Request my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook
It's June and we've placed our bets that a July 2013 IKEA kitchen sale will be announced shortly. If you're waiting for the sale to order cabinets, here are some tips:
1) Get started with your research: Read up on appliances, tile, countertops, permits issues, local contractors, your city or state contractor laws, etc. My blog is a good place to start because I've written posts on all these subjects as they relate to IKEA kitchen projects.
2) Get your design work under way NOW. Don't wait for the sale to start. Even if you later decide to hold off on your project, you'll have the design work done and it can be inspiring and helpful to know how your finished kitchen will look. A finished design will help you get good bids on the contractor services. Contact Modern Family Kitchens for the best, most elegant and professional IKEA kitchen design in the world. Oh, humble-est also.
3) Work out your budget. Request my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook. There are sample bid sheets, and lots of data about the real costs of an IKEA kitchen project that comes from my experience with over 500 installations and the design of many hundreds more.
4) Window shop. Go look at appliances, tile, flooring, lighting. By the way, you don't need to buy IKEA appliances. Any brand will work with IKEA kitchen cabinets. Same with countertop. But note that the sale discounts sometimes depend on either the total purchase or how many IKEA appliances you buy. Also note that IKEA appliances are actually the Whirlpool Gold line.
5) Magazine shop. Treat yourself to print and web magazine reading time. Look on Pinterest and Apartment Therapy. There are some fabulous IKEA kitchen ideas out there. With a good designer and a skilled installer, you can do many types of customizations that the IKEA online planner will not even being to allow.
6) That's worth a special note. Don't settle for the layout design that the IKEA online planner limits you with. Invest a few hundred bucks in professional design. It is SO worth it.
7) Start asking your friends, relatives, neighbors for recommendations to trustworthy contractors. Try to interview and get bids from three, at least. The comparison will help you. Don't get one bid, and don't choose the cheapest just because it's the cheapest. If you are tempted, write me and I'll put you in touch with design clients who did this and were sorry they did. Let's just say it will cost you more to go with the cheapest bid.
8) Dream. Envision your dream kitchen. Write down what is essential, what is wanted, what is just something you'd like to have but isn't necessary. Align these ideas with your budget but ask your designer to work out a way to have your dream kitchen within your budget. That's what designers do.
Susan
Monday, June 03, 2013
Are IKEA Services Right for Your Project?
(Click here to request my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook)
Your local IKEA might offer (not all do) installation services and, possibly, design help. Sometimes the pricing of these services seems high, sometimes it seems fair. But the value of it, what you really get with these IKEA services is hard to find out. After all, IKEA is a retail store, not a remodeling company. Thus, I wanted to share my experience on this matter.
I've been working on IKEA kitchen projects for ten years. During those years the IKEA stores and IKEA policies and offerings have changed. Different door styles, new cabinet features, different sale discounts, different services. We've kept an eye on the installation services especially, if only because when we had remodeling company, we had to compete. At one point, we became Certified IKEA Installers, under contract to IKEA to install their cabinets for their customers.
Thus, I've had quite a bit of experience with IKEA services. This is not to say that what is currently offered in your local IKEA is the same as what I observed and experiences, or that the services in your local IKEA are the same as those in another city. However, there are some common qualities that a homeowner about to embark on a remodel using IKEA cabinets really should consider.
First, the type of project you have ahead of you is a major factor to consider. A small project, let's say under $5000, usually does not include electrical or plumbing work. We consider a "kitchen remodel" to include these, but if you are really just swapping out cabinets OR, if you are installing cabinets in another room, one without plumbing/electrical to consider, any experienced IKEA cabinet installer will be fine, IKEA's or one you find online or through a referral. Expect to pay about $100 per cabinet for assembly, mounting, and trim.
If, on the other hand, you are remodeling your kitchen, if your budget is in the $10,000 to $20,000 range (or a bit less in some cases), IKEA services are not the best way to go. There are half a dozen reasons I cannot recommend them.
First, a kitchen remodel is almost inevitably going to require building permits, in almost any city. If you are bypassing this requirement, you should realize that a contractor who will do a job that requires permits but doesn't have them, is a risky contractor to hire. (I've written about this in other posts and I really recommend you research permits for kitchen projects). To the best of my knowledge, IKEA service providers do not pull permits. We have known some of their service providers to habitually do jobs without permits. Their contracts will state that the homeowner is getting permits. If you are pulling your own permits, this could be acceptable, but it's MUCH better to have a contractor willing and able to pull permits for you, even if you decide to get your own. Why? Because when your electrical is inspected, your contractor will be responsible.
The second reason I think you should think carefully before hiring an IKEA services company, is because in most cases, you will be dealing, in your home, with the employees of a contractor, not the responsible party, the contractor himself.
The third reason is that, in most cases, the IKEA services provider will only be installing cabinets. The plumbing and electrical work will be SUB-CONTRACTED. Make absolutely sure, if you have sub-contractors on your project, that you know the codes and laws in your state with regard to subcontractors. It is not a small matter. Did you know that if you pay your contractor, but your contractor does not in turn pay his subs, the subs can SUE YOU? That's right.
There is more to this. Take a close look at the subject of Workers Compensation. Your contractor, if he has employees has to have this insurance. However, if he hires subs, he is supposed to ensure that the sub has his own WC. I can tell you from lots of experience, that WC is expensive and contractors don't always have what they should. If an employee or sub gets injured on the job, and there's no worker's comp policy in place, they can sue YOU, the homeowner, for a lifetime of medical bills (plus, in a worst case scenario, for the support of their families!). Sorry to scare you but the point is, with IKEA services, you might get an installer who has WC, but make sure you find out who is a sub and if that sub has it. On the other hand, just don't hire IKEA services. Find and hire a reputable, licensed contractor who can do all the work you need done without subs and who can pull permits for you, if needed.
IKEA services in your area might also include design work. Some stores offer either referrals to IKEA-affiliated designers or, more recently, some stores offer "free" design if you use their IKEA services installers. Listen, dear reader, you get what you pay for.
In our ten years and hundreds of IKEA projects, we've never seen really good design come from any IKEA store personnel or IKEA services designers. Again, this could be ok, if your kitchen is small, the layout simple. But if that's the case, do it yourself! If you are going to pay for design, hire a company that does IKEA kitchen design professionally (like Modern Family Kitchens) and is not obligated to IKEA. Our company is not obligated to use IKEA appliances, or any IKEA products. We design the best possible kitchen, within any budget, using creative design principles and years hands-on experience and skill with IKEA kitchen remodels.
Another factor, when it comes to hiring an IKEA services designer: If the designer is part of the IKEA services installation company, there is another problem. Although, as a remodeling contractor, we did design-build projects all the time, we learned over years that it is MUCH better for the client to have a designer who is independent of the cabinet supplier AND the installation contractor. I could write pages on why this is so, but what is important to know is that it IS this way. Hire a designer who has no connection to your installer or to IKEA. You will get a much better design, and almost inevitably, you will spend less on cabinets AND installation.
To wrap this up, if you have a small simple project and IKEA is the only service provider you can find, just make sure you understand what you are getting into with the service provider company. It's not IKEA, by the way, but only a local contractor who is under contract to IKEA in your area to provide service to IKEA customer. Do try to get competitive bids from at least one other contractor/installer. And make sure you read the contractors from any company you hire, and make sure the start and end dates, exact specifications, and total price are clearly marked on the contract.
If you have a bigger remodel ahead of you, in the $10,000 to $25,000 range, I recommend you research and find an honest, reputable, experienced and skilled local contractor to provide the best service and results. IKEA services will never be able to compete with a good local contractor. It might seem easy, or inexpensive. It might also seem trustworthy. I suggest you take a close look and decide what is really the best.
ADDENDUM to this POST:
I mentioned in this post that my own remodeling company had, at one point, become a certified IKEA services provider. In other words, we had a contract with an IKEA store to provide kitchen cabinet installation services (and any other services we were able to provide) for their customers. We spent the better part of a year earning this contract and we thought it would be a boon to our remodeling business.
The boon turned to bust quickly. True, we got many referrals, many projects, mostly small cabinet installation contracts. Before this we had been a full-service licensed remodeling company and we were used to doing plumbing, electrical, wall changes, windows, tile, etc. Now we had dozens of small cabinet installation jobs.
This would have been ok if we hadn't noticed ourselves changing to suit IKEA requirements. We found that we were beholden to IKEA, we worked for them, instead of for our clients. In other words, we had to make sure IKEA was happy with our services, instead of working to ensure our clients got great service, and beautiful results.
The final straw was a customer who hired us to install 18 kitchen cabinets, 2 full days of work for a skilled crew of 3. Our crew installed the cabinets per the plan the customer had designed at the store, with the help of an IKEA co-worker. A few days later, the customer called us and said that we had to come and take down all the cabinets and return them to IKEA. Apparently, the guy had realized that IKEA had delivered the wrong cabinets, an incorrect door style, not the one he really wanted. It was odd that he didn't notice this during the delivery or installation, but that's what he claimed.
Note that when you hire IKEA service providers, you contract with the provider, not with IKEA. So we had fulfilled our contract with the customer. However, when he called IKEA and demanded that they replace the cabinets. IKEA called us and demanded that we remove the cabinets, pack them up and return them to the store. The store personnel also insisted that we do this AND that we install the second set of cabinets without charging the customer at all.
