Kitchen Remodeling Revisited 2012

By Spencer K. Smartt
The Living area in most homes today can be divided into three basic categories: the private area (bedrooms and bathrooms), relaxing area (living room, dining room, and den) and the work area (kitchen and laundry). It is this work area or work triangle that is most efficient when the kitchen is like the hub of the wheel. The dining area should be only a few steps away. The entrance off the garage should be nearby in another direction to make unloading groceries easier and other access to the kitchen should not interfere with the work area.

A typical work triangle Another spoke off the hub should be the laundry room. When preparing meals anyone in the kitchen should be able to monitor the washer and dryer and your pantry or storage space should be close at hand. Be sure to keep in mind that a kitchen is a work area and traffic from the rear entry or laundry shouldnt pass through the kitchen work triangle range-to-refrigerator-to-sink if at all possible. During the early 60s and on into the 70s, most modern kitchen designers favored small kitchens on the theory that smaller work triangles saved steps and reduced fatigue. However as the modern kitchen evolved and with the proliferation of both large and small appliances by the end of the 20th century, small kitchens seemed cramped and this concept proved to be false. Designers also then add furr downs or soffits above the cabinetry and the kitchen living area seemed to become even smaller yet. What a change from then and now! Todays Modern kitchen requires spacious counters with space for juicers, extractors, grinders, mixers, toasters, dispensers, coffee makers, microwave ovens, electric pots, grills, griddles and more. Some even have their own appliance garages built right into the cabinetry. So we thought it was time to revisit the kitchen living area and review some of todays trends and take a quick look at how you can upgrade st that dated old kitchen and bring it into the 21 century. Not much thought was given to access into and out of the kitchen in the early development of kitchen design. Setting a door that swings into a kitchen wasnt given much consideration and the concept that doors interfere with the use of appliances, cabinets and countertops probably wasnt given much consideration either. If a door is essential in a certain area in the kitchen where space is limited, one might consider a pocket or folding door.

However, use extreme caution when selecting and installing pocket doors as the frame and operating mechanisms of many pocket door frames today are shoddily made and door slabs have a tendency of coming off the track the door slab slides on. A pocket door off the track sometimes can be an expensive proposition to repair. Time spent in the kitchen work area is more enjoyable when theres a window over the kitchen sink with a view. If possible provide enough glass area to make the kitchen a light and cheerful place. If theres an outdoor living area immediately outside the kitchen, install a large sliding window over the sink or counter. Many designers today extend the window sill as much as 14 beyond the window to form a level shelf for passage of plates or a food tray between interior and exterior. Todays kitchens are also most familys most favorite meeting-place. Many families who are considering a newly remodeled kitchen are now considering combining their kitchen work area with a pleasure area and are now deciding to merge the kitchen (work area) with the family room (relaxing area) by removing either a partition or by adding extra living space. Some combine a kitchen and family room with an island cooking center that doubles as a breakfast bar for casual dining. So while you are considering making some changes take a close look at how food usually moves, from the refrigerator to the sink to the range. Thats the work triangle that we discussed earlier. There are four common kitchen floor plans: "U", "L", galley and sidewall kitchens. The work triangle is smallest in "U" shaped and galley kitchens. Use a sidewall kitchen when space is very limited. The "L" arrangement is best for a square kitchen that includes an eating area with a table.

Cabinets and Counters

What would be a good yardstick to judge whether theres enough cabinet and counter space in a home? We have put some figures together and are in linear feet of counter or cabinet face per thousand square feet of floor in the living area (everything under the roof except the garage, soffit, patio and porch). Allow a little more counter and cabinet space in a small home (under 1200 square feet). A very large home (over 4,000 square feet) may need less space than indicated below. Measure linear feet of counter at the front or back edge, whichever is shorter. Counter 8 linear feet per 1000 square feet of living area Base cabinet 7 linear feet per 1000 square feet of living area Wall cabinet 6 linear feet per 1000 square feet of living area Drawer base cabinet one per 10 linear feet of base cabinet Counter width and height 25 wide x 1.5 high Dishwasher 24 wide x 34.5 high Trash compactor 15 wide x 3.5 high Note: Base cabinet length assumes one sink base cabinet. Wall cabinets can include vertical storage cabinets (such as for trays and cookie sheets) above a built-in oven. Count utility cabinets (6 high or more) as both base and wall cabinet. Modern kitchens include a work desk with connections for electric service, telephone, computer and TV. Minimum desk width is about 3 with a book shelf (for recipe books) above the desk. Minimum desk cutout (seating area) is 24. Install a 14- to 20-wide drawer base cabinet at the right of the cutout. Desk depth can be 25, the same as normal counter depth. Desk height should be 28. Provide task lighting above the desk.

