are of higher quality, chances are they will be heavier and less flexible.
To make your life easier, I recommend you find another pair of hands or two for installation. Something else to consider, check to see if the company you bought from or through will install them for you. Some places offer this service for free!
My last bit of advice, if you are installing these yourself, is to double, triple-check that your upper cabinets are aligned with a stud, otherwise you may find you are having demolition day all over again when you least expect it-because they’ve fallen out of the drywall.
Electrical and Plumbing
Unless you have worked with electrical and plumbing before-aside from hanging Christmas lights or unclogging the toilet, this is one area you may want to look into paying a professional to do-less headaches that way.
If you are capable of doing these two things on your own then I applaud you and your amazingness! Here are some things to keep in mind when working with plumbing and electrical:
There are fewer headaches if you keep the plumbing where it is. Yes, it can be moved. It might mess up other areas of your kitchen or even your house.
While you have the kitchen torn down, you should greatly consider adding outlets and switches. Make life easier not harder. Place them in the areas you know you have always hoped there would be one.
Take a closer look at your appliances new and old. What do they need in order to work correctly? Do they require a water line hook-up? Will they need to have a designated outlet that connects directly to the breaker?
Island and Countertops
These two things will probably be the most exciting to have finally installed especially if you didn’t have them before or they were in poor condition.
You will need to pay close attention to detail when installing both of these.
Damages can happen to all types of countertops. Be sure to make them level and straight. You don’t want items rolling around or any damages done to your nice new counter. They will also be the heaviest things you install, so again you’ll want to acquire many hands to help.
The island will be the central part of your kitchen. You will be prepping all of your beautiful dishes here, so you’ll want it to function to its fullest potential. You’ll need it to be in close proximity to the three main stations; fridge, sink, and stove. You will also need to make sure that there is the appropriate amount of walking room between the island and the outer wall counters. You can expect this to be a place where people will gather, whether you have seating there or not, so you’ll want to make sure that there is room for people to mingle at the island while you are using it to prep or cook. There is a lot that goes into an island, it’s not all cabinets and countertops. You will have wiring and most likely plumbing located somewhere within your island.
Finishing Touches
You’d be surprised at how many people don’t do this step or are even aware that there are finishing touches.
Fishing touches include:
*Cabinet trim
*Handles
*Light fixtures
*Backsplash
The easiest out of these to install will be the handles-if they don’t come with the already on and the light fixtures.
With Backsplash it will depend on what you decide to go with for material. Fake tile-aka stick-on tile is easy to an extent in that you will need to make sure the ends line up and are straight, but other than that they are pretty easy to install. Backsplash that is real tile, will require more precision and materials. Cabinet trim is a hit or miss with difficulty. If you had someone install the cabinets they will probably be able to do the trim-some cabinets come with all the trim already on them. Otherwise, you will need to make sure to cut the trim correctly and install it carefully so it doesn’t damage the cabinets or countertops.
All in all, your kitchen renovation will not be done in a day or possibly even a week, so patience is key here. All this being said, it can be extremely rewarding to take on this project yourself and see it through from start to finish.
Now that you know what to expect for kitchen renovation labor you can better plan for your project. You may contemplate doing it all your own or hiring out the more tricky parts such as electrical, plumbing, and countertop installation.
In part 3 of Expectation Of A Kitchen Renovation Project, we will go over expecting the unexpected-the unforeseen things that you will be able to plan and see coming.
~MeganRelated Posts:
If you are dying to get started on your dream kitchen then consider getting my Kitchen Renovation Workbook. It will have everything you need to make your remodeling that much easier. It is super simple to follow and hardly time-consuming. Once completed, you’ll be able to use it as your guide and support throughout your entire project!
Subscribe below and get your FREE Kitchen Renovation Workbook!
I can’t wait to see how you use your workbook and the results of your kitchen remodel!
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