Makeover Madness: How to Survive Your Kitchen Renovation Project
If you think it is time for remodeling your kitchen there is more to it than choosing the design layout and the cabinets.
The kitchen is the focal point of our home and as much as your kitchen may be in need of an urgent makeover, you need to be prepared for the inconvenience and challenges you will face when trying cope with family life and a building project going on at the same time.
Make Alternative Arrangements
It is always very exciting when you have searched through a list of Winnipeg kitchens designers and suppliers, or wherever you happen to be, and chosen your new kitchen followed by a confirmed date for the work to start.
Before the work gets underway, it would make the kitchen remodeling project go more smoothly if you could make alternative catering arrangements by using another room to set up a temporary kitchen.
If you have the space available, consider turning your dining room or somewhere similar in your house into a makeshift kitchen with a refrigerator and microwave plus whatever else can be set up without too many difficulties.
Ideally, if you have access to an alternative source of running water within close proximity to your temporary kitchen facility, you will be able to keep trips to the kitchen project to a minimum.
Plan Simple Meals
It is inevitable that you will need to make use of a few drive-thru’s and pizza deliveries while your kitchen project is ongoing but if you are able to plan some simple meals that aren’t too ambitious and don’t take much equipment or preparation to bring to the table, you can still eat well through the disruptions.
Make a list of some meals that are family favorites but easy to prepare and try to create a menu that doesn’t need the use of equipment like a food processor, which will add stress to the task if you are working in a temporary kitchen.
Minimal Mess
You can also make your life a lot easier if you try your best to keep mess to a minimum by using as few utensils as possible and getting a stock of disposable plates and cups, so you won’t have to wash up more than you have to.
It would also be a good idea to stock the pantry with extra items that are easy to use and cook as well making sure you have plenty of plastic utensils and cups that can be disposed of once you have used them.
Remove Items
Being able to cope without a fully functioning kitchen is always going to be a bit of a challenge but as well as setting up temporary facilities, you might want to consider removing items that will be in the way or might get damaged, while the work is going on.
Although the kitchen contractors should cover all your floors in preparation for the remodeling work, it is worth removing floor coverings like rugs that are in and around the kitchen area. Putting them away safely will help prevent any accidental damage and it will take away the prospect of someone tripping over a rug and potentially injuring themselves.
Do not forget to remove items from both sides of the walls. Kitchen remodeling work often involves plenty of drilling and hammering and any items left on either side of the kitchen walls could be damaged or dislodged by vibration through the walls, so don’t leave it to chance.
Arrangements With The Contractor
Make sure you discuss all the relevant arrangements surrounding the contractor being on site and what rules you would like them to adhere to.
It makes sense to run through logistics such as where you want them to park and what bathroom facilities you would like them to use and discuss aspects of security and access to your house, so that there are stressful incidents or conflicts that could easily have been avoided.
Protecting The Rest of Your House
If you can manage to seal off the kitchen area from the rest of the house and leave the kitchen contractors to their work without being disturbed, this will help things to go more smoothly and quickly, as well as helping to keep the rest of your house free from dust.
Arrange to seal or close cold air returns in your remodeling area as this will help to control dust and be aware that dust can still manage to travel through any outlet it can find such as an open door or window.
Cover furniture in adjacent rooms with dust sheets if you can, so that you can get back to normal as quickly as possible once your fantastic new kitchen has been remodeled and is ready to enjoy.
Guest Blogger:
After working in the kitchen industry for nearly two decades, Wilhelm Harms decided it was time to bring the quality and style of German craftsmanship to Canada. Harms Kitchen offers the expertly crafted kitchens of Nolte Küchen, the second largest cabinet manufacturer in Germany. The Harms family knows the quality of Nolte Küchen from working personally with the company in Germany, and is a specialist with the exclusive brand.