Uncertain where to invest your hard
earned dollars? If your kitchen or bath
are in need of some TLC, then this
would be a good place to start. Why?
because the ROI ( return on
investment) of an average kitchen remodel can be as high as 100%!
What does this mean to you? It means
that for every dollar you spend, the
value of your home increases by the
same amount. If you own a home
valued at $450,000 and you spend
45,000 on a kitchen remodel, your
home is now valued at $495,000!
This is good for resale, or taking out a
new loan, using your home as collateral.
The one pitfall is spending too much on
your remodel. It would not be wise to
install a $100,000 dollar kitchen in a
$175,000 dollar home.
So how much should I spend on a
kitchen remodel?
That depends on your
That depends on your
budget, and finances, but the average
kitchen remodel on Long Island, New
York, accounts for about 8% to 15% of
the value of your home. In other parts
of the country its about 10% to 20%.
One thing is for sure though, only
intelligent planning will keep your
project on time and on budget.
Where do I start ?
Proper research is essential -- it can
sometimes be confusing, but this is the
only way to ask intelligent questions.
After you have looked in all of the
dream home magazines, and you know
if you want to move walls, consult a few
contractors that specialize in kitchens
and baths.. A good contractor will
educate you on the remodel process
and product choices. A not so good
contractor will leave you confused and
give you the “hard sell” .
“ Intelligent planning will keep your
project on time and on budget.
DID YOU KNOW?
1. THE AVERAGE COST OF A
KITCHEN REMODEL IS 8%
TO 15% OF THE VALUE OF
YOUR HOME.
2. THE COST OF YOUR
CABINETS ACCOUNTS FOR
ABOUT 50% OF YOUR
REMODEL.
3. THE AVERAGE KITCHEN
REMODEL TAKES 4 TO 6
WEEKS FOR COMPLETION.
4. KITCHEN CABINETS CAN
TAKE 4 TO 8 WEEKS UNTIL
DELIVER
A good
A good
contractor will
educate you, a not
so good one will
try to sell you”
Make sure that the contractor has
pictures and references from past jobs.
Ask to speak to his last completed
customer. A good contractor should have
no problem with these requests.
Always check for current license and
insurance. and most of all, if you are not
comfortable with the contractor, no matter
what the price, do not hire him ! This person
and his crew will become part of your
extended family for the next few weeks ,
like it or not. Your gut instinct is usually
right.
Don’t wait too long to choose
your appliances
How much does a refrigerator
cost?
Thats easy-- about five or six hundred
bucks. Or is it five or six thousand ? How
wide is the fridge? Are we venting the
microwave through the wall? Is the stove
electric or gas?
How would you like to have to figure all
of this out, and have to purchase these
products in one weekend? Sounds
ridiculous, right? But thats the way most
people shop for their appliances. As in any
work place design, we start with the
essential tools, and design the kitchen
around them-- Yes its exciting to choose
cabinet colors, but we start with the
appliances to keep on time and on budget.
How can we possibly order the over
refrigerator cabinet if we don t know the
size of the fridge?
DOVE TAILS A DOVE TAILED DRAWER IS
USUALLY A SIGN OF HIGHER
QUALITY, BUT BE CAREFUL, A
POORLY ASSEMBLED ONE WILL
NOT LAST LONG
CORBEL
A CORBEL IS A DECORATIVE
ELEMENT THAT IS SOMETIMES USED AS A BRACKET TO SUPPORT A CABINET OR COUNTER TOP.
FRENCH DOOR
REFRIGERATOR
THE LATEST TREND IN MODERN
KITCHENS- THE BOTTOM IS A
LARGE PULLOUT FREEZER
DRAWER-- THIS LEAVES AMPLE
ROOM ON TOP FOR THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY OR
MOM’S TRAY OF LASAGNA
Lighting design 101
Lighting design 101
Is lighting really that important? You
Betcha! When you go to look at your kitchen cabinets on display, look up at
the design of the lights in the show
room. They are highly focused lights
designed to compliment and bring out
the colors of the cabinets. without
these lights, the cabinets tend to look
more drab and obscure. Dosen’t it
make sense to show off your kitchen
cabinets at your home in the same
manner?
Lights used to work under are called
task lighting, Lights used to light the
whole room are called ambient lighting
Lights used to show off something are
accent lights, and decorative lights are
just for show-- its that simple.
Try to implement a combination of
these for the best results.
All in all a kitchen remodel is like a
long journey. With proper planning, a
good guide with you, and a clear ,
common goal will leave you with the
satisfaction that you not only improved
your home, but that at the end of your
journey you evolved your living space
into a warm place that your family loves
to gather. For the years ahead and for
future generations.
Patrick Cooke
( Patrick Cooke is a kitchen design
specialist, and the owner of Long Island
Kitchen and Bath on Long Island, New
York)
1 888 411 LIKB
LongIslandKitchenAndBath.com
