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Now that I can officially say I survived my first kitchen renovation, I’ve taken some time to reflect on the past 4 (!!) months of progress. In some ways, I feel like the whole experience went by in a snap. In other ways, I feel like it was a grueling process that I don’t want to live through again for… a while! Funny how construction works, isn’t it?!
These past 4 months have been chock full of learning experiences. I’m not sure there’s an “easy way” to do a major renovation; however, I’ve definitely accumulated a lot of tools and knowledge while going through this process in my own kitchen. There are a few things I would do differently, and some I’d do all over again.
Today I’m sharing a list of the top 10 things I wish I knew before renovating my kitchen. My hope is that these lessons will help others avoid some of the same mistakes I made.
What I Wish I Knew Before My Kitchen Renovation
So here it goes – an honest, comprehensive guide covering my kitchen renovation lessons. And yes, some of these things required me to learn the hard way!
#1 – Go Overboard On “Mess Prevention”
Prepping our house for the demo was one of the most important things we did throughout the entire process of our kitchen makeover. At the time, it seemed boring and annoying – especially because all I wanted to do was get to the fun part – the demo! BUT, the prep work proved to be a lifesaver in the long run (kitchen remodel = hot mess).
I would recommend going “overboard” and taking every precaution you can to secure the rest of your house from dust. This meant covering vents, tarping off rooms, and using this amazing invention for doorways. I would also recommend protecting any of the floors in your home that you think may be impacted by the “construction traffic”.
For us, this meant our kitchen/dining room (obviously), but it also meant our mudroom, because it was the passageway into the kitchen and into the garage.
We also wanted to protect the carpet going down the stairs and the walkway to our slop sink, electrical box, and access to all of the pipes. All of these destinations are located in different locations downstairs! Our contractors were down there quite often, so proactively covering the carpet would have been nice. We eventually made that happen; but doing it in advance when we were protecting the rest of the house would have been more efficient and effective.
#2 – Have EVERYTHING On Hand Before Work Starts 
I typically adhere to this rule pretty well; but I definitely slacked a little on it this time. I can’t even tell you how many times we needed a piece of material to test size, color, or reference information on the box well before it was time to actually install it.
If you can, it’s a really good idea to order everything you’ll need for the work in advance. I know it’s close to impossible to have everything, but fewer trips to the store mid-project, is always better!
But also remember that this strategy can come with storage space challenges. You’ll want to figure out where the best place is for you to store all your new items. Keep in mind that the demo material will also need someplace to temporarily live. The struggle is real and you’ll need to come up with some creative ways to fit it all!
#3 – The Work Probably Won’t Be Continuous
Ugh, this is a hard one! In a perfect world, you would demo everything and your kitchen would be filled with professionals on a daily basis until the job is complete. Unfortunately, the schedule typically isn’t that seamless, which is one of the main reasons why a kitchen remodel takes longer than expected.
Of course, if you hire a general contractor, this won’t be a problem. But, that also comes with a larger price tag. If you are going with individual contractors, the more affordable alternative, it’s best to schedule their work as close together as possible. But, realize that the schedule probably won’t work out perfectly, and some jobs need to be done before/after others. Jobs run over, other jobs stop short, materials aren’t ready… there are so many variables that impact the schedule and make the process slow down a bit.
#4 – You Need To OVER Communicate
I emphasized the importance of communicating in this post about working with contractors, but I have to highlight it here too because it’s SO important. Don’t assume you’re on the same page for anything!
I know that sounds annoying, but communicate every single detail. This is especially important if you are going to be out of the house while the professionals work. You don’t want to come home to the handles mounted on the cabinets in the wrong spot, an outlet wired in a very different location than you imagined, or the grout lines in the tile the wrong size.
You put a lot of time into making these design choices; so don’t let a little bit of shyness get in the way of you getting your dream kitchen. Communicate, communicate, and over communicate (in a nice way!) to ensure you are both on the same page.
#5 – If Something Is Not Right, Speak Up!
But when something slips through the cracks of that strong communication and it’s not perfect, speak up…. immediately! It’ll be much easier for your contractors to fix a problem if you tell them sooner, rather than later.
I came home from work one day to find that the light above our kitchen sink was wired to hang from the ceiling, instead of the wall above the window (like I had planned). Not that big of a deal, I get it. But, I knew I would kick myself forever if it stayed like that.
