So you’re just about ready to remodel for a new kitchen design, eh? Scoping out the tile selections at your local tile shop, maybe perusing the cabinet door styles? Before you purchase anything, let me share some valuable insight that will save you from the remodel money pit! I’ll be rolling out a total of TEN mistakes to avoid in any kitchen remodel that will save you some big bucks… and likely save your sanity too. Did you miss the previous kitchen mistake, we can catch you up in no time! Check out our post Expensive Kitchen Mistake #2 here.
Mistake #3: Being Indecisive With Material Selections
There are more options for the home- plumbing fixtures, tile, decorative lighting, countertops and even cabinet hardware than there ever was before for custom kitchens! I get it, you want your new kitchen to look and feel incredible, like it jumped out of an interior design magazine… and it can, and it will! BUT my professional advice is to make sure that once you finalize everything (and I mean down to the electrical plate covers) you trust your instinct and stick with it!
The best thing that you can do before the construction portion of your kitchen remodel is to have all your materials finalized as much as possible! This applies to any custom kitchen and bath! This includes, but is certainly not limited to, your appliances (see our Expensive Kitchen Mistake to Avoid #1), plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, cabinetry and the hardware, backsplash materials, flooring… and, oh yes, those electrical outlets and plate covers (there are some really beautiful styles out there that truly help to enhance any kitchen space!).
Even if you’ve selected handleless kitchen cabinets and later decide to have pulls, there may be some unforeseen skill in reverting to this new function that may cause a delay in getting the right tradesperson scheduled, time to reproduce these cabinets if needed or even a specific part that may be out-of-stock, backordered or worse, discontinued.
Here are just a few scenarios of changing your mind while in the middle of construction, again examples of WHAT NOT TO DO during construction!
EXAMPLE 1
Changing the style or even wood species on cabinets during construction and after you’ve ordered would be the ultimate delay. Cabinets, like appliances, are known to have the longest lead time compared to a majority of the other materials in your kitchen project. If you’ve selected your cabinetry and worked out the details with the cabinet shop for, say, a full-overlay cabinet style and later down the road decide that you actually prefer inset cabinets… well that’s a major change that alters the product cost and definitely the time to craft and produce these new style cabinets. Custom cabinets can have a lead time of anywhere from as little as 6 weeks to 12 weeks +, depending on how busy a shop might be. Even semi-custom cabinets will still have at least a 4 week lead time.
EXAMPLE 2
Changing your mind from an engineered quartz countertop to having porcelain countertops is another big setback while in construction. If you’ve already purchased the engineered quartz material and it’s been hanging out with the contractor’s fabricator, the supplier may not take it back or charge a restocking fee. Additionally, the thickness of the counters (going from a 2cm quartz to a 12mm porcelain) will alter the sub-top material that sits on top the cabinetry. Talk about some major field changes to satisfy the switching of countertop materials.
Like they say, you can do anything if you pay the right amount… my goal in sharing this is all with you is to help SAVE YOU from making expensive mistakes like these! Once construction begins, do yourself a favor and stick to your finish decisions!!!
Not only will you drive yourself crazy with changes but your general contractor will present you with change orders (more labor $$$) and an updated project schedule… no bueno.
RESULT OF EXPENSIVE MISTAKE #3:
Making changes during your kitchen remodel will increase your project costs and is guaranteed to delay your construction schedule.
VALUE SAVINGS
Don’t drive yourself bonkers with all of the available options out there! Stick to your gut (or consult with a professional) and make some firm decisions on your material selections. You will be happy you did!
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
