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How to Set a Budget for Your Kitchen Renovation

Creating a kitchen of your dreams may seem impossible. The kitchen is the gathering place of the home and where your family spends a significant amount of time throughout the day. You deserve this space to be beautiful, functional, and perfect. However, a kitchen renovation can be daunting and quite expensive. In Canada, the average kitchen remodel costs approximately $25,000 and if you are considering a luxury kitchen for your home, you could spend up to $50,000 when the final project is complete. 

Creating a budget for the kitchen renovation in your Toronto home can be challenging but it’s necessary. This will help you prepare financially for this change and it will help to reduce some of the included stress. Plus, when spending such a significant amount of money on a kitchen renovation, you won’t strain other aspects of your lifestyle just to pay for this one project. 

Managing your budget and expenses is quite easy if you prepare ahead of time. Here are seven tips to help you set a budget for a kitchen renovation and to stay within it. 

 1. Determine What Projects To Complete

One of the first things you must do is determine exactly what type of work you want complete during your kitchen renovation in Oakville. Sit down and establish a list of both your wants and needs. However, don’t make this a vague list of projects like “update the flooring,” “replace cabinets,” etc. Do some research to truly know what is available and the type of materials you want to use. 

By providing a more detailed list, you will be able to more accurately set your budget. For example, let’s take a look at the floors. If your kitchen flooring needs to be replaced, the type of material you choose can drastically impact your budget. Here are a few flooring options you may consider and their price:

 Vinyl Sheet – $1 to $5 per square foot

Vinyl Tiles – $1 to $4 per square foot

Hardwood Floors – Up to $15 per square foot

Stone Tiles – Up to $20 per square foot 

Additionally, the labor and installation for each type of material will also range in cost as some materials, such as stone tiles, are a lot more challenging and time-consuming to install than vinyl. 

 2. Determine Your Priorities 

Once you have a list of all the tasks you want to complete during your kitchen remodel, separate your list into three or four priority tasks that must be done. The rest of the projects you want to complete can be left out if necessary but would be nice when transforming your living space. Unexpected costs can occur in any type of renovation and to stick within your budget, you need to focus on the tasks that mean the most to you and are of the highest priority. 

 3. Consider Your Future

The future for your family and the home should also impact your kitchen renovation and budget. If you have no plans to move from the home in the near future, you want to consider your needs now and in the future. Will you have space for your family to grow? Will it have all the meal prep and kitchen features that you desire? If this is your long-term residence, you should create a kitchen area that best suits you and your family.

If you don’t expect to live in the home forever and you have plans to move within the next several years, you don’t want to put too much money into the remodeling project. You don’t want to spend more than you will receive when you sell the home. This means you should only focus on those tasks that must be done to create a space that impresses potential buyers and will increase your home’s value. 

 4. Have Some Wiggle Room in Your Budget

 As you look through your finances and determine your budget, you want to be prepared. Ideally, you should set aside 15% to 20% of your budget for unexpected costs that will arise during the kitchen remodel. You never know what could be hiding behind the walls of your home or under the floors. You could find that there are plumbing issues, wiring problems, etc. You may also find challenges such as mold or water damage in this room as well. If you don’t have money set aside to cover the majority of these expenses, you will go over your budget very quickly. 

 5. Determine How You Will Pay for the Project

 Knowing how you will pay for your home remodel in Markham will also make a difference in your budget. If you can afford to pay in cash, this is ideal. You will have the money upfront and you will not have to worry about receiving financing from the bank and working through the application process. However, saving up to complete your kitchen remodel can take several years and will require much self-discipline to ensure you have money needed to complete the project and to do it well.  

 Receiving a loan through a lender is a common way to pay for the remodel. This option allows you to receive the money at a much faster rate than when paying in cash. However, if you choose to take out a loan, there are additional expenses you must prepare to pay. For example, you must add a little extra money into your budget to cover the interest that accumulates on the loan. You will also have processing fees and other lender fees that will add up and eat at your budget if you are not prepared for them. 