Refreshing the Look

Kitchen cabinets seldom seem to wear out before they go out of style, but they do wear out after so many years of service. If your kitchen cabinet space is adequate and well arranged, refinishing cabinets may be an option and just adding new hardware may NOT be enough. You may need to replace roller catches with magnetic hardware. The magnet attaches to the cabinet interior and the complementary metal plate fits on the door interior. New knobs or pulls (handles) complete the makeover. The cost of refinishing varies widely depending on what is specified. One option that many people consider is painting their old cabinetry. A good painting contractor will probably charge up to $548 to prepare, prime and paint 150-square-feet of base and wall-hung wood cabinets with one coat of alkyd paint.

You can do it yourself for $110, the cost of the materials - sandpaper, de-glosser, primer, paint and brush - and earn an 80 percent saving. Please note that it'll cost you a lot more in time and money to paint the interior of the cabinets because the insides have so much more surface to cover than the outside. Keep in mind that this a very time consuming project and is normally a very messy job. This is really not a job for the faint of heart. Another option for a more modern look, you might consider replacing cabinet doors and drawer fronts on the existing cabinet frames. In 2012 the average cost to Replace Cabinet Doors ranges from $114.21 to $149.92 per door. Your costs will depend on local labor and material costs, job complexity, level of preparation and finish quality. The ranges of Cabinet Door Replacement cost estimates are calculated from average, current material and labor cost levels for the specified zip code. These estimates are accurate to within +/-10%. Countertops are subject to considerable wear and often need to be replaced before the cabinets. Installing a high definition laminate, simulated stone or granite countertop will modernize any kitchen. Counter height is usually 36. Counter depth is usually 25.

Cabinet Costs
Like furniture, cabinet prices vary widely based on species of wood, type of door and of course type of finish. For example, a drawer with hardwood rails, plywood bottom and dovetail joints will cost considerably more than a particleboard drawer with stapled butt joints. Better-quality custom and semi-custom cabinets are normally made from 3/4" or 1/2" furniture-grade plywood covered with a hardwood veneer. Drawers have full-extension anti-slam drawers and roller hardware and Soft Close door hardware. Less-expensive cabinets are made from 3/8 or 1/2" particleboard, usually with a melamine coating.

Many of these lower quality cabinets are called RTAs or Ready to assemble cabinets that cost the least and are sold primarily in D-I-Y outlets. Options are limited and units require approximately an hour of assembly per cabinet before they are ready to install. Assembly and installation can also add considerably when comparing the difference in total costs. Cabinet costs are based on good quality stock units such as those offered by American Woodmark, IXL (Triangle Pacific), Kabinart, Merillat, Mills Pride, Prestige, and Thomasville. Some semi-custom cabinets will cost about 50 percent more than RTAs.

Ready to Assemble cabinets as shipped Manufacturers of quality semi-custom cabinets include Armstrong, Brandom, Decora, Diamond, Kemper, KraftMaid, Schrock, Shenandoah and Yorktown. Usually you will have to seek out a factory direct dealer to purchase these cabinets or some other upper end dealer or designer. Costs for true custom cabinets can be about double the figures of RTAs and Semi-custom. After considering assembly and installation costs, in most cases the semi-custom assembled cabinets wind up being less expensive than the Ready to Assemble cabinets. Vendors of true custom cabinets can be found almost anywhere today and most are manufactured by just about any cabinet shop in your community. However one must consider the old adage of Caveat Emptor, buyer beware, as there are plenty of so called custom cabinet makers that have no idea what they are doing. The advantage of custom-made cabinets is flexibility in style, finish, size and design. For example, custom cabinets can be made in any width or height to fit any kitchen. Stock cabinets come in widths that increment 3 inches at a time, such as 15, 18, 21 and 24. Most installations will require a filler strip to extend the line of cabinets to exactly the right length. The disadvantage of custom cabinets is price about double the cost of stock cabinets. Incidentally, nearly all cabinets are priced with the screws, hinges, rails and guides needed to finish the job. But door and drawer pulls and knobs are generally left to the discretion of the homeowner. Cabinet prices reflect what most home improvement contractors install stock cabinets with flat panel faces, picture frame molding or a simple design. Doors and drawers with grooves, raised panels, bead or elaborate molding will cost more. Full overlay doors (installed with Euro hinges mortised into the interior cabinet wall) hide nearly all the cabinet frame and will cost more than traditional doors with hinges mounted on the exterior. Doors and drawers set inside the cabinet face frame (inset) will cost even more than full overlay doors and drawers. About 60 percent of the cost of most cabinets is the wood itself. So you can expect to pay more for cabinets made with exotic wood veneers such as cherry, hickory, alder, redwood or teak on a plywood base. Oak, birch, maple and pine are the most common wood species used for cabinets. The least expensive cabinets have a melamine or plastic laminate surface on a particleboard core. Cabinets surfaced in stainless steel are among the most expensive. Some older homes have steel cabinets that were popular in the middle of the 20th century. Steel cabinets are still made, but their primary use is in hospitals and laboratories rather than in homes. Wood cabinets are stained to bring out the warmth of the wood grain and then sealed for moisture protection. Install unfinished cabinets if your client wants to match existing woodwork in the home. But be prepared to do a lot of sanding and hand rubbing to produce a finish equal to the best of stock cabinets. Many cabinet vendors offer special custom glazes and layered finishes at extra cost usually about 10 to 15 percent more than standard stained cabinets.