Remember, this was the IKEA's error, per the customer.
Anyway, we refused. And a month later we got "fired" from our contract with IKEA. We celebrated, crew and owners, that afternoon. Business picked up and we were happier, more prosperous, and less stressed ever after.
I just wanted to tell you my personal side of this issue. And to consider that the IKEA services line is far from the best you can have for your remodeling dollars.
-Susan
Get my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook
Your local IKEA might offer (not all do) installation services and, possibly, design help. Sometimes the pricing of these services seems high, sometimes it seems fair. But the value of it, what you really get with these IKEA services is hard to find out. After all, IKEA is a retail store, not a remodeling company. Thus, I wanted to share my experience on this matter.
I've been working on IKEA kitchen projects for ten years. During those years the IKEA stores and IKEA policies and offerings have changed. Different door styles, new cabinet features, different sale discounts, different services. We've kept an eye on the installation services especially, if only because when we had remodeling company, we had to compete. At one point, we became Certified IKEA Installers, under contract to IKEA to install their cabinets for their customers.
Thus, I've had quite a bit of experience with IKEA services. This is not to say that what is currently offered in your local IKEA is the same as what I observed and experiences, or that the services in your local IKEA are the same as those in another city. However, there are some common qualities that a homeowner about to embark on a remodel using IKEA cabinets really should consider.
First, the type of project you have ahead of you is a major factor to consider. A small project, let's say under $5000, usually does not include electrical or plumbing work. We consider a "kitchen remodel" to include these, but if you are really just swapping out cabinets OR, if you are installing cabinets in another room, one without plumbing/electrical to consider, any experienced IKEA cabinet installer will be fine, IKEA's or one you find online or through a referral. Expect to pay about $100 per cabinet for assembly, mounting, and trim.
If, on the other hand, you are remodeling your kitchen, if your budget is in the $10,000 to $20,000 range (or a bit less in some cases), IKEA services are not the best way to go. There are half a dozen reasons I cannot recommend them.
First, a kitchen remodel is almost inevitably going to require building permits, in almost any city. If you are bypassing this requirement, you should realize that a contractor who will do a job that requires permits but doesn't have them, is a risky contractor to hire. (I've written about this in other posts and I really recommend you research permits for kitchen projects). To the best of my knowledge, IKEA service providers do not pull permits. We have known some of their service providers to habitually do jobs without permits. Their contracts will state that the homeowner is getting permits. If you are pulling your own permits, this could be acceptable, but it's MUCH better to have a contractor willing and able to pull permits for you, even if you decide to get your own. Why? Because when your electrical is inspected, your contractor will be responsible.
The second reason I think you should think carefully before hiring an IKEA services company, is because in most cases, you will be dealing, in your home, with the employees of a contractor, not the responsible party, the contractor himself.
The third reason is that, in most cases, the IKEA services provider will only be installing cabinets. The plumbing and electrical work will be SUB-CONTRACTED. Make absolutely sure, if you have sub-contractors on your project, that you know the codes and laws in your state with regard to subcontractors. It is not a small matter. Did you know that if you pay your contractor, but your contractor does not in turn pay his subs, the subs can SUE YOU? That's right.
There is more to this. Take a close look at the subject of Workers Compensation. Your contractor, if he has employees has to have this insurance. However, if he hires subs, he is supposed to ensure that the sub has his own WC. I can tell you from lots of experience, that WC is expensive and contractors don't always have what they should. If an employee or sub gets injured on the job, and there's no worker's comp policy in place, they can sue YOU, the homeowner, for a lifetime of medical bills (plus, in a worst case scenario, for the support of their families!). Sorry to scare you but the point is, with IKEA services, you might get an installer who has WC, but make sure you find out who is a sub and if that sub has it. On the other hand, just don't hire IKEA services. Find and hire a reputable, licensed contractor who can do all the work you need done without subs and who can pull permits for you, if needed.
IKEA services in your area might also include design work. Some stores offer either referrals to IKEA-affiliated designers or, more recently, some stores offer "free" design if you use their IKEA services installers. Listen, dear reader, you get what you pay for.
In our ten years and hundreds of IKEA projects, we've never seen really good design come from any IKEA store personnel or IKEA services designers. Again, this could be ok, if your kitchen is small, the layout simple. But if that's the case, do it yourself! If you are going to pay for design, hire a company that does IKEA kitchen design professionally (like Modern Family Kitchens) and is not obligated to IKEA. Our company is not obligated to use IKEA appliances, or any IKEA products. We design the best possible kitchen, within any budget, using creative design principles and years hands-on experience and skill with IKEA kitchen remodels.
Another factor, when it comes to hiring an IKEA services designer: If the designer is part of the IKEA services installation company, there is another problem. Although, as a remodeling contractor, we did design-build projects all the time, we learned over years that it is MUCH better for the client to have a designer who is independent of the cabinet supplier AND the installation contractor. I could write pages on why this is so, but what is important to know is that it IS this way. Hire a designer who has no connection to your installer or to IKEA. You will get a much better design, and almost inevitably, you will spend less on cabinets AND installation.
To wrap this up, if you have a small simple project and IKEA is the only service provider you can find, just make sure you understand what you are getting into with the service provider company. It's not IKEA, by the way, but only a local contractor who is under contract to IKEA in your area to provide service to IKEA customer. Do try to get competitive bids from at least one other contractor/installer. And make sure you read the contractors from any company you hire, and make sure the start and end dates, exact specifications, and total price are clearly marked on the contract.
If you have a bigger remodel ahead of you, in the $10,000 to $25,000 range, I recommend you research and find an honest, reputable, experienced and skilled local contractor to provide the best service and results. IKEA services will never be able to compete with a good local contractor. It might seem easy, or inexpensive. It might also seem trustworthy. I suggest you take a close look and decide what is really the best.
ADDENDUM to this POST:
I mentioned in this post that my own remodeling company had, at one point, become a certified IKEA services provider. In other words, we had a contract with an IKEA store to provide kitchen cabinet installation services (and any other services we were able to provide) for their customers. We spent the better part of a year earning this contract and we thought it would be a boon to our remodeling business.
The boon turned to bust quickly. True, we got many referrals, many projects, mostly small cabinet installation contracts. Before this we had been a full-service licensed remodeling company and we were used to doing plumbing, electrical, wall changes, windows, tile, etc. Now we had dozens of small cabinet installation jobs.
This would have been ok if we hadn't noticed ourselves changing to suit IKEA requirements. We found that we were beholden to IKEA, we worked for them, instead of for our clients. In other words, we had to make sure IKEA was happy with our services, instead of working to ensure our clients got great service, and beautiful results.
The final straw was a customer who hired us to install 18 kitchen cabinets, 2 full days of work for a skilled crew of 3. Our crew installed the cabinets per the plan the customer had designed at the store, with the help of an IKEA co-worker. A few days later, the customer called us and said that we had to come and take down all the cabinets and return them to IKEA. Apparently, the guy had realized that IKEA had delivered the wrong cabinets, an incorrect door style, not the one he really wanted. It was odd that he didn't notice this during the delivery or installation, but that's what he claimed.
Note that when you hire IKEA service providers, you contract with the provider, not with IKEA. So we had fulfilled our contract with the customer. However, when he called IKEA and demanded that they replace the cabinets. IKEA called us and demanded that we remove the cabinets, pack them up and return them to the store. The store personnel also insisted that we do this AND that we install the second set of cabinets without charging the customer at all.
Remember, this was the IKEA's error, per the customer.
Anyway, we refused. And a month later we got "fired" from our contract with IKEA. We celebrated, crew and owners, that afternoon. Business picked up and we were happier, more prosperous, and less stressed ever after.
I just wanted to tell you my personal side of this issue. And to consider that the IKEA services line is far from the best you can have for your remodeling dollars.
-Susan
Get my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook
Monday, April 29, 2013
After the IKEA Kitchen Sale
We helped quite a few clients from all over the US and Canada design and order their new kitchens during the Spring 2013 IKEA Kitchen Sale. One client called for the first time just four days before the sale ended. They had requested my free IKEA kitchen budgeting eBook and then called a few days later.
The couple had been working on their design using the online planner for over a year. They didn't think it would be possible for a designer to now understand their entire project and to sort out all the issues in just a few days. But they took a leap of faith in us.
Here's their thank you note:
The couple had been working on their design using the online planner for over a year. They didn't think it would be possible for a designer to now understand their entire project and to sort out all the issues in just a few days. But they took a leap of faith in us.
Here's their thank you note:
We were able to catch the ikea sale today! Thank you so much for helping us achieve what we thought would be impossible in such a short time frame. We really appreciate you working on this last minute project and being so responsive.
...you guys provide a great service and we're so glad we stumbled across your blog. I'll be sure to recommend you to friends considering an ikea kitchen.
Thanks!
M & H S.
M & H S.
It can be hard for a homeowner to realize how difficult it really is to design an elegant and optimal layout and order IKEA kitchen cabinets. Kitchen design is a professional skill. As I've written before, it is SO worthwhile to invest a small part of your budget in professional design service. The difference, in the finished result, is huge.
If you didn't get to order during this current sale, fear not. Another IKEA kitchen sale is coming soon, likely this summer. The best time to start your design work is one to two months before ordering.