 6. Decide What You Will Do During the Remodel

 It is no secret that a kitchen remodel can be inconvenient and stressful for a family. This essential area of your home is out of commission for several weeks. The type of work you wish to complete will greatly affect how long your kitchen remodel will take but you can expect a minimum of six weeks or longer. For kitchen renovations that require extensive work on the plumbing, electricity, etc., it can take several months to complete. 

 During this time, how do you plan to care for your family? Will you remain in the home and live around the mess? Will you live with family members for a few weeks? Stay in a hotel? If you choose to remain at home, how will you eat? Will you go out for the majority of your meals? The increased eating out and additionally housing accommodations of your family can add up quickly. These are additional expenses that you will not want to leave out of your budget or it can put you several hundred or even thousands of dollars behind. 

 7. Talk to a Contractor

Once you have determined the type of work you wish to complete and you know how much you can spend, request bids from several contractors. Talk to these professionals and let them know exactly what you want, the type of materials you desire, etc. Make sure they understand your list of priorities and what you want to accomplish. By gathering bids from multiple contractors, you can not only find a company that will offer you an excellent price, but you will also find a contractor who you trust and who you will enjoy working with for several months. 

To help you transform your kitchen area and create the space you’ve only dreamed of, contact The Renovators of Canada today for a full consultation. You will see how they can work with you to create a gorgeous, functional, and well-designed kitchen space for your entire family. No matter what projects you wish to complete in this area of your home, they have plenty of ideas to truly customize the space and make it your own. 

6 Projects that Will Create the Kitchen of Your Dreams

The kitchen is the gathering place of your home. It is where you spend much of your time and where memories are made with the people you love the most. If your kitchen isn’t what you want and you don’t love this area in your home, you can change it. Kitchen remodeling in Oakville can seem extremely daunting but it doesn’t have to be.

While the amount of time, effort, and cost will vary depending on your home and the work that must be done, you can break your kitchen renovation into smaller projects, which makes the remodel much more manageable. Plus, if you work with a professional contracting company, it is less of a hassle for you and professionals are there to answer any of your questions.

Here are six kitchen remodeling projects for your Mississauga home that will help you create the kitchen you’ve always wanted.

1. Kitchen Cabinets

The kitchen cabinets are one of the most crucial aspects of your kitchen. If you have too many cabinets, the kitchen can appear small. Yet, if there are too few, you have little storage and counter space. The layout of your kitchen cabinets is something you should take time to consider. You want to make sure you have plenty of open space for family members and friends to gather. You also want counter space for cooking and preparing meals. If you prefer an island, make sure there is enough room in your kitchen and the layout is ideal for this addition.

Furthermore, think about many of the additional features that can enhance the functionality and the design of the kitchen. If you like drawers to store items, make sure your cabinets boast many drawers that are deep and wide. Slow-closing hinges are also a large benefit to prevent slamming cabinet doors and to keep the noise level low in the kitchen. Also, consider the color and material of your cabinets as that will be a main focal point in this area.

2. Lighting

Updating the light fixtures is a small project that can have a huge effect on the room. You can swap out old light fixtures for a new, more updated look. Many light fixtures also have energy-saving features which help cut down your energy costs. If you really want to brighten up this area, think about adding additional lighting such as lights under the cabinets, accent lights, or lights in the pantry.

3. Countertops

The countertops are another feature that can make a dramatic difference in your kitchen. There are numerous styles, colors, and textures that you can choose from such as granite, concrete, quartz, laminate, and more. Each option will have a different price tag and each has its own benefits from durability to longevity. You should work with a professional contracting company to determine exactly what you need for your lifestyle and the many options available for your kitchen remodel in Burlington.

4. Flooring

Updating the floors in your kitchen can be a much larger and more significant task. However, by completing it during your kitchen renovation, you can make this area your favorite part of the house. Additionally, when you work on the flooring, you can evaluate if there is any water damage or other hidden issues that should be immediately addressed. Furthermore, by updating the flooring, you give the kitchen a cleaner, more modern appearance. Dirty grout, cracked tiles, dull floors — whatever the issue may be — is replaced with professionally installed, beautiful floors.