Kitchen Remodeling Checklist

[ ] Cabinets Soffits, countertops, size of back splash, accommodating a dishwasher? [ ] Ceiling Repaired, acoustic tile, suspended ceiling, drywall [ ] Electrical See the Kitchen Electrical Service Checklist for new outlets needed [ ] Floor Underlayment, vinyl tile, sheet vinyl, ceramic or clay tile [ ] Heating and cooling Ducts or radiators relocated [ ] Doors Change in location or swing. New trim [ ] Plumbing New venting, gas line relocated, change sink location, dishwasher [ ] Structural changes Partitions removed or moved [ ] Wall repairs Ceramic tile, paint, wallpaper, paneling [ ] Windows Relocated, increase or decrease in size. Storm windows [ ] Ventilation Kitchen exhaust hood, ducted or ductless

Kitchen Appliances
Most home improvement contractors avoid reselling kitchen appliances that only need to be plugged in. Almost every homeowner knows where to get a good deal on a refrigerator. Some contractors do however, but the markup on most of these products are so slim that many customers shop for these products at the big box stores. Its just that these big box stores have way more buying power by buying these products in bulk and storage where the contractor cannot compete. A factory direct dealer who has access to the factory distribution center may be a better option. Built-in appliances, such as garbage disposers, cook tops and wall ovens are an exception to the rule on appliances. These are fixtures, a part of the home itself, and should be included in your bid as a courtesy to the owner. Be sure to specify in the contract the brand and model the customer chose so thats what you price. In many older kitchens you will probably find that most lack adequate electrical service. Upgrading your electrical service is one of the prime reasons for remodeling most kitchens. You might want to consider the following checklist when planning extra runs from the electrical service panel. Note that some building codes require as many as three ground-fault receptacles in the kitchen. If youre adding base cabinets, figure which electrical outlets have to be moved.

Kitchen Electrical Service Checklist:

[ ] Ceiling fixture [ ] Ceiling paddle fan [ ] Clock in soffit [ ] Dishwasher [ ] Disposer [ ] Electric range [ ] Range hood [ ] Soffit lighting (fluorescent strip) [ ] Light fixture recessed over the sink [ ] Light fixture over the desk [ ] Microwave oven [ ] Oven [ ] Refrigerator [ ] Three ground-fault receptacles [ ] Small appliance outlets [ ] Trash compactor [ ] T.V. [ ] Wall or ceiling exhaust fan [ ] Wall switches

Other Cost Considerations

Extensive kitchen remodeling will usually require HVAC work such as moving duct, registers, grilles, hydronic piping or radiators. Consider also the cost of patching walls or ceilings after HVAC materials have been moved or added. Figure a half-day of work ($150) as the minimum charge for drywall hanging, taping and finishing. Demoing or framing a new wall might also be required so there could be considerable costs involved in making the changes, so be aware of these mounting costs.

Warranties
Most cabinetry, including RTAs offer some sort of warranty. Most provide a minimum of at least one year. In most cases the better the quality of the cabinetry, the better the warranty, most of these companies provide at least 5 years of warranty coverage and a few provide a lifetime warranty.

Summary
So youre thinking about a kitchen renovation or remodel. However the biggest question is always the same: How much will it cost? According to Today, the average cost for a kitchen remodel nationally is between $15,000 to $20,000 without the appliances. Of course these prices depend on what part of the country where you live and obviously costs are often controlled by things like region and city area; a New York City kitchen renovation is probably going to cost far more than one of comparable size in Kansas City. Costs can be driven by location, size of the kitchen, and the quality of appliances where the average kitchen renovation costs could be as much as $45,000. You can also do demolition and much of the installation yourself, or contract everything out. Our suggestion is to hire a General Contractor to supervise and do the day to day scheduling of your project. He may cost you a little more but he will be your best protection for getting the project done right.