Construction on a typical kitchen remodel lasts about 6 to 8 weeks, and most kitchens are unusable for about half that time. That can seem like a very long time if you're unable to use your kitchen for cooking meals and making snacks, and the presence of contractors in your house can add stress to the experience. Fortunately, there are ways to make your kitchen remodel a more rewarding and less disruptive experience overall.
The team of CT home remodeling contractors at Litchfield Builders has been helping Connecticut homeowners enjoy successful kitchen remodels for over 25 years. Some of the tricks we've learned from our experiences and from our clients can help you during your upcoming remodel.
From establishing a temporary kitchen to keeping traffic out of your home's living spaces, we can recommend a range of tips to make your experience better overall.
Create a Spare/Temporary Kitchen
In many homes, the dining room makes a perfect place to set up a spare or temporary kitchen. Your contractor can help you with this.
Move some appliances. Most likely, you'll be replacing your appliances during your remodel anyway. Before your contractor removes your old appliances from your home, they can first put your appliances in the dining room, to help you maintain a sense of normal kitchen functionality.
Your contractor can move your refrigerator and microwave for easy snacking and food prep, and may even help you move the stove as well. Have a conversation with your contractor about this to decide what needs to be moved and where would be the best location for these items in your dining room.
Install a temporary sink. The sink is surely one of the most essential parts of the kitchen. Without a kitchen sink, it becomes difficult to clean dishes, fill cups and pots with water, and so on. Ask your contractor to set up a temporary sink in your dining room to make these tasks possible.
Use an electric camping burner for cooking. Although cooking full meals in the kitchen may be too cumbersome, you can easily set up an electric camping burner for heating soups, pots of water and performing basic functions like making tea.
Get Ready for Your Remodel In Advance
Your contractor should communicate this with you before the remodel begins, but plan to do a lot of work to prepare your home for your upcoming remodel. Make time to get this done.
Remove the food and dishes. Your contractor will almost certainly ask you to remove the food and dishes from their cabinets and pantry. Most homeowners don't realize how much they keep in their cabinets and pantry, and many need more than just a few days to get everything safely packed away.
Stock up on disposable dishes. Even with a temporary sink, you won't want to be doing a lot of dishes in your dining room. Make life easier for yourself with disposable dishes like paper plates and cups.
Take the food out of the refrigerator. Your contractor can help you move your refrigerator from one room to the next but may need you to remove the food from your refrigerator to make this easier and safer.
Remove items from the walls. Take down any pot racks, coat hooks, pictures, and artwork on the walls of your kitchen. Pack these items away in a location where they'll be safe. Keep in mind that you may no longer want these items when the remodel is finished, as the entire aesthetic of your kitchen may have changed by the time the remodel is over.
Talk to Your Contractor About Kitchen Access
Having a contractor walking through your house, back and forth to the kitchen, for 6 to 8 weeks can get tiring. Have a conversation with your contractor about the best route to access your kitchen without disrupting family activities. Depending on the layout of your house, your contractor may even be able to create a temporary pathway to access the kitchen without interfering with household goings-on.
Have a Meal Plan
A lot of people eat takeout during their Connecticut kitchen remodel, but takeout can get old - especially if you have few takeout options. Have a plan for preparing snacks and small meals in your temporary kitchen.
Create a list of foods that would be easy to prepare in the temporary conditions. If you're especially organized, you may choose to make some foods in advance and put them in your chest freer for later consumption. At the very least, you'll want to collect the takeout menus of local restaurants.
Stock up on grilling supplies. Are you remodeling your kitchen in the summer? Grilling is a great option for food prep, and by the time your remodel is well underway, you'll welcome the opportunity to cook fresh foods at home.
Work With a Reputable Contractor
Most important when you're conducting a kitchen remodel is to work with a reputable home remodeling contractor with experience in this particular type of remodeling. The more your contractor knows about ushering homeowners through this challenging remodel, the easier your remodel will be. Here's what you can expect from a contractor with a good reputation and a lot of experience:
- Excellent communication. A good contractor will communicate the timeline and prepare you in advance for the difficulties of a kitchen remodel.
- Outstanding customer service. Not all contractors will offer the kind of help and customer service it requires to set up a temporary kitchen.
- Good organization. It's vitally important that your contractor sticks to the timeline they propose. Good contractors stay organized, which can help them stay on track.
Make Your Upcoming Kitchen Remodel Easier
Litchfield Builders provides a range of services to make remodeling easier overall. Download our free guide to choosing a Connecticut home remodeling contractor to get started with your upcoming remodel.
Need help with your kitchen remodel budget? See our kitchen remodel calculator to make that easier as well. Call today if you have questions.