Susan
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
How to Buy IKEA Cabinets at the End of a Sale
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Let's say you just haven't had the time to get organized to buy your cabinets and now the sale is ending in 11 days.1) You could give up. The savings of 15 or 20 percent is not that important. Only $1000 or so.
2) You could frantically spend your evenings working on a layout using the IKEA online planner.
In the back of your mind you know that the layout is only one step, that you need a contractor, flooring, lighting, tile, paint, appliances, and a new window. This makes working on the cabinet layout even more frantic. And how do you know the measurements are correct or that the cabinets will fit? And do you really like the way it looks?
3) You could ask friends or family members who have done it before to help you, or guide you. This is a good idea, if you have helpful, IKEA-kitchen-experienced friends.
4) You could pay a professional to design and guide you through the process.
This is the only way to reduce stress, not add stress. A reasonable fee for a professional IKEA kitchen designer will pay for itself in a much better kitchen, but also in helping you to order during the sale, and get the best kitchen AND the best discounts.
These are the usual options. I just want to say that you CAN have it all.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
IKEA KITCHEN PROJECT: “i can’t seem to get started”
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
You need a new kitchen. You want a new kitchen (a lot). You see the display kitchens at IKEA or in their catalog and you know that's what you want. You even have the money, or you think you might have enough. But you can't seem to get started. What's the problem?Usually when someone can't get a project they want to do underway it is simply a matter of "missing data." With an IKEA kitchen project, it's easy to think that IKEA has all the answers. After all, those displays look like finished kitchens.
Always remember that IKEA's purpose, not a bad one, is to sell you IKEA products. The store and its personnel are not in the service sector (not really) or the information business, nor are they remodeling professionals. IKEA sells great cabinets and I recommend them wholeheartedly. But if you can't get your project going, you might have the idea that IKEA will provide more help, adequate help, and vital help at that. When it is not forthcoming, you can get stalled. it could even be hard to spot what the problem is, but more often than not, it's just a lack of data.
People need an answer, first of all, to "how much will it cost?” they mean the whole project, not just the cabinets.
More than likely, you have seen the IKEA ads which show a part of a lovely kitchen and an advertised price of well under $3000. Although it surely gets your attention, it’s a bit deceptive. This price is merely the cost of the visible cabinets in that ad. It rarely includes appliances, countertop and other materials, like backsplash tile or light fixtures. You may have figured this out because who believes advertising anyway?
The problem is that you need to know, but don't know, or don't feel confident you know, how much your MATERIALS will cost (which means you need a comprehensive list of what those materials will be), AND you need to know how much LABOR will cost, to install all those materials.
You might also have tried to design you cabinet layout with the IKEA planner tool online, which also leaves you uncertain. Will the cabinets really fit? Did I do it right? Is the list that is generated complete or do I need to buy other parts, and if so, how do I figure out which ones?
If any of this hits home, if you are stuck in an information vacuum in which the only thing you know for sure is that you like and want IKEA cabinets, you simply need to get more data.
My company's Professional Design Service is available to get you launched and where you want to go, so call if you want experts to talk to, at least to get unstuck.
Call a few local contractors and if any seem trustworthy, ask for a bid on your project. A bid, even early on, will give you at least an estimate of labor costs. Keep in mind that some contractors will advise against IKEA cabinets because they sell another brand or because they are not familiar with IKEA's line. Just say thank you, and carry on with your goal to complete a beautiful new IKEA kitchen.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
How To get IKEA Kitchen Sale Savings All Year
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Let's say you have 18 cabinets in your current kitchen, top and bottom. When you plan your remodel, your cabinet cost at IKEA might run, without sale discount and a mid-range door style like Adel, about $3500.Let's add a solid surface countertop, like Caesarstone. Add $2800.
Also add in a cooktop, oven and hood, totaling $2300 for all three.
At this point your IKEA order comes to $9200.
Typical discounts offered during IKEA kitchen sales can vary but let's say you can get the maximum, 20%. That comes to $1,840 off your total!
Is it worth waiting for a sale to order? In most cases, yes, of course. But if your kitchen is small, or if you are not buying solid surface countertops or appliances at IKEA, the discount drops accordingly and sometimes time, or timing, is more important than money.
In every case, there is a way to save a significant amount of money on an IKEA kitchen remodel that is not dependent on their sales. In fact, this can be in addition to sale discounts.
The secret is in the cabinet layout. The IKEA planner tool you can use for free online is not the way to get the best kitchen for the lowest cost. There are half a hundred ways you can use IKEA cabinets that the planner tool will not allow you to do. The limitations are in the software itself, but a homeowner without kitchen design training and expertise is at a big disadvantage attempting to design their own layout even if more sophisticated software was available. The IKEA planner tool is offered to encourage you to buy IKEA cabinets. It does not ensure an optimal design or best kitchen for the buck.
The methods and means used by a professional kitchen designer using IKEA cabinetry go further, and better than anything you can do with the online tool. Correct placements, customized cabinets, creative solutions to odd angles or tight spaces, balance, alignment, flow, functionality, consideration of light sources, family size and age, and house size, all come into play.
A pro designer sees the future. He/she knows that someday your new kitchen will enthuse, or disappoint, a potential homebuyer, and ensures the former will occur.
A pro designer will surely keep you from making any major errors but also many small ones. The small errors, all together, make for a less than optimal, less elegant, and more costly result.
Why more costly? It's not that a professional design will necessarily reduce the number of cabinets, saving you money that way. It's that a kitchen cabinet layout, done right, will save you money (or even make you money):
1) on installation costs, because it will install correctly and you won't be paying your contractor's labor rates for adjustments.
2) on the time (= money) you spend ordering, fixing order errors, returning or shipping back incorrectly ordered parts.
3) on the value you get out of your remodeling investment.
4) on the resale or refinance value of your home (this is the best, or key reason to have your kitchen remodel professionally designed).
Sunday, March 31, 2013
An IKEA Kitchen Remodel: How Much Will it Cost?
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
It is common for a homeowner to see the beautiful display kitchens at an IKEA store that seem to cost just a few thousand dollars, and to conceive that IKEA price tag represents something it cannot: the cost of a new kitchen....and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
I've recently written an eBook, How to Plan a Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel that I am happy to email to my readers. I think you'll find that it will provide detailed help to ensure you "know before you go." It includes detailed cost data for typical kitchens and has sample estimate sheets you can use to ensure you get comprehensive labor bids.
In my experience with hundreds of IKEA kitchen projects, homeowners can have unrealistic expectation of labor costs since the prices of materials, that is to say cabinets and sinks and tile and so forth can be confirmed fairly easily, but estimates from contractors are trickier to get, and to believe.
Which budget do you feel is most like yours?
$5000 budget for the project, including labor and materials
$5000 budget and you plan to do the labor yourself
$8000 and you don't know if this is enough
$10,000 budget, and you've estimated your cabinets to cost $4000
$15,000 budget, and you want some wall changes (removed, opened, added)
$20,000 you expect to change walls, windows/doors and/or your electrical panel
IKEA attracts many do-it-yourself-ers and although it is certainly possible to spend $2500 or less on cabinets and countertop, and to then complete a modest remodel for $5000, it's not that common. The cost to have an expert install the cabinets and countertop and appliances is likely to run a minimum of $1500 in a small kitchen. And there is always some electrical and plumbing work to be done in a kitchen remodel. For those with a $5000 budget, I'd suggest about half for materials, half for labor including permits and trash removal.
In the $8000 range, especially for a condo kitchen, say 8 x 10, as long as their is no major preparation issue, such as the need for electrical work or plumbing or major wall repair before the cabinets can be installed, you can move forward conservatively. In this range you really need to get close estimates of materials and labor and stick to your budget, or below it, when buying materials. Consider laminate or wood countertop that can be replaced in a year or two when you have additional funds. Consider adding tile backsplash later, too.
With a $10,000 budget, as long as you don't want walls changed, you can often choose from the middle price range of cabinet door styles, and you can go with solid surface counters (such as Corian or Caesarstone). But get good labor estimates before you buy anything so you know what your materials budget really is. Consider waiting for an IKEA kitchen sale because a 10-20% savings can make a real difference here.
In the $15,000-$20,000 range, homeowners usually have more extensive preparation work in mind. By this I mean wall changes, moving windows, and, often, more than basic electrical work. (Tip: moving plumbing can be fairly inexpensive so don't rule out moving a sink if doing so would make a better kitchen. It is possible to run pvc pipe through or behind IKEA cabinets in many cases). When walls are being removed, the costs vary with whether or not the wall is a shear or load bearing wall. Although the labor and materials needed to remove a load bearing wall are not so great, you may need to have blueprints drawn up in order to get permits. The blueprints will specify the materials and manner in which the load will now be support. The drawings, the permits and the labor are costs to include in your planning.
One of the most commonly overlooked costs in kitchen remodeling is necessary electrical work. In a house built before 1960, unless it was replaced earlier, there is likely to be one 100 amp electrical panel for the entire house. To do a kitchen remodel you almost always have to add outlets to the kitchen (and you want to!) because codes in most places require a minimum number spaced regularly in a kitchen. If your panel is already "maxed out" such that you cannot add any more load to it, you are going to need to replace the panel before you can add the required outlets.
