Guidelines for Plumbing If your new layout calls for changes with the location of the sink or if you’re adding an additional sink or dishwasher, you’ll need to extend your water supply and drain and vent piping. Extending plumbing lines for a new kitchen is generally easy and inexpensive, but there are some exceptions. For […]
Kitchens
Plan, design, and plan some more
Now that you’re familiar with the basic principles of kitchen design, it’s time to put pencil to paper. You don’t need artistic skill to create useful drawings, but it helps to have some patience and a few tools and materials: Tape measure 1/4 – in. graph paper Tracing paper Pens or pencils in a few […]
Special kitchen planning and designing skills
Finishing touches, such as adjusting cabinet doors and hardware and filling nail holes on woodwork are normally done by a carpenter, but you can do this work yourself. This also gives you a chance to inspect the work and bring any problems to the attention of the contractor before you make your final payment. Cleanup […]
Are you getting value for money with your kitchen
Hiring contractors Once you’ve identified what kind of help you need, the next step is to find qualified professionals, interview them, check their backgrounds and references and formalize your partnership with a legal contract. Begin by focusing on the trades that constitute the most important and complex aspects of your remodeling project. A skilled custom […]
Finalising your kitchen contractor
Conducting the Initial Interview In your initial phone calls to prospective contractors, your goal is to create a short list of those suitable for further consideration and to exclude those who don’t fit your needs. For example, you may quickly disqualify some because they aren’t available when you need them. You may also intuitively sense […]
Finding out about your kitchen fitter
Interviewing a General Contractor If you’re looking for a general contractor to manage the entire kitchen project, the interview process is slightly different. In the initial meeting, the general contractor will look at your plans or drawings and discuss the scope of the project with you. Before giving you a price, the general contractor will […]
Signing the contract for your kitchen
A contract is a written, signed a legal agreement between you and a kitchen contractor; it specifies the work to be done, the amount to be paid and the responsibilities of both parties. Contracts protect each of you in case there are misunderstandings during and after construction. Although it’s common to hire contractors on the basis […]
Clauses in kitchen contracts
Optional Clauses In addition to the essential elements, you may wish to include optional clauses: Holdback clause. You may want to emphasise that the final payment will be withheld until you’ve inspected and approved the work. This clause gives you more leverage if you need to motivate the contractor to correct any problems. It’s sometimes […]
Managing your kitchen project
At this point, you’ve completed most of the major steps of planning for your kitchen remodel. You’ve polished the plan, set the budget, arranged your finances and hired help as necessary. The next, and final, step is where it all comes together. This is when the dust flies and the walls come crashing down. Even […]
How to project manage your kitchen project
Regardless of who is managing the project, it’s important that you do your part to help the job go smoothly This may include preparing your house for when the workers arrive, checking deliveries, getting permits and calling for inspections, staying in contact with contractors and keeping track of all the receipts and legal documents. Making […]
