It is every homeowner’s dream to have a beautiful and functional home. While a house has many rooms, the heart of your home is the kitchen. It is where you prepare and cook meals for you and your family. However, your kitchen can become outdated over time. A renovated kitchen will bring new life to your home—and significantly improve its market value, as well.
A kitchen makeover is one of the most significant investments a homeowner can make. It can involve a lot of time and money; however, when done well, it will transform the kitchen into a beautiful and highly functional space for years to come.
Why Kitchen Is The Heart Of Our Home
A home is never complete without a kitchen. Aside from being where we prepare and cook meals, the kitchen has become a place where we enjoy a cup of coffee, get breakfast, huddle with our family, and gather with friends during a party. Over the years, the kitchen has slowly morphed into an epicentre of the home.
Here are five solid reasons that explain why the kitchen is the heart of our homes:
1)It influences your lifestyle – Traditionally, the kitchen was a small area for preparing and cooking meals and was often separated from the dining area. However, kitchens have evolved throughout the years. While they still serve as a space to make meals, modern kitchens are larger and serve multiple purposes. They are an extension of the family’s lifestyle. Adding comfortable seating, storage cabinets, and convenient work nooks are frequent upgrades for modern kitchens. Whether you are a full-time parent or an all-around chef, your kitchen design should compliment your personal taste and lifestyle. By remodelling your kitchen, you take control of your kitchen to fit your needs.
2) It’s a space for family gatherings – In addition to the living room, the kitchen can be a great place to create more memories with your family. A large modern kitchen can accommodate the whole family where they can congregate or discuss the details of their days. Amenities, such as bar seating or ample countertops, provide different functions and invites people to sit, chill, and catch up. This opens more opportunities to strengthen the family connection.
3)It adds value to your home – Remodelling your kitchen is one of the most popular home improvement projects you can invest your money in. Aside from enhancing the aesthetic value of the space, it also improves the functionality of the kitchen. Updating your kitchen increases the value of your home.
How Kitchen Remodelling Affects Your Home’s Value
If you want to know which home improvement project can bring the best bang for your buck, a stylish showpiece kitchen has the best return on investment in your home. The beauty and functionality of the kitchen plays a significant role in a potential buyer’s decision.
Homeowners invest in kitchen remodelling for many reasons, including:
1)It makes your home stand out – Kitchen improvement projects can make your home stand out. Spending your money on new cabinetry and fixtures can give your kitchen the quality look you desire.
2)It ads energy savings – Another chief motive for remodelling is to save energy. Installing solar energy-efficient appliances, water-saving kitchen fixtures, and water heaters can help reduce electricity bill, as well as decrease the strain on the environment. Adding skylights will flood the room with sunlight, and save on lighting costs, too.
3)It takes advantage of financial incentives – Remodelling your kitchen can also result in net financial gains. Incentives, such as remodelling grants, cash rebates for trading in old appliances, and low- or no-interest loans are available from government agencies, banks, or other institutions.
4)It can be customized to your needs – Your old kitchen layout may have worked for you in the past years, but as your family needs and lifestyle changes, you may need to consider updating your kitchen layout. Add a breakfast bar where the family can gather for coffee or a quick meal. Put in a small workspace where you can catch up on emails, or your child can do homework, while you cook. Remodelling your kitchen is an effective way to re-arrange the room that best suits you and the family.
Kitchen Remodelling Guide
There are many things to consider before starting and executing a kitchen remodel. It is a significant home improvement project, both in terms of cost and scale. Understanding the steps involved helps you go through the process smoothly.
1. Gather inspiration – There are many decorating styles and modern fixtures and materials you can find on the Internet and the home improvement project magazines. Consider them carefully and make sure it suits your needs. Collect photos from magazines or print out from websites to help organize your ideas visually.
2. Set your budget – Using the photo inspirations as a starting point, be realistic about the cost to determine the materials and products that suit your budget. More extensive remodelling projects could take up more time and money, so make sure to prepare an extra 10 to 20 percent more for contingencies.
3. Find a contractor – While there are certain things you can do yourself, kitchen remodelling requires the skills and expertise of a qualified contractor. Get referrals from friends and neighbours. Take time to know them by checking references, customer ratings and reviews, and before and after photos of their previous projects. The contractor should have the proper licenses and insurance to protect your property. Make sure to get a written estimate before signing a contract.
4. Upgrade and move utilities – Kitchen remodelling provides an excellent opportunity to improve your plumbing and electrical systems. Moving where the sink, stove, or dishwasher will be gives the plumber and electrical contractor to replace older pipes and wiring with stylish, modern fittings.
5. Update your countertops, cabinets, and storage – You are almost done with your kitchen remodelling project. The installation of countertops, sink, and faucet will have the construction zone looking like a kitchen again. Install storage cabinets to give it a finishing touch. Soon enough, kitchen appliances, such as oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, and water filtration systems will be ready to be put in place.
The Importance of Proper Plumbing in Kitchen Renovation
Since the kitchen is where we prepare and cook meals for our family, having a fully functional plumbing system is a must. Most kitchens have a straightforward plumbing system including hot and cold water supply lines, gas supply link, and a waste line connected to the sink. With so many design choices, many homeowners may not realize the location of the plumbing system can affect the installation and placement of the cabinetry and appliances. To prevent this from becoming a problem, have an expert plumber in King City carefully determine the right dimensions and layout for your plumbing.
Plumbing Authority has more than 20 years of proven track record in providing both residential and commercial building owners with 24/7 comprehensive plumbing services. Give us a call at (647) 992-7473 for a free on-site estimate.