Just like with other features in the kitchen, there are a variety of kitchen floor options available. You can choose between tiles, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and even concrete options. Each type of flooring boasts several benefits including easy maintenance, fast clean-up, stain-resistance, and cost-efficiency. Again, you will want to work with a professional who can help you narrow down your choices and find a flooring option that is ideal for your lifestyle, style choice, and current family situation.

5.  Appliances

Of course, when you update and renovate your kitchen, it is time to get out with the old and in with the new. Choosing the right kitchen appliances for your home is no simple task. However, this one change can quickly give your kitchen an updated look. As you choose your appliances, here are a few tips.

  • Choose a timeless design: You don’t want to go too bold with your dishwasher and have it be an eyesore in a couple of years. Remember that the current trends can easily change tomorrow. You want your kitchen to stay up-to-date and looking its best for as long as possible.
  • Consider size: You don’t want to choose an oven that takes away from all your counter space. While it may look good, think about functionality and convenience.
  • Buy what works best for you: This is your kitchen so you should purchase the appliances that you want. Make sure they have the specifications and the features you need.

6. Seating

Seating is often overlooked during a kitchen remodel. Because the kitchen is a gathering place in your home, you need to make sure there is ample space to gather. If you have a smaller kitchen, you may need to sacrifice furniture or cabinets to provide proper seating in this living space. If you are redoing your cabinets and countertops, you may consider a bar area that would provide additional seating in the heart of your kitchen. Or, create a corner nook with built-in table and chairs — a perfect area for young children. There are many possibilities when increasing the seating in an area, but some thought and a few sacrifices may be necessary.

A variety of kitchen remodeling projects can help create the living space you’ve always wanted. Even better, you can receive a large return on your renovation. On average, you can receive approximately an 82% return on a minor kitchen renovation. A kitchen renovation may be inconvenient but when working with a professional contract company, you’ll have a kitchen you love and a home that makes an impression.

Tips That Can Make Selling Your House Easier

Are you planning to renovate your home so you can get the highest possible sale price? If you are, then follow these easy cleaning, maintenance, and renovation tips on how to get the most for your sale.

Maintenance

Take the time to go over your every detail of your entire house.  It would be worth it to hire a home inspector prior to listing your house so that you can find out any possible deficiencies before potentials buyers walk through your front door.  If you are not planning to hire a home inspector prior to listing then take the time to really go through your home with a critical eye.  Some things to look for include torn or damaged window screens, moldy or missing caulking (inside and outside), rotting siding, decks, or handrails, worn out or missing weather stripping around windows and doors, ensuring all of your exterior and interior door handles are operational (be sure that they latch and that the locks work) uneven patio stones, cleaning any exterior gutters of leaves or debris, checking to ensure the slope of the flower beds or yard is away from your house, completing the annual furnace and air conditioner maintenance…  These are simple steps that take a little time, but wont cost you a lot of money.

Clean Your House and do What You Can to Make it Brighter

Nobody wants a gloomy house. To make your house more attractive to buyers, go through this simple exercise;  pretend you are coming to look at your house for the first time.  Stand on the street and walk up your driveway or front sidewalk.  What do you see?  Does your house look clean, bright and inviting?  Are the shrubs overgrown? are the windows clean? Once you get to the front door take a look at the door handle, is it rusty or worn?  Is the door or the key hole scratched?  Now you are inside, what do you see?  Is your entry bright?  This is what your potential new buyers will see within the first 30 seconds of coming to view your property.  You can make it or break it in these first 30 seconds.

Be sure to clean the walls, floors, and ceilings (you don’t want any cobwebs). Remove drapes, curtains (or replace them with thinner ones), and open your windows. Replace your old light bulbs with new or more powerful ones. How does your house smell when you walk in – old, dank, and musty?  Use an air freshener so that when potential buyers come into your home for the first time they aren’t taken aback by pet odours, or dirty shoes in the closet.