I hated to be a pain and after a short internal battle, I told them my thoughts. My contractors were very gracious and glad I said something that day because the walls were still open and changing the location of the light took them about 15 minutes. If I had waited a few days to speak up, the walls would have been closed back up and the whole process would have been a lot more tedious and time-consuming.
#6 – Expect Budget “Add-ons”
I’m all about saving money and sticking to a budget, but when it comes to a renovation project, be ready for “add-ons” to that budget. The only thing you can expect when it comes to add-ons, is the unexpected. Things magically pop up after demo that aren’t expected. These issues, whether minor or major, usually come with an additional cost.
It’s hard to give any concrete advice on this frustrating topic that is so different for everyone. But, I would urge you to stay under your bottom line budget while planning the renovation, so that you have funds available for the uncertain expenses. Also, don’t forget to track all of the little things as you map out your budget- they really add up fast!
#7 – Add on a Few Smaller Projects
Speaking of “add-ons”, these are planned expenses that I actually encourage you to add to your kitchen renovation if you have the funds available.
During a kitchen renovation, your house is going to be a HOT MESS and you will have access to contractors every single day for a while. While you have them in your house and while your house is a disaster anyway, why not add on any other “odd jobs” that may need to be done?
Of course, you’ll have to negotiate this with your contractor in advance, but I highly recommend it. The good news is they may even be able to give you a package deal!
For example, the contractors were working in my attic to add a can light in our kitchen. So, I asked them if while they were up there, they could add a light in our stairwell since this was something that had been on our to-do list for a while.
They charged me a few bucks and were happy to do it! It literally took them an extra 20 minutes while they were up in the attic and we were so happy to pay the extra few bucks to finally check it off the to-do list. If you have any other small jobs around the house, this may be the time to get them done!
#8 – Breathe in, Breath Out…The Mess Is Temporary
I said it once, but I will say it again. Your whole house is going to be a disaster during the kitchen remodel. You can read my tips for surviving a kitchen makeover here (including our temporary kitchen setup), but expect dust, an overwhelming amount of disorganization, and a general feeling of chaos… everywhere. In fact, I’d argue that breathing through chaos is the most important DIY skill to have!!
But also know that the mess is temporary. In a few months, life will be back to normal, which I know is very hard to believe when you’re in the thick of it! But I promise you’ll get through it and slowly but surely, the dust goes away. So as overwhelming as it feels during the mess, remind yourself that there’s light at the end of the tunnel! Hang in there, it’ll be worth it!
#9 – Document The Process
I was lucky that it was part of my job to document the entire process on the blog and on social media. But, I realize most people undergoing a kitchen renovation are not bloggers and are not always thinking about documenting their home improvement projects.
Honestly, though, I encourage you to document the process. Take before pics, make a point to snap as many photos throughout the process as you can, and don’t forget to document the gorgeous new kitchen at the end of the process. Truly, this is one of the best decisions you can make for yourself, and your future self!
You’ll love your new kitchen, but seeing how far you’ve come from the old kitchen makes you appreciate the new look so. much. more. TRUST ME!
And speaking of documenting, be sure to save all of your paperwork and receipts from this journey. Figure out an organization system before you start, so that you can keep these important docs and manuals safe. Remember when I said your house is chaos? If nothing else, keep this system safe from the chaos.
#10 – You’re Going to Have Regrets…That’s Okay!
I hate to end on a negative note, but it’s true. You’re going to have regrets. BUT that’s okay! This post is already so long, so I will save my few regrets for a different day. But, know that everyone has them, especially if this is your first time doing a renovation project in your house. You live and you learn, right?
I know regrets are hard to swallow, especially after spending a ton of money on a new kitchen, but realize that they’re bound to happen regardless of how much you plan ahead.
Even amidst these tiny regrets, you will still LOVE the overall look of your kitchen. Heck, my current kitchen is one million times better than I ever expected or dreamed it could be. And, I’m obsessed with it, even though I have a few regrets. Focus on the positives, and take those regrets as a lesson learned for next time.
Good Luck!
I’m confident that if we survive a kitchen remodel, you can too! Hopefully, these tips will make your kitchen renovation process a bit less stressful, and make the final product one you are in love with for decades to come!! Good luck, you totally got this!
Bridget
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