The labor and materials to have a licensed electrician replace a panel and run wires to the kitchen from it, have to be added to the budget, and these can be significant, perhaps $2000 as a ballpark estimate. The up side of this expense is that you'll have safer electrical, better resale value, and if you've had appliances shorting out on you, this could be handled by the upgrade. In any case, make sure any contractor bid you get includes an inspection of your electrical and the cost to bring it to code for the kitchen project.
Thanks for reading. You can do it! Feel free to write me if I can help.'
Our company, Modern Family Kitchens, offers an IKEA kitchen design service. We can provide this service locally in California, or via email and phone anywhere in the world. We think you'll spend the least and get the best results when you invest in expert design. Call or write us to discuss your project. 877-550-1753. info@modernfamilykitchens.com
In the $8000 range, especially for a condo kitchen, say 8 x 10, as long as their is no major preparation issue, such as the need for electrical work or plumbing or major wall repair before the cabinets can be installed, you can move forward conservatively. In this range you really need to get close estimates of materials and labor and stick to your budget, or below it, when buying materials. Consider laminate or wood countertop that can be replaced in a year or two when you have additional funds. Consider adding tile backsplash later, too.
With a $10,000 budget, as long as you don't want walls changed, you can often choose from the middle price range of cabinet door styles, and you can go with solid surface counters (such as Corian or Caesarstone). But get good labor estimates before you buy anything so you know what your materials budget really is. Consider waiting for an IKEA kitchen sale because a 10-20% savings can make a real difference here.
In the $15,000-$20,000 range, homeowners usually have more extensive preparation work in mind. By this I mean wall changes, moving windows, and, often, more than basic electrical work. (Tip: moving plumbing can be fairly inexpensive so don't rule out moving a sink if doing so would make a better kitchen. It is possible to run pvc pipe through or behind IKEA cabinets in many cases). When walls are being removed, the costs vary with whether or not the wall is a shear or load bearing wall. Although the labor and materials needed to remove a load bearing wall are not so great, you may need to have blueprints drawn up in order to get permits. The blueprints will specify the materials and manner in which the load will now be support. The drawings, the permits and the labor are costs to include in your planning.
One of the most commonly overlooked costs in kitchen remodeling is necessary electrical work. In a house built before 1960, unless it was replaced earlier, there is likely to be one 100 amp electrical panel for the entire house. To do a kitchen remodel you almost always have to add outlets to the kitchen (and you want to!) because codes in most places require a minimum number spaced regularly in a kitchen. If your panel is already "maxed out" such that you cannot add any more load to it, you are going to need to replace the panel before you can add the required outlets.
The labor and materials to have a licensed electrician replace a panel and run wires to the kitchen from it, have to be added to the budget, and these can be significant, perhaps $2000 as a ballpark estimate. The up side of this expense is that you'll have safer electrical, better resale value, and if you've had appliances shorting out on you, this could be handled by the upgrade. In any case, make sure any contractor bid you get includes an inspection of your electrical and the cost to bring it to code for the kitchen project.
Thanks for reading. You can do it! Feel free to write me if I can help.'
Get my FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services.
Our company, Modern Family Kitchens, offers an IKEA kitchen design service. We can provide this service locally in California, or via email and phone anywhere in the world. We think you'll spend the least and get the best results when you invest in expert design. Call or write us to discuss your project. 877-550-1753. info@modernfamilykitchens.com
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The Stress of Kitchen Remodeling
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Replacing the cabinets and appliances in a kitchen seems to be a fairly straightforward process. It's usually more complex than choosing and buying a car, even though, with IKEA kitchen projects, a car can cost considerably more.
I speak with many homeowners who are really nervous about, even overwhelmed by, the prospect of remodeling their kitchens. I do all I can to help calm the waters by providing data, facts and knowledge, which is the best way I know to alleviate the worry of uncertainty. In fact, this is why I write this blog.
With an IKEA kitchen project, you can do a great kitchen remodel for a very reasonable cost but the same factors come into play with any kitchen remodel. Your budget has to be sufficient, something you have to work out in advance. You also need to decide on various materials such as cabinet styles, appliances, tile, flooring, lighting, and more.
You also need to design the kitchen layout, which can be hugely stressful in itself, and why I recommend working with a professional. After all, the layout is going to determine most of the other factors.
The best tips I can offer to avoid or minimize stress are these:
1) Do enough research well in advance of your project. Enough means you feel confident you know what you need to know. If you don't know, and can't find out with research, find a professional to help you.
2) Consider that IKEA is a cabinet warehouse, not a service provider. Your local store may offer referrals to designers or installers, but these are usually bare bones services and you'll have to run the show.
3) Use the help and expertise of professionals. It is always worth it. Ask around and find a local, independent licensed contractor, or several, and meet them and get bids. Hire a professional IKEA kitchen designer, like my company. The difference is huge when you have reliable professionals.
4) Don't ask for the opinions of too many others. Decide what you like and what you want and go ahead and get these things. Too many cooks spoil the soup, and back seat kitchen remodeling drivers can drive you crazy (what a mix of maxims!)
5) Stay well within your budget. Pay cash if you can.
6) Keep it simple. There can be 100 factors in a kitchen remodel, or there can be 10. You control the complexity, not the other way around.
7) Use my free eBook to sort out all the costs before you buy anything. Know before you go.
Best,
Susan
Sunday, March 17, 2013
IKEA Kitchen Services: Are They Right for You?
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design ServicesIt's not a bad thing that, in theory, you can walk into IKEA and get at least a start on all aspects of a kitchen remodel, not just cabinets. In most areas, IKEA now offers rudimentary planning and installation services. The question is, are these services right for you? Are they good enough for your project?
First, note that IKEA just began to offer these in-house services. For many years the most any store could offer was a referral to an installer and, in some areas, to a kitchen designer. These installers and designers had to be contracted with IKEA to receive their referrals. They have to follow IKEA rules and procedures and charge IKEA stipulated prices.
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| A professionally designed kitchen. |
For a short time, while I owned a remodeling company in Southern California, we were one of these "certified IKEA kitchen installers." It took a long time to earn this title and it brought us loads of small installation projects. However, our crews were skilled with carpentry, plumbing and electrical, not just cabinet installation, and we found that many small cabinet installation projects were unsatisfying and, ultimately, not good for our clients.
Here's the key. A kitchen remodel, to get the best result and value for your investment, requires professional design of the kitchen layout, expert cabinet installation, skilled plumbing and electrical work, and often several other skilled professions, to complete. Wall removal or repair, window or door installation, flooring, tile setting, are all professional skills.
IKEA services are not licensed, insured and bonded general contractors, necessarily. They may not even be skilled professionals. They may do IKEA cabinet installation and then sub-contract the rest of the work needed for your remodel. This is ok, but it is not the best way to go.
First, you are dealing with employees. Second you are dealing with a new program just being piloted by IKEA in 2013.
My point? It's better to deal with the owner of an established remodeling company that is not tied to IKEA and who can offer you a competitive bid, genuine customer service, and whose company does not subcontract most of your project. (in case you do end up with sub-contractors, before you sign anything, read your state's laws about remodeling contracts and sub-contracts. Did you know that sub-contractors can sue you if the contractor doesn't pay them? Did you know that you might not even realize there ARE subs on your project, although disclosure is required by law everywhere).
Not to go on about this too long, consider that IKEA is a great source for cabinets. It seems like a homey, friendly place. They have good PR and marketing. But it's a warehouse store nonetheless and the services they offer will be bare bones and not necessarily even cheaper than much more professional and reliable services you can get from a good local contractor.
Finally, no matter how "vested interest" it sounds, I have to tell you this: the caliber of "kitchen planning" services IKEA offers do not come close to what my company provides to our clients. Apples and oranges. You see, IKEA offers kitchen planning, which is not the same as kitchen design. Don't settle here, either. A lot of your remodel depends on beautiful design.
-Susan
Thursday, March 14, 2013
IKEA Kitchen Sale Spring 2013
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
(This post was written in January, re-posted in March, 2013. If you are trying to find out WHEN the NEXT IKEA KITCHEN SALE will be, that data has not yet been made public by IKEA. It's likely to be this summer, but if not, in October. The discount structure could be different but you can usually save 10-20% by ordering during a sale. I recommend doing your research, budgeting and design work now, per the posts on this blog, and being ready to move forward as soon as the sale is announced.
See my other blog posts to understand when it's worth waiting for a sale, and when it's not. Or write me, I'll help).
The sale dates have been announced! Mark your calendar, it starts March 1, 2013 on the West Coast of the US (other cities can have other dates,) and will run for about eight weeks.
Each sale is a little different but the data promoted for this Spring 2013 sale is as follows:
If your total purchase is $3,500.00 (including kitchen cabinets, appliances, counter tops, interior fittings), you can get a 15% discount. If your total purchase is $4,500 you can get a 20% discount.
An average kitchen requires 18 cabinets total, top and bottom. The cost of your cabinets will vary (a lot) with the door style you choose. Countertop is another big variable. You could spend $200 for laminate or butcher block, or $3000+ for solid surface types (like Casearstone) for the same square footage.
Most kitchen purchases will easily top $3,500-$4,500, so by ordering during the sale period you can save $500-$900 or more.
