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Posted over 8 years ago

New Kitchen, Concept to Completion

Having built a number of kitchens, I thought I would share some of my experiences with the bigger pockets community.  As the general contractor I always have a strict budget and timeline to adhere to, and a client to please.  So, how do I do it?

1.  Create a conceptual framework for the kitchen - this doesn't need to be a complicated document, but you do need to know what you want to achieve, who the buyer is, what style of decor is appropriate, and come up with a wish list for appliances and features.

2.  Get a plan - while obvious, this step cannot be over emphasized.  The plan determines how every tradesperson involved in the job must meet the exacting specifications and location of each component of the kitchen, both unseen (wiring, water lines, etc) and otherwise (appliances, counters, etc).  I use the service of an extremely talented and creative kitchen designer.  This is not a napkin sketch process, the designer has software and is able to produce exceptionally precise and detailed drawings, including renderings.

3.  Seek permits -  Based on the plan requirements, each kitchen I have completed needs a full set of inspections by the municipality, generally plumbing, gas, electrical, and building (structural).  HVAC may also be necessary, as could an engineer stamp on the plans and a site visit after framing is done.  

4.  Use the plan to cost out the complete project - With the drawings in place, the cabinet shop can prepare an estimate.  Tile, flooring, electrical, plumbing, paint, framing, flooring and any other necessary item can then be carefully calculated.  At this point I generally seek cost reductions through minor changes to the design.  An example is I have reduced the number of cabinet boxes in a kitchen to lower cost, yet the outcome was essentially identical in the finished product.  Again, the designer can help seek out ways to lower cost.  Minor changes to the plan after the permit has been received by the municipality is generally not an issue for the inspector.  

5.  Prepare a schedule - By laying out the entire schedule on a project management software, or even a spreadsheet, the many moving pieces of the project can be carefully orchestrated.  Lead times can be significant for items like tile, or stone counters.  I like to make sure the stone slabs are in stock before I start the kitchen install, so template can take place immediately after the cabinets are installed.

6.   Double check everything - after you approve the plans, you often become liable for planning errors.  Appliance openings and operation can be very difficult to visualize on paper.  For example, a kitchen could have a dishwasher door that opens and conflict with another kitchen component like an oven, or a corner cabinet.  These kinds of errors can be impossible to correct later.  Problems can have a cascade effect where one mistake leads to a compounding series of costly blunders.  Having a second set of experienced eyes review you plans is very helpful.

7.  Begin construction once your trades have signed contracts detailing explicit scope of work requirements.  

8.  Supervise the installation of each component and immediately intervene if mistakes are evident.  Once again experience is essential here.

9.  Ensure materials are available and staged for delivery at optimum times throughout the process. A careful order of operations is needed.  I would use framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, prime/paint, cabinets, countertop, tile, floor, lights, paint second coat, plumbing fixtures, appliances, water/gas/electrical connections to appliances, cleaning, inspection, as a rough guide. 

10.  Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen.

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Comments (5)

  1. I engage the services of a talented designer.  She will work for me on a hourly wage for design only.  She also so happens to work for a kitchen shop (her full time employer), one that I hadn't used in the past, as I assumed it was too costly to work with them.  She produced the first draft and had her shop quote the production.  As it turned out, the cost wasn't as over-budget as I had imagined.  We received a benefit from doing three kitchens, three fireplace units and nine bathrooms as well, as they appreciate the volume, being a good sized shop, and I believe they want future work from me.  

    Upon closer examination of the drawing, I felt another supplier couldn't execute the design properly, as this shop prides itself on close tolerances and cabinet door front motions (like vertical rise doors and a false wall in the swing space that hides the vent hood duct) that need precision and accuracy.  Months later (keep in mind I was drawing the kitchen at the same time as the basement was being dug), I was extremely relieved my intuition was correct.  Other suppliers I had used in the past would have not been able to build the kitchen to the exacting standard the drawing called for.  I also used my own crew to do the install, this is such a huge factor.  I would estimate only a quarter or less of the install teams I have encountered have the carpentry skill to hang these cabinets and scribe the trims carefully enough to match the quality of the material I had purchased.  So in this particular design I could have a) used the wrong shop, and b) used the wrong install crew.  Both would have led to major headaches, the type that can't be resolved without five figure fixup bills, and catastrophic schedule delays.

    To answer your question more directly, I would not have used a big box shop or an online retailer.  I highly doubt a non local shop would have had the wherewithal to build this kitchen, the support team needed to manage issues (and we had some), or the attention to detail.  My designer comes to the site at a critical time to re-measure the framing and mark-out the floor for plumbing and electrical, and she can change the master shop drawing.  This also leads to a shared responsibility for site problems.  If I was tasked with the site markup, then I would be accepting all of the liability of flawed or erroneous measuring.  This isn't something I feel comfortable with when a kitchen needs to fit within a fraction of an inch between two finished painted walls.  

    I wouldn't pay 35k for a kitchen cabinet package, but if I did, I am sure an imitation kitchen at a cost of 9k could not mimic the real product in a remotely comparable way.  I would be really curious to see if anyone had tried this and what the product is like.  There is a vast chasm of quality between those prices.  I would likely be so concerned about the quality and warranty of the discount kitchen, that I would not have the courage to try it.  I guess it depends on the market you are in, and the buyer expectation.  For a quick flip with a lowish budget where you  need a kitchen that makes an impact, maybe it could work.  In my area the buyers identify the non grain matched cabinet fronts, and key in on lower end hardware, or any small detail that makes the job look less than professional.   While I am not saying it can't be done, I don't think the risk justifies the savings.  The simpler the kitchen, the easier it would be to use a discount broker.  Perhaps I should submit a drawing to zillowdigs and see what they price it at?



  2. It does serve as a great checklist for items in the past that I have totally missed/  The only issue that I see is that when I have used a kitchen designer the cost is always about 20% higher than the nig box store etc. search.  Any advice on the big box stores or even shopping online. I have noticed that Zillowdigs.com shows you a $35000.00 renovation and then they give you the $9000.00 way of completing the same look from stores online. I would like to hear your opinion other than the obvious floors such as returns and wrong shipments etc. Thanks


  3. My cabinet supplier is a Danish-Canadian so there may be a common ikea dna link there for sure.  I can show you the starting point it was sure nasty.  This was a new build, the old home took an expensive trip to the dump.  I took over the site from a hoarder type who had been living in there for a year at least without plumbing.  We had a nasty surprise when we demolished the old foundation..


  4. I like the kitchen its very unique. It is very "Ikea-isk". Was this a new build or gut? I'd LOVE to see what you started with.