Updates and Renovations

The main selling features of your house are the kitchen and the washrooms, plus the flooring and the condition of the walls.

Painting

The first step is to paint the main areas, over time we all nick and bang the walls leaving marks and scrapes, especially by the front entrance.  Be sure to patch, prime and paint the the well used areas – hallways, doors and trims.  Doing a simple refresh will create an inviting environment for the new purchasers.

Flooring

Flooring an be an expensive venture. Depending on the size of your home it and when it was built will make a huge difference.  We find that new home buyers will want to put their own stamp on the home anyway, so I wouldn’t break the bank here.  However, take a look at your carpets and hardwood.  Are they scratched, stained, or worn through?  Hire a professional carpet cleaning company to bring some life back into your carpet, or a hardwood company to repair any scratches or worn areas on your hardwood floor.  Be sure all the grout lines in your tile are clean and replace any grout that is cracked or missing.

Bathrooms

You can easily refresh the look of your washroom without spending a lot of money.  A simple refresh like re-grouting and caulking of the showers and tile walls and floors.  Replace your washroom vanity, sink and faucet can be completed in a day and having your tub refinished will bring an old tired bathroom back to life.  Of course you can completely renovate your washrooms, but be sure to budget $10,000 to $12,000.

Kitchens

The kitchen is the heart of the home, this is where prospective buyers will go first.  There are some simple and cost effective things you can do to update your kitchen.  Take a look at your cabinets – are they worn, are the doors straight, do the doors open and close properly?  If you don’t have enough time or the budget to renovate from scratch you can (depending on the type of cabinets) have them painted, or re-stained.  When re-staining wood cabinets use the same colour and a product which has the varathane and stain in one application.  If your kitchen cabinets are in good shape, then consider updating the backsplash with a new tile, or replacing the counter top, sink and faucet.  The simple task of replacing all of the handles and knobs can really add a quick and dramatic improvement.

If you do have the budget and the time, renovating your kitchen and washrooms tend to add the most value to your home and help to create the quickest sale.  If you do chose to fully renovate your kitchens and washroom, be sure to plan far in advance.  Ordering cabinets, making selections and having a kitchen renovation completed can take 2-3 months, a washroom renovation is generally 2 weeks once the work has actually begun.

Renovating your home for sale can put some extra cash in your pocket.  Don’t miss out.

Shake Things up in the Kitchen!

Lifestyle Change Needed!

Renovating your kitchen will add ease to your lifestyle and value to your home. These next points will help you make the correct decisions for your kitchen renovation! So get excited and get inspired!

Quality is the Answer

Always choose top-quality drawers and hinges, otherwise your cabinet doors may not close properly and they will wear quite quickly. For the interior of all cabinets, you should always use wood veneer. A wood veneer interior is significantly more durable than melamine, laminate or particleboard.

Storage Galore!

Always maximize your storage. Extend your cabinets up to your ceiling, to increase the amount of storage in your kitchen. Although, if your ceilings are higher than eight feet, you should leave approximately 15 inches of space between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling. Leaving this amount of space ensures that you will be able to reach the top shelf of all your cabinets. So for anyone who couldn’t reach the top shelf, where the cookies were hidden, now you will be able to!

Paint, Splash, & Have Fun!

I recommend brush-painted cabinets, because they tend to last longer and give your kitchen a more unique personality. It also gives you the opportunity to show your personality through your kitchen cabinets. Let your personality shine through your kitchen!

Life on an Island…

Make an effort to choose an island that has an open and airy look. This does not mean keeping the island to smaller dimensions, but simply understanding that a kitchen can become quite busy. Understanding this concept, means that you should consider how many people tend to be in your kitchen at the same time. Based on your estimate, you can determine whether you should be installing a smaller or larger island. If you have many family members. then it is best to create extra space in the kitchen; by either choosing a smaller island, or throwing out half your family!

Written By: Jake Fortinsky

THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail (info@trocanada.com) with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

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