Most kitchen purchases will easily top $3,500-$4,500, so by ordering during the sale period you can save $500-$900 or more.
There are many ways to get the best benefit from the sale. The methods vary with the type of project and purchase. For example, sometimes buying something extra you don't necessarily need can boost your sale discount. You can then sell that item on Craigslist or give it as a gift. We show our clients how to best take advantage of the sale discounts.
Now is the time to get started on the planning and design phase. First, get our free eBook, How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel. This will help you know what the real costs are, both labor and materials.
The next step is to plan the layout. That's what we do, so contact us if you would like help (We offer a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation). An expert and carefully checked layout plan is vital for the next step, which is getting labor bids. A contractor needs to know what the cabinet placement will be in order to give you a comprehensive, and thus accurate, bid.
The sale, running for eight weeks, really is the best time to order, but only if you can either launch the project during or right after delivery (usually 1-2 weeks after ordering) or if you have a storage place that is dry. Timing is part of the planning.
Keep in mind that during sales, all IKEA kitchen departments and even all IKEA kitchen pros, get very busy. The best time to order is early in the sale, when stocks are high, wait times are minimal, and you can schedule to suit your own preferences, rather than having to wait for a contractor or installer.
Ready, set.....
Schedule a complimentary IKEA Kitchen planning consultation with me:
Website: www.modernfamilykitchens.com
Sleek, Modern Kitchen Options
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
(The photo was taken of a recent modern kitchen our company did in Pasadena. Cabinets are IKEA Abstrakt)
A significant percentage of our customers want a modern look for their new kitchens. A similar percentage, when they first call, are unsure of the quality of IKEA cabinets. Most really need an estimate, a true idea of what the project will cost.
The issue of quality is best addressed through one’s own research. Don’t be fooled by what only looks similar, that is to say, be careful not to compare apples with organges. We recently planned a new kitchen for a customer who ended up going to Lowes for Martha Stewart brand cabinets when she could not find an IKEA door style she really liked. The price was about 1.5 times the cost of IKEA cabinets for the same layout, so it was not too bad, money-wise. But the quality was shockingly worse. Make sure you really look, really compare specs, materials and warranties of components.
I’ve written earlier that those big box stores are going to offer free planning, free this, free that. It can seem like a good way to go until you get a real idea of costs. In my experience, comparable cabinets, i.e., same thickness of frames, same quality of hardware, same warranty, are going to cost about 3 times the price of cabinets at IKEA. And installation is often much more costly as well. The store will sell you everything, from dishwasher to floor tile, their employees will install your cabinets, your appliances, your tile. it can seem to be almost a turnkey remodel, but you’ll pay for every bit.
Roughly, you can expect to spend $15,000-$20,000 for a nice, medium-size kitchen remodel, including materials and labor, with all but the most costly IKEA cabinets and/or counter top. You can certainly do it for less with lower end door styles, laminate or butcher block counter top, and some do-it-yourself labor. But for a full remodel, with permits, some electrical and plumbing upgrades (which are almost always needed), flooring, tile backsplash, cleanup and demo costs included, this is a realistic estimate. What would a same-size kitchen cost with other brands? With those lesser quality, more expensive Martha Steward cabinets, the project went to $32,000 and is still not finished. With many of the major brands you’ll find at cabinet warehouses, Costco, etc. you’re likely to be looking at $50,000 and up.
Keep in mind that when dealing with cabinet stores, or big box stores, you are dealing with employees who often work on commission. It is infinitely better to have a final layout, knowing exactly what cabinets you need to order as well as the cost of those cabinets, BEFORE you go to buy them. This is why we offer a kitchen planning service, to provide this very thing to our customers.
Last but not least is the subject of modern kitchen cabinets. For some reason, in the U.S., there are very few sources of such cabinets. If you have $100,000, you can order your cabinets from Italy. There are importers locally, of course. But you’re looking at 5 or 6 times the cost of an IKEA remodel.
There are a few American made modern door styles, KraftMade Venicia for one. We get calls regularly from homeowners who have gotten quotes for a remodel with these cabinets and, on average, the cabinets alone were about $30,000. Certainly these are nice cabinets, high quality, sleek and modern. The only problem is that they cost almost 4 times as much as IKEA cabinets. We’re happy to help any customer interested in a quote for a Venicia (or any brand) of cabinets. We’re not biased, be simply want the real costs right in view for each customer from the start.
For do-it-yourself homeowners, there are a few other options for modern doors. Online you can find anything for sale, from candied eels to human body parts-- modern cabinet doors are no exception. In theory, to do a modern kitchen at the lowest possible cost, you can buy IKEA frames and order custom doors for them. Whether the final cost would justify the inherent risks and problems with mail-order remodeling is something I don’t yet know. From my research, these mail-order doors are not cheap. IKEA doors win hands-down in terms of cost, reliability, speed.
Despite quite of bit of effort to find alternates to IKEA cabinets, for the best price we think you’ll ultimately find that for a modern kitchen, or really any moderate kitchen remodel, IKEA cabinets will be your best bet. We don’t work for IKEA, we wish there were other options to offer that cost the same and have the same quality. We just haven’t found any.
So take a look at photos of two modern kitchen remodels we did recently with IKEA cabinets. You are looking at IKEA’s Abstrakt line of cabinet doors, as well as expert design and very precise and expert installation, both factors that make all the difference in the world when it comes to IKEA cabinets (as compared to custom or semi-custom that cost much, much more).
Feel free to give us a call to discuss your ideas, your thoughts, your dream kitchen. www.modernfamilykitchens.com 818-273-4583.
-Thanks for reading.
Our company, Modern Family Kitchens, offers an IKEA kitchen design service. We can provide this service locally, or remotely. We think you'll spend the least and get the best results when you invest in expert design. Call or write us to discuss your project. 877-550-1753. info@modernfamilykitchens.com
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Increasing Home Value with IKEA Kitchens
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Kitchen remodels in the US cost, on average, $57,000. In my years as a remodeling contractor specializing in IKEA kitchen projects, the average cost of an IKEA kitchen project was under $20,000, labor and materials. Some were under $10,000. And a few about $5000.
If you have read our eBook, How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel, you can see how the costs break down.
However, a very important question comes to mind. Immediate costs aside, how does an IKEA kitchen remodel compare with another type in regard to increasing home value?
One things we've learned is that it's easy to be short-sighted when you are facing a large project on a tight budget. You try to keep costs contained and sometimes, the choices you make seem frugal, but may not be.
Here are some ways to ensure that you add the most home value, for your kitchen remodel investment.
First, consider how you use the money you have to spend. IKEA cabinets are a great value, and if the kitchen is done well, no future buyer will consider them a compromise. But the key is, the kitchen has to be done well. Layout is a big factor. Tight walkways, inadequate counter space or storage, too many tall cabinets, not enough drawer space, or an awkwardly sized or placed island, are examples of layout errors that can degrade the beauty and functionality of a kitchen and cost you thousands, or tens of thousands on a future home sale. As our happy clients tell us, skimping on expert design is a false economy.
Second, consider ways to use your money for the biggest "bang for the buck." For example, a few glass door cabinets with interior lighting, or just some task lighting under cabinets, can add a sophisticated look to any basic kitchen. A farmhouse sink and butcher block counters are modest-priced items that can create a style that is elegant and affordable.
Speaking of counter top, consider using your funds on better appliances, flooring and cabinet doors, while saving on counters by installing nice laminates, for the time being. In a few years, it's easy to replace the laminate with solid surface counter top, such as Corian or Caesarstone. This can save you $3000 to $10,000 right now.
When you are planning your kitchen project, look to the long term, as well as the short term vision of a better kitchen for your family's use right now. IKEA kitchens, done well, may be the only type of remodel that gets a homeowner a return on investment. Make sure the kitchen is well-designed, include a few "sizzle" items in your budget, and use your available funds for higher quality permanent items and upgrade less permanent items down the road.
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Kitchen remodels in the US cost, on average, $57,000. In my years as a remodeling contractor specializing in IKEA kitchen projects, the average cost of an IKEA kitchen project was under $20,000, labor and materials. Some were under $10,000. And a few about $5000.
If you have read our eBook, How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel, you can see how the costs break down.
However, a very important question comes to mind. Immediate costs aside, how does an IKEA kitchen remodel compare with another type in regard to increasing home value?
One things we've learned is that it's easy to be short-sighted when you are facing a large project on a tight budget. You try to keep costs contained and sometimes, the choices you make seem frugal, but may not be.
Here are some ways to ensure that you add the most home value, for your kitchen remodel investment.
First, consider how you use the money you have to spend. IKEA cabinets are a great value, and if the kitchen is done well, no future buyer will consider them a compromise. But the key is, the kitchen has to be done well. Layout is a big factor. Tight walkways, inadequate counter space or storage, too many tall cabinets, not enough drawer space, or an awkwardly sized or placed island, are examples of layout errors that can degrade the beauty and functionality of a kitchen and cost you thousands, or tens of thousands on a future home sale. As our happy clients tell us, skimping on expert design is a false economy.
Second, consider ways to use your money for the biggest "bang for the buck." For example, a few glass door cabinets with interior lighting, or just some task lighting under cabinets, can add a sophisticated look to any basic kitchen. A farmhouse sink and butcher block counters are modest-priced items that can create a style that is elegant and affordable.
