Kitchen Remodels Dos and Don’ts
Kitchen remodels remain one of the most popular home remodeling projects that homeowners undertake. In 2004, admittedly at the height of the recent housing boom, Americans spent more than $10.5 billion remodeling their kitchens. With the current downturn in the economy, the spending on remodeling is returning to more traditional levels of 5% a year.
While homeowners may be getting more cautious given the current market conditions, kitchen remodels still remain a key area of focus for homeowners looking to improve the beauty, functionality and value of their home.
Your kitchen can be one of the more expensive projects. You’ve seen some of the very extravagant kitchen upgrades in home decor and designer magazines. These high-end kitchen remodels can cost as much as $100,000 or more. While beautiful to admire, that’s probably beyond the budget of most Americans looking to improve their kitchen.
If you’re considering a kitchen upgrade, here are a few ways to get the most for your money.
Always start with a plan. According to a recent Consumer Reports Survey, people who did less homework before they began their home-improvement projects reported more problems. Nearly 25% of the over 2,000 homeowners surveyed said they wished they had done more research or chosen a professional contractor more carefully. One of the more common complaints was that the job wasn’t finished on time.
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