Getting ready to remodel your kitchen? Have you been shopping around for all the perfect pieces for your project? Let me share some valuable insight that will save you from falling into the remodeling pitfall and spare you some serious headaches before you start swiping that credit card! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a total of TEN mistakes to avoid in any kitchen remodel. Did you miss the previous mistake to avoid, we can catch you up in no time! Check out the last article Expensive Kitchen Mistake #1 to avoid here.
Mistake #2: Buying Appliances Last
One of the super exciting things about designing and remodeling your custom kitchen is picking out all the shiny objects, the “eye candy” that make your friends and family drool during those hosted get-togethers! From fresh new inset cabinets to exquisite porcelain countertops that pack in the punch, it’s hard to not get excited about the possibilities for your kitchen design including the appliance packages! BUT, before you go out and splurge on that Asko dishwasher or even the tiny items like the Top Knobs hardware (that is of course if you want to avoid splurging more to correct remodel mistakes down the road) the first plan of action in your kitchen remodel is to finalize your appliances FIRST!
The appliances are one of the larger investments when it comes to a kitchen redesign. Whether you’ve allotted $8k for a small kitchen or even $38k for your appliances for both an indoor and outdoor kitchen, it’s worth your time to sit down and review your cooking routine and lifestyle. This would include noting which appliances are best for your project so that you can realistically gauge what your space can accommodate, when you’ll need the appliances by and if they’re within your planned budget.
Here are some initial thoughts to consider for choosing the right kitchen appliances:
- Are you a family that cooks up a storm? You may benefit from double ovens over a single oven.
- Do you have kids that love to cook with you? Consider induction for your cooking surface over gas.
- Are you planning to cook healthier meals? Perhaps a steam oven will contribute well to your future cooking routine.
- Love a microwave, but can’t stand it on the countertop? Maybe an under-counter microwave drawer will do the trick.
- If you host often, warming drawers could prove to be a convenient appliance during the holidays and large parties.
In addition to helping you hone in on your overall project investment, getting your appliances finalized and paid for FIRST will also help your project timeline. Depending on which brand of appliances you choose, the ETA’s of each product could vary from a few weeks to a few months. Even if the appliances arrive early, at least you have peace of mind knowing they’re with you, in your possession, rather than waiting for’ who knows how long’ and holding up your project process by weeks or months.
What could go wrong if you postpone the purchasing of your appliances?
Ever hear of backorders or discontinuations? Don’t run the risk of a product being out of stock, back ordered or worse discontinued. It’s no fun stretching out that project schedule and having an empty kitchen for longer than what you anticipated.
Two words- cabinetry corrections. Fun fact, your cabinets are built around your appliances… not the other way around. While there are appliances that will fit standard sizes, say for your range or refrigerator, when you are spending the time and money to redesign your kitchen, you want to ensure that the appliances you want are not limited to the cabinets that you have the opportunity to design. Build your appliance selection around your cabinets and you will likely experience cabinet modifications and corrections- once again resulting in project delays. It sure would suck if you purchased that beautiful 36” range at the end of your project only to find that the space can only fit a 30” range.
Once you have your working triangle laid out, the next step is to finalize those kitchen appliances!
A Few Fave Appliances
Need some inspiration or direction for appliances? Here are just a few different products that my clients and I have used for design projects.
$$ Viking Series 3 Self-Cleaning, Sealed Burner 30” Gas Range
$ Zephyr Monsoon Hood Insert
$$$ Thermador Refrigerator Columns Enabled with HomeConnect ®
$$ Monogram 5-in-One Wall Oven with Advantium Technology
$$ Sharpe 24” Microwave Drawer Oven
$ U-Line U-Chill In-Counter Cooling Cylinder
Any of these excite you? Download our Rock Your Remodel Resource Guide for trusted appliance & plumbing showrooms where you can purchase these appliances… plus extra awesome resources for any of your home projects!
RESULT OF EXPENSIVE MISTAKE #2
Purchasing your appliances last could increase your costs and cause delays. Make it the first item on your purchasing list!
VALUE SAVINGS
Save yourself the extra dollars and stress of worrying how your appliance will fit and finalize & purchase your appliances early in the game for your cabinet shop to ensure that your investment will fit perfectly in your completed kitchen!
Anxious to dive into all 10 EXPENSIVE KITCHEN MISTAKES TO AVOID? Get your hands on the “10 Expensive Mistakes to Avoid in Kitchen Remodeling” video by subscribing to our email list… and get ready to spare yourself the headaches of remodeling your kitchen. Rock on Remodelers!
Xoxo, Megan