Speaking of counter top, consider using your funds on better appliances, flooring and cabinet doors, while saving on counters by installing nice laminates, for the time being. In a few years, it's easy to replace the laminate with solid surface counter top, such as Corian or Caesarstone. This can save you $3000 to $10,000 right now.
When you are planning your kitchen project, look to the long term, as well as the short term vision of a better kitchen for your family's use right now. IKEA kitchens, done well, may be the only type of remodel that gets a homeowner a return on investment. Make sure the kitchen is well-designed, include a few "sizzle" items in your budget, and use your available funds for higher quality permanent items and upgrade less permanent items down the road.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Tips for Measuring Your Kitchen
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services'
With our international design service, we aren't visiting a home so we provide instructions for measuring to our clients. But our designers also look closely at these measurements and existing kitchen details in photos to ensure they have all the measurements and all the data needed. If you are doing your own measuring, here are a few tips that might help ensure your cabinets will fit and install correctly the first time. Measure twice, install once. 1) Make sure you take ceiling height measurements in more than one location. Sometimes, ceiling height can vary across a room. Even an inch can make a difference if you have barely adequate clearance for, say, 39 inch high IKEA wall cabinets (the taller of the two sizes).
The height at which wall cabinets are installed varies with the fridge and fridge cabinet height. An inch or two can make a difference and you want to avoid having to remove all your wall cabinets to re-mount them once you get to a side of the kitchen that has a lower ceiling height. Thus, it's good to measure ceiling height at all four corners, before you plan or buy cabinets.
2) Don't forget to mark down molding widths. These are usually around doors and windows.
3) Note down "door swing" of any doors that open into the kitchen. Draw the curved line that shows the "swing" and then provide some measurement to the widest part of the swing.
4) Note down where the plumbing and gas lines come out of the wall or floor. Note that plumbing can usually be moved easily (you can run PVC pipe behind or through IKEA base cabinets, if needed). Consider moving a sink or stove and find out the actual cost to move utility lines. It could be too costly, or it could be relatively cheap to do, and very worthwhile insofar as optimal kitchen layout.
5) You can mark down where all electrical outlets are but don't let their placement determine your cabinet layout. It's worth the work or money to move and add outlets during a kitchen remodel.
6) Include heights and widths of all windows and doors, including how far from the floor the window bottoms are. Include "swing" width for windows that swing open.
7) On your measurement drawing, note down what is on the other side of all walls you've drawn in. This will help your designer or contractor understand your kitchen space and requirements better.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Notes for Planning your IKEA Kitchen Remodel
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
During the planning phase of an IKEA (or any) kitchen remodel, there seem to be countless decisions to make and dozens of questions that need answering:
Can you achieve the look you want with IKEA cabinets?
Are you going to replace the stove?
Do you have to get new flooring?
What about lighting?
How to find a good contractor?
How long does IKEA take to deliver?
What kind of sink should you get?
Will the fridge fit with the new cabinets?
How high is the ceiling?
Will the cabinets last a long time?
What kind of counter tops will work?
Can I re-use my relatively new disposal?
Is the wall load-bearing?
Do I need permits?
When are we going to start?
How much will this cost?
...and many more.
To achieve a truly wonderful result that will bring your family enjoyment this year, and increase your home value in the years to come, there are several dozen factors that have to be addressed, coordinated and handled.
The first steps include creating a budget for your project (get our free eBook, How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel), and designing the kitchen layout. One of many reasons we recommend working with a professional on the design is that you'll also have an expert on your remodeling team who may be able to provide a lot of answers to many of the questions that need to be answered.
If you forge ahead on your own, keep a notebook. Go around your existing kitchen and write down what you see. Sink, window, wall, Kitchenaid mixer (a tall item that needs to be put or stored somewhere in your new kitchen), water filter, baking pans, flooring, outlet, large utensils, etc.
Each item is something to consider in your remodel. Many are simply "items that need storage." Some are contractor issues, such as an outlet in the wrong place. Some are design issues, such as "where will the Kitchenaid mixer go."
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
During the planning phase of an IKEA (or any) kitchen remodel, there seem to be countless decisions to make and dozens of questions that need answering:
Can you achieve the look you want with IKEA cabinets?
Are you going to replace the stove?
Do you have to get new flooring?
What about lighting?
How to find a good contractor?
How long does IKEA take to deliver?
What kind of sink should you get?
Will the fridge fit with the new cabinets?
How high is the ceiling?
Will the cabinets last a long time?
What kind of counter tops will work?
Can I re-use my relatively new disposal?
Is the wall load-bearing?
Do I need permits?
When are we going to start?
How much will this cost?
...and many more.
To achieve a truly wonderful result that will bring your family enjoyment this year, and increase your home value in the years to come, there are several dozen factors that have to be addressed, coordinated and handled.
The first steps include creating a budget for your project (get our free eBook, How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel), and designing the kitchen layout. One of many reasons we recommend working with a professional on the design is that you'll also have an expert on your remodeling team who may be able to provide a lot of answers to many of the questions that need to be answered.
If you forge ahead on your own, keep a notebook. Go around your existing kitchen and write down what you see. Sink, window, wall, Kitchenaid mixer (a tall item that needs to be put or stored somewhere in your new kitchen), water filter, baking pans, flooring, outlet, large utensils, etc.
Each item is something to consider in your remodel. Many are simply "items that need storage." Some are contractor issues, such as an outlet in the wrong place. Some are design issues, such as "where will the Kitchenaid mixer go."
Saturday, March 09, 2013
10 Common Layout Plan Errors
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
If your budget or DIY spirit is such that you do go ahead without expert design help (www.modernfamilykitchens.com), here are some tips to help you avoid costly errors:
The IKEA planner tool is a way to get a general idea of your kitchen layout, and the cost of the cabinets in that layout. It is very limited insofar as what, how, and where it will allow you to place cabinets. It will not allow you any customizations, which, for many kitchens, are the key to a beautiful finished appearance.
Kitchen design is a skilled and creative application of established kitchen design principles. It eliminates plan errors and solves issues optimally. The result is a beautiful, functional kitchen with a harmonious configuration of necessary and desirable items. If you are winging it, doing your own layout, watch out for these common errors that can create problems during installation, and after.
1) Check, double check, and triple check measurements. Ceiling height is crucial to many layouts. It can vary from one side of a room to another. Don't assume the width of one wall or window is necessarily the same as another.
2) Make sure to plan for door swing on your fridge, oven and for pull out clearance on drawers and pantries. Take into account the handles you will use on your new cabinets. Check the door swing on the doors leading into the kitchen.
3) Window and door frames also have to be measured and accounted for.
4) IKEA cabinet frames are not meant to be exposed. This means that at the end of any row, a cover panel will be needed. Take the thickness of those panels into account in your plan.
5) An island or a peninsula will need large panels or cover panels for the back side. Often, a large panel is cut down to fit. Try to work it out so that any seams will be aligned or centered or both.
6) Traditionally, sinks are centered under windows. Homeowners often lay out the entire kitchen around this one placement and run into half a dozen problems as a result. Consider various sink sizes, and small amounts of filler. Filler is material like your cabinet doors that is used to fill in gaps, small ones, between cabinets. Cutting and installing filler so that it looks beautiful is one of the challenges of cabinet installation. When you need to use some, try not to use wide sections or a lot of filler, generally. If you have a 3 inch gap, use 1.5 inches on either side of a cabinet or appliance.
7) Use corner storage options. Sometimes it can seem as if a base corner cabinet just won't fit. This is just one instance in which you call in a pro designer. Making use of corners, unless your kitchen is huge and you have loads and loads of other storage, is vital. Wall corners have several options other than wall corner cabinets.
8) Consider the future homebuyer when planning the kitchen. Even if you plan to stay in the house for awhile. The investment you make now in a great kitchen will pay you back later. Kitchens sell homes. Don't skimp on something now that will, in a home sale, turn into $10,000 or more in the purchase price. (A top reason to invest in expert design). A mediocre kitchen layout, which could have been a great one, can cost you $30,000 on a home sale.
9) Consider the future insofar as young children, multiple cooks, short people, tall people.
10) Consider safety. Along with code requirements, there are important safety issues in appliance and sink placement. Don't inadvertently design a hazardous kitchen.
Kitchen plans need to consider these and many other issues. Kitchen design has established, proven principles. If you are doing your own layout, do some research and reading. When your kitchen is done, you want a beautiful, safe, optimally functional space for your family and friends to gather in, work in, and cook in, and enjoy.
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
If your budget or DIY spirit is such that you do go ahead without expert design help (www.modernfamilykitchens.com), here are some tips to help you avoid costly errors:
The IKEA planner tool is a way to get a general idea of your kitchen layout, and the cost of the cabinets in that layout. It is very limited insofar as what, how, and where it will allow you to place cabinets. It will not allow you any customizations, which, for many kitchens, are the key to a beautiful finished appearance.
Kitchen design is a skilled and creative application of established kitchen design principles. It eliminates plan errors and solves issues optimally. The result is a beautiful, functional kitchen with a harmonious configuration of necessary and desirable items. If you are winging it, doing your own layout, watch out for these common errors that can create problems during installation, and after.
1) Check, double check, and triple check measurements. Ceiling height is crucial to many layouts. It can vary from one side of a room to another. Don't assume the width of one wall or window is necessarily the same as another.
