Kitchen Complete Rehab - Where to Start?

Question

I am just starting out house flipping and am uncertain where to start on a kitchen complete gut and redo.  Do I go to one of these all-in-one renovation centers where they do the design for free as long as you buy all of the cabinets, countertops, and flooring there?  Seems convenient, but in my experience convenient equals most expensive route.  Do I hire an architect or kitchen designer?  Due to my background in engineering I could produce plan and elevation drawings myself.  Do I start with a contractor that specializes in kitchen and bath remodels?  We've read several books and watched countless hours of flipping shows but have never found an answer to this question.  Please advise if you know where to start and how to proceed in order to build back a new kitchen in the most cost-efficient manner.  Thank you.

Mike Ballew · Answer

Thank you I appreciate the responses.  It sounds like making a drawing and bidding it out to multiple contractors based on the drawing is the most cost efficient manner to proceed.  I could see where after doing several flips you might begin to trust a particular contractor and just give the work to them with no competitive bids.  That's how things appear to proceed on the flipping shows we've watched.  Again, thank you to those who responded.

Irina Costea · Answer

Hi Mike,

I am an interior/architectural designer in the Los Angeles area. I mostly do commercial work now, but when I did do residential, we would ALWAYS invite multiple contractors to bid! You will never get the lowest price from a single contractor. I would strongly recommend designing the kitchen yourself and then bid it out. I would create a plan and rough elevations that would probably take you an couple hours to do and call out the materials and locations of sink, stove, dish washer, fridge, etc.

I am not sure how you are structuring your construction and if you have a general GC or you are acting as the GC. If it were my project, I would hire subs and act as the GC. I would try to keep utilities in the same location, or move them as little as possible in order to reuse the existing infrastructure (moving gas lines, water line, etc can be expensive). And, I would buy the materials myself in order to avoid mark ups on materials. You could ask the contractors for labor-only prices and say that you will provide the materials. You could also tell them that if they have any cost-saving suggestions that you would give them a bonus if they saved you money. That way, if they know of a local place with very well priced materials or appliances that would save you money, they would be encouraged to share with you while also being rewarded.

I decent place to start would be Ikea. They have good design at reasonable prices. And, I believe they have a design program on their website where you can utilize their products. That way, even if you don't use their cabinets, you at least have a jump point for going to another cabinet manufacturer.

If you need help with the layout, and you can send me a scaled floor plan and some images, I would be happy to do a little hand sketch for you of a recommended layout :) No strings attached, I am just trying to network a bit here on BP as an experienced designer and a fairly new real estate investor. PM me if you are interested.

Best of luck!

Mike Ballew · Answer

I'm hiring the work out (not performing the construction work myself).  Seems like if you just go to a contractor and say you want to redo your kitchen, you are at their mercy with regard to cost.  Wouldn't it be better to create a drawing and a list of material specs and have three contractors bid on it?  That's how things are done in the real world of construction.  In my day job I design big projects - large commercial buildings and factories.  I mean, if you just go to one contractor and say build me a kitchen, you take out the element of competition.  Am I missing something here?  Do residential contractors refuse to work that way?

Brian Pulaski · Answer

If you have enough ability, why not design the space yourself? Are you planning on opening walls, moving utilities (plumbing, electrical, etc) expanding the space, or some other larger things? Or are you simply redoing the kitchen, flooring, lighting, cabinets, counters etc?

I have always done my own design in kitchens. I can see a designer/architect being useful if you don't feel confident in the layout. Not sure what they would charge, but might be worth reaching out to a few in your area.

John Casmon · Answer

@Mike Ballew Are you doing the work yourself or hiring it out? If hiring out, find a licensed & bonded contractor and get permits. See if the contractor gets discounted rates on materials. He can lay out a basic kitchen design (L shape), but if you need something more custom, use a designer or online design app (Home Depot has one).If you're doing the work yourself, check to see if permits are still needed. Find someone to do the design and layout, even if it's a big store as you don't have to buy the materials from there. There are various places to get discounted and reclaimed materials so look into that as well.