Key Elements of a Kitchen Renovation – Part 1: Cabinets

You’ll find that the biggest part of your kitchen renovation budget will go toward the cabinetry – likely about half. A big ticket item like that means a lot of pressure to make the right decision, so you don’t regret it later. HA Construction can help you to choose what works best for functionality and your personal style, but there’s nothing wrong with having a little knowledge of your own.

Determining What You Want
In order to narrow down what you’re looking for, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you need all new cabinets? It may be possible that they cabinets you have can be just as appealing with your new kitchen design by giving them a face-lift. This will save a lot in your budget, too.
• What elements of your current kitchen cabinets go on the “dislike” list? Focus on where your current cabinets fall short on form and function.
• Why are you updating the kitchen? It makes a difference whether you’re staying in the home long-term and renovating for you, or are doing it to increase resell value.
• What is the decorative style you want to convey in your kitchen? Believe it or not, the design of the cabinetry will make a difference on whether the correct style is reflected.
• Do you want to go green with your cabinetry? Environmentally friendly options are available, such as bamboo, wheat board and reclaimed wood.
• How much storage do you want? You also need to determine if you need more, less or the same amount of storage as you currently have, because this will affect the design plan for the kitchen renovation done by HA Construction.
  

Saving Money on Your Remodel Budget
When it comes to cabinetry, one sure-fire way to save on your kitchen remodel is by refacing the cabinets instead of replacing them. Changing the stain or painting the cabinetry can supply a whole new look. Take it a step further and put on a new veneer (re-skin) on the cabinet fronts in wood or laminate. Not to mention, replacing the hinges, pulls and knobs will change the look, too. The difference is hundreds of dollars verses thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of dollars for all new cabinets.

Be Realistic With the Budget You Have
There are two elements to consider when choosing cabinets and cabinetry elements:

• Aesthetic Appeal
• Quality

If you have a mid-size budget, then you won’t be able to spend big bucks on exotic wood and the most expensive hinges. Instead, work to find the look you want and maintain durability at the same time – and determine which is more important to you. At the end of the day, you’ll likely choose quality over appearance, after all, you can get very close to the look you want without sacrificing durability, especially with Andy and HA Construction on your side.

How Cabinets are Manufactured
Determining what type of manufacturing you want on your cabinets will help you calculate your spending for the project. There are three forms of cabinet manufacturing:

• Custom – Custom cabinets are usually the most expensive, as they’re designed any way you want them to be with the specific measurements needed for your kitchen remodel. The possibilities are endless with this made-to-order option.
• Stock – Stock cabinets are the direct opposite of custom cabinets. They are pre-manufactured in predetermined sizes, limiting your selection and options. You usually can choose by sizes in 3 inch increments, with a limited range of stains.
• Semi-Custom – This is like a combination, or the mid-line between custom and stock cabinetry. Basically, these cabinets are pre-manufactured with a few customizable options on the details.

Design Elements and Materials
Framed cabinets have a wood frame along the front of the cabinet (frameless does not). There is a variety of hardware available from hinges to drawer slides. You’ve certainly seen the high quality feature of slam-less cabinet drawers that close on their own.

Additionally, you’ll find that the cabinets can be made from a variety of materials, including:

• Laminate or melamine over particle board
• Metal
• Medium density fiberboard (MDF)
• Plywood
• Solid wood

Additional Considerations
Be sure to ask Andy about the warranty on the cabinets you’re considering, as this will likely effect your decision. Andy will also give you honest feedback on the best options for your budget and desired look. Having this information will help speed up the decision process so you can move on to other elements of your kitchen renovation with HA Construction.