2) Make sure to plan for door swing on your fridge, oven and for pull out clearance on drawers and pantries. Take into account the handles you will use on your new cabinets. Check the door swing on the doors leading into the kitchen.
3) Window and door frames also have to be measured and accounted for.
4) IKEA cabinet frames are not meant to be exposed. This means that at the end of any row, a cover panel will be needed. Take the thickness of those panels into account in your plan.
5) An island or a peninsula will need large panels or cover panels for the back side. Often, a large panel is cut down to fit. Try to work it out so that any seams will be aligned or centered or both.
6) Traditionally, sinks are centered under windows. Homeowners often lay out the entire kitchen around this one placement and run into half a dozen problems as a result. Consider various sink sizes, and small amounts of filler. Filler is material like your cabinet doors that is used to fill in gaps, small ones, between cabinets. Cutting and installing filler so that it looks beautiful is one of the challenges of cabinet installation. When you need to use some, try not to use wide sections or a lot of filler, generally. If you have a 3 inch gap, use 1.5 inches on either side of a cabinet or appliance.
7) Use corner storage options. Sometimes it can seem as if a base corner cabinet just won't fit. This is just one instance in which you call in a pro designer. Making use of corners, unless your kitchen is huge and you have loads and loads of other storage, is vital. Wall corners have several options other than wall corner cabinets.
8) Consider the future homebuyer when planning the kitchen. Even if you plan to stay in the house for awhile. The investment you make now in a great kitchen will pay you back later. Kitchens sell homes. Don't skimp on something now that will, in a home sale, turn into $10,000 or more in the purchase price. (A top reason to invest in expert design). A mediocre kitchen layout, which could have been a great one, can cost you $30,000 on a home sale.
9) Consider the future insofar as young children, multiple cooks, short people, tall people.
10) Consider safety. Along with code requirements, there are important safety issues in appliance and sink placement. Don't inadvertently design a hazardous kitchen.
Kitchen plans need to consider these and many other issues. Kitchen design has established, proven principles. If you are doing your own layout, do some research and reading. When your kitchen is done, you want a beautiful, safe, optimally functional space for your family and friends to gather in, work in, and cook in, and enjoy.
Monday, March 04, 2013
IKEA Kitchen Layout Tips
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Since right now there is a kitchen sale in progress at IKEA, I've been talking to several homeowners each day about their IKEA kitchen projects. It slows down a bit after the sales, but it is so worthwhile to order during a sale that we do what it takes to get every project sorted out, into the hands of our amazing design team, and through the design phase.
Thus, I have many kitchen layout issues in my mind and on my desk. Here are quick notes I took from one consultation this weekend:
Prep sink
Bottleneck near fridge
Pantry space needed
Husband, wife, son cook
Wrong hood size
Microwave location
Claustrophobic area near door
Walkway danger issue
The homeowners had designed a layout in the IKEA online planner. These were the issues in their plan that they were concerned about.
Although kitchen design is a professional skill and it takes a professional to sort out half a dozen or a dozen issues like these and bring the layout together so that it really works, we do sometimes talk with homeowners who feel their kitchen is simple and straightforward and there will be no issues during installation or after with your self-designed layout. In that case we offer to plan check, not to design from scratch. It's a really smart thing to do, either way.
That said, here are some basic tips for kitchen layout, more to come:
1) You probably want to center the sink under a window. It's traditional. Make sure it is exactly centered, in the layout AND during installation. Correctly placed filler can be needed to pull this off.
2) Watch out for bottlenecks. You should try for 36 inches around an island, all sides, or more.
3) In case you have gotten frustrated and thought it was you, know that the IKEA planner is a very basic tool. It is there to sell you IKEA cabinets. It won't let you do many things that you envision or think should be possible. In many cases, the software is the problem, not your ideas. Realize, if you use it, that your kitchen is going to be as nice as that planner tool allows it to be, and no more.
4) In most cases it is better not to place tall cabinets on either side of a narrow door. Claustrophobic.
5) There are safety issues in kitchen layout. Especially when there are young children in the home. Or will be. Low drawers, cooking appliances placement, walkways, all must be correct to avoid having danger zones.
6) The kitchen should be correct for the size of the house.
7) If there are three cooks, design the layout with this in mind.
8) Keep future in mind. Maybe you are single and plan to stay that way for now, but a married couple with two kids might want to buy your house someday and they won't pay your asking price if the kitchen has to be remodeled, for their needs
More tips to come. The phone is ringing.
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Since right now there is a kitchen sale in progress at IKEA, I've been talking to several homeowners each day about their IKEA kitchen projects. It slows down a bit after the sales, but it is so worthwhile to order during a sale that we do what it takes to get every project sorted out, into the hands of our amazing design team, and through the design phase.
Thus, I have many kitchen layout issues in my mind and on my desk. Here are quick notes I took from one consultation this weekend:
Prep sink
Bottleneck near fridge
Pantry space needed
Husband, wife, son cook
Wrong hood size
Microwave location
Claustrophobic area near door
Walkway danger issue
The homeowners had designed a layout in the IKEA online planner. These were the issues in their plan that they were concerned about.
Although kitchen design is a professional skill and it takes a professional to sort out half a dozen or a dozen issues like these and bring the layout together so that it really works, we do sometimes talk with homeowners who feel their kitchen is simple and straightforward and there will be no issues during installation or after with your self-designed layout. In that case we offer to plan check, not to design from scratch. It's a really smart thing to do, either way.
That said, here are some basic tips for kitchen layout, more to come:
1) You probably want to center the sink under a window. It's traditional. Make sure it is exactly centered, in the layout AND during installation. Correctly placed filler can be needed to pull this off.
2) Watch out for bottlenecks. You should try for 36 inches around an island, all sides, or more.
3) In case you have gotten frustrated and thought it was you, know that the IKEA planner is a very basic tool. It is there to sell you IKEA cabinets. It won't let you do many things that you envision or think should be possible. In many cases, the software is the problem, not your ideas. Realize, if you use it, that your kitchen is going to be as nice as that planner tool allows it to be, and no more.
4) In most cases it is better not to place tall cabinets on either side of a narrow door. Claustrophobic.
5) There are safety issues in kitchen layout. Especially when there are young children in the home. Or will be. Low drawers, cooking appliances placement, walkways, all must be correct to avoid having danger zones.
6) The kitchen should be correct for the size of the house.
7) If there are three cooks, design the layout with this in mind.
8) Keep future in mind. Maybe you are single and plan to stay that way for now, but a married couple with two kids might want to buy your house someday and they won't pay your asking price if the kitchen has to be remodeled, for their needs
More tips to come. The phone is ringing.
Friday, March 01, 2013
How to Save Thousands on an IKEA Kitchen Remodel
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Here is an obvious example. You have a contractor come out to do a bid. He cannot make a profit on IKEA cabinets (since you buy them directly from IKEA) unlike some other brands where he gets a commission for selling them to you. So he tells you bad things about IKEA cabinets. He says he would not install them for you because "they are such junk."
If you have done your research, checked Consumer Reports, compared some other brands hands-on and by price comparison, you realize the contractor has a vested interest and you thank him and find another contractor. The remodel he is offering you has a $29,000 cabinet cost. For a lesser quality cabinet. You have knowledge, however, and you know you can get more beautiful, better quality cabinets at IKEA for $7500. And you do.
I would like to offer one caveat to you, the reader, and to myself: Don't go looking for bad things on the Internet. If you are like me, when you get a "suspicious" red dot on your leg, you run to the computer to search "red dot on leg." Don't go looking for angry or highly critical reports. On IKEA kitchens or on anything else, although there is very little bad stuff about IKEA kitchens. Perhaps the architects who design $150,000 kitchens would have worthwhile input, but if your budget is $12,000, why bother with it?
OK, so how do you save thousands on an IKEA kitchen? Here are some well-tested suggestions, for today. Our design team is compiling their best tips, additional ones, which I'll post on this blog very soon.
1) Research, as above. Decide what is true in what you read, and what is hype or unproven.
2) Buy your IKEA materials during a sale, IF the timing is right. Sometimes it is not. You don't want to store cabinet components for a long time. Read my other blog posts on this subject.
3) Make sure your kitchen layout is correctly designed. Layout errors can be VERY costly during installation. Invest in professional design. Read this post: http://ikeakitchenhelp.blogspot.com/2013/03/kitchen-layout-vital-tips.html
4) Shop around for appliances. IKEA sells Whirlpool appliances. Any brand can work with IKEA cabinets, you don't have to buy IKEA appliances if you don't want to. Same with countertop although during sales, IKEA prices are hard to beat on solid surface. IKEA laminate and butcher block are also very high value products, in my opinion.
5) If you have an IKEA expert (like my company, hint) to work with, ask about the best way to order, the best time to order, and how to maximize your discount and minimize your costs.
6) If your budget is really tight, consider using laminate or butcher block and replacing it in a few years. Your new kitchen will still be beautiful. It is easy/low cost to remove laminate or wood and replace it. It is not easy to remove solid surface countertops.
6) Finally, note that this writer surely has a vested interest insofar as your choice to invest in professional design, but note that it is heartfelt (and it is not a big cost, and it is a much better way to do an IKEA kitchen remodel). However, you should generally be on the lookout for contractors and other sales people who have a vested interest (are you smiling or grimacing at me now?). Don't ask the appliance salesman at Lowe's what he thinks about IKEA appliances.
