Top 5 Common Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

1. Visualization
Having difficulty visualizing what your new kitchen remodel will look like when completed is something that homeowners grapple with. Some kitchen remodelers can help by showing you three dimensional CAD (computer aided design) plans. Others will recommend you visit a showroom that has life-size models of various rooms and products. For colored items, ask to see a large section of the colored item before ordering. Bold colors can look great on a small scale; but they can quickly overwhelm you when covering a large surface.

2. Poor Planning
Planning is a critical step in any remodeling project, and it is never more important than in the kitchen. If you are going to achieve your "dream" kitchen, you will need to do some extensive planning. For the most effective design, you need to match your plan to your lifestyle, and to the way you actually work and live in the kitchen.


3. Storage
Now is the time to inventory the types of items you want to store in the kitchen, including those items currently stored elsewhere in the home. There are a number of cabinet accessories available that can organize items in a variety of sizes, such as large pasta pots or dainty tea cups. Decide what you want to store and where you want to store it. For maximum efficiency, link your storage with your work stations. You wouldn't want to store your spices across the room from the cooktop, for example. Also consider what new storage needs you will have as a result of your remodel.

4. Lighting
Lighting is one of the most under-designed components in the home--and one of the most important. Lighting creates the mood of a room and provides illumination for increased safety. Use three forms of lighting: ambient, task and accent. Ambient lighting is what illuminates the entire room. Task lighting illuminates only one area for a specific task--such as undercabinet lighting focused on the countertop. Accent lighting is used to highlight an interesting feature or item, such as your prized china collection. You should decide what moods you want to create in your kitchen -- romantic, functional, fun, etc. -- and create a lighting design that matches those moods.

5. Changes to Plan
Every time you ask for something to be changed, there will be a delay and a cost. The same holds true for unexpected events, such as newly discovered termites. You should control the number of changes that you initiate during a project. If you want to make a change, ensure that the change is made in writing and that it is signed by both parties before work begins. Ask for a revised timetable and budget in the event of any changes or unexpected occurrences.