More tips to come. Oh, and read my free Book. Call if you'd like to talk.
-Susan Wain
Owner, Modern Family Kitchens
http://www.modernfamilykitchens.com
877-550-1753
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
To save a lot of money on an IKEA kitchen, it's not who you know, but what you know.
The research you do, the articles you read, the comparisons you make, the hands-on inspection of cabinets, countertop and appliances, and the advice you gain from experts in this field, will add up to a lot of money saved. I guarantee it.Here is an obvious example. You have a contractor come out to do a bid. He cannot make a profit on IKEA cabinets (since you buy them directly from IKEA) unlike some other brands where he gets a commission for selling them to you. So he tells you bad things about IKEA cabinets. He says he would not install them for you because "they are such junk."
If you have done your research, checked Consumer Reports, compared some other brands hands-on and by price comparison, you realize the contractor has a vested interest and you thank him and find another contractor. The remodel he is offering you has a $29,000 cabinet cost. For a lesser quality cabinet. You have knowledge, however, and you know you can get more beautiful, better quality cabinets at IKEA for $7500. And you do.
I would like to offer one caveat to you, the reader, and to myself: Don't go looking for bad things on the Internet. If you are like me, when you get a "suspicious" red dot on your leg, you run to the computer to search "red dot on leg." Don't go looking for angry or highly critical reports. On IKEA kitchens or on anything else, although there is very little bad stuff about IKEA kitchens. Perhaps the architects who design $150,000 kitchens would have worthwhile input, but if your budget is $12,000, why bother with it?
OK, so how do you save thousands on an IKEA kitchen? Here are some well-tested suggestions, for today. Our design team is compiling their best tips, additional ones, which I'll post on this blog very soon.
1) Research, as above. Decide what is true in what you read, and what is hype or unproven.
2) Buy your IKEA materials during a sale, IF the timing is right. Sometimes it is not. You don't want to store cabinet components for a long time. Read my other blog posts on this subject.
3) Make sure your kitchen layout is correctly designed. Layout errors can be VERY costly during installation. Invest in professional design. Read this post: http://ikeakitchenhelp.blogspot.com/2013/03/kitchen-layout-vital-tips.html
4) Shop around for appliances. IKEA sells Whirlpool appliances. Any brand can work with IKEA cabinets, you don't have to buy IKEA appliances if you don't want to. Same with countertop although during sales, IKEA prices are hard to beat on solid surface. IKEA laminate and butcher block are also very high value products, in my opinion.
5) If you have an IKEA expert (like my company, hint) to work with, ask about the best way to order, the best time to order, and how to maximize your discount and minimize your costs.
6) If your budget is really tight, consider using laminate or butcher block and replacing it in a few years. Your new kitchen will still be beautiful. It is easy/low cost to remove laminate or wood and replace it. It is not easy to remove solid surface countertops.
6) Finally, note that this writer surely has a vested interest insofar as your choice to invest in professional design, but note that it is heartfelt (and it is not a big cost, and it is a much better way to do an IKEA kitchen remodel). However, you should generally be on the lookout for contractors and other sales people who have a vested interest (are you smiling or grimacing at me now?). Don't ask the appliance salesman at Lowe's what he thinks about IKEA appliances.
More tips to come. Oh, and read my free Book. Call if you'd like to talk.
-Susan Wain
Owner, Modern Family Kitchens
http://www.modernfamilykitchens.com
877-550-1753
IKEA Stores Phone Directory for the US
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about our expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
US IKEA Phone Numbers
Arizona
Tempe (480) 496-5658
California
Burbank (818)842-4532
Carson (310) 527-4532
Covina (626) 732-4532
East Palo Alto (650) 323-4532
Emeryville (510) 420-4532
OC Costa Mesa (714) 444-4532
San Diego (619) 563-4532
West Sacramento (916) 371-4532
Colorado
Centennial (303) 768.9164
Connecticut
New Haven (203) 865-4532
Florida
Orlando (407) 355-3155
Sunrise (954) 838-9292
Tampa (813) 623-5454
Georgia
Atlanta (404) 745-4532
Illinois
Bolingbrook (630) 972-7900
Schaumburg (847) 969-9700
Maryland
Baltimore (410) 931-5400
College Park (301) 345-6552
Massachusetts
Stoughton (781) 344-4532
Michigan
Canton (734) 981-6300
Minnesota
Twin Cities (952) 858-8088
New Jersey
Elizabeth (908) 289-4488
Paramus (201) 843-1881
New York
Brooklyn (718) 246.4532
Long Island (516) 681-4532
North Carolina
Charlotte (704) 549-4532
Ohio
West Chester (513) 779-7100
Oregon
Portland (503) 282-4532
Pennsylvania
Conshohocken (610) 834-1520
Pittsburgh 412-747-0747
South Philadelphia (215) 551.4532
Texas
Dallas (972) 712-4532
Houston (713) 688-7867
Round Rock 512) 828-4532
Utah
Draper (801) 572-4532
Virginia
Woodbridge (703) 494-4532
Washington
Seattle (425) 656-2980
Can You Design Your Own Kitchen?
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Recently, I've spoken to a quite few homeowners who drafted their own layout in the online IKEA planner. They emailed me the plan and asked for help. (We offer a complimentary design consultation. If you would like one, use this link to schedule: Design consultation.
Most of these homeowners sent me the layout work they had done.
15% of the layouts were pretty good overall. In this group, the homeowners knew one or two key areas were unresolved. An example would be optimal placement of pantries, or optimal island size and placement.
60% of the layouts were not nearly as functional and beautiful as they could be. In these, one or more fundamental kitchen design principles had been overlooked. Usually the layouts did not make the best use of the space or the layout was not correct for the size of the home (always consider future buyers when remodeling a kitchen). Many small errors and oversights add up to a non-optimal overall layout. Just not what it should be.
30% of the layouts had errors, but were also dangerous. Walkways around islands were too narrow, sinks or cooking surfaces were in incorrect locations, pantry, fridge, oven or dishwasher doors or cabinet drawers were arranged to open into kitchen traffic flow. For all homes, but especially where there will be young children in the kitchen, layout safety factors are vital to consider.
You could say that the IKEA online planner is a disservice to IKEA kitchen customers. It surely encourages people to buy IKEA cabinets, but it allows them to believe that kitchen design is just a matter of lining up some cabinets and appliances along walls. Kitchen design is a professional skill. There are vital principles, specialized techniques, and, most of all, know-how gained from sheer experience with thousands of kitchen projects. Customizing IKEA cabinetry for optimal functions or difficult areas, solving a homeowner's special kitchen requirements creatively, and having the foresight to avoid installation or long term functionality issues is the realm of an expert.
Obviously, in business, one can't take it personally that a potential client turns down an offer of service. But I admit to feeling sad occasionally, especially after I speak with someone for awhile and come to like them, when they choose to use their existing plans, without allowing us to provide expert help.
1) Question: What is IKEA's purpose?
Answer: To sell you the their cabinets and other materials.
2) Question: What is an independent kitchen designer's purpose?
Answer: To ensure your new kitchen is beautiful, optimally functional, and that the project stays within the homeowner's budget.
Does IKEA's online planner exist for #1 or #2?
If you are going to spend $8,000 or $18,000 or more on a kitchen remodel, it is wise to invest in expert design. You might think that spending a few hundred bucks on design isn't necessary. Of course you can design a layout in the IKEA planner that looks ok, it might even be pretty good.
But when you see how an expert creates a kitchen layout for you within that same space, you will know for yourself that what I an saying is true. Hire us, hire another expert IKEA design company if you must. But treat yourself to a truly wonderful kitchen by having a truly wonderful kitchen design.
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
Recently, I've spoken to a quite few homeowners who drafted their own layout in the online IKEA planner. They emailed me the plan and asked for help. (We offer a complimentary design consultation. If you would like one, use this link to schedule: Design consultation.
Most of these homeowners sent me the layout work they had done.
15% of the layouts were pretty good overall. In this group, the homeowners knew one or two key areas were unresolved. An example would be optimal placement of pantries, or optimal island size and placement.
60% of the layouts were not nearly as functional and beautiful as they could be. In these, one or more fundamental kitchen design principles had been overlooked. Usually the layouts did not make the best use of the space or the layout was not correct for the size of the home (always consider future buyers when remodeling a kitchen). Many small errors and oversights add up to a non-optimal overall layout. Just not what it should be.
30% of the layouts had errors, but were also dangerous. Walkways around islands were too narrow, sinks or cooking surfaces were in incorrect locations, pantry, fridge, oven or dishwasher doors or cabinet drawers were arranged to open into kitchen traffic flow. For all homes, but especially where there will be young children in the kitchen, layout safety factors are vital to consider.
You could say that the IKEA online planner is a disservice to IKEA kitchen customers. It surely encourages people to buy IKEA cabinets, but it allows them to believe that kitchen design is just a matter of lining up some cabinets and appliances along walls. Kitchen design is a professional skill. There are vital principles, specialized techniques, and, most of all, know-how gained from sheer experience with thousands of kitchen projects. Customizing IKEA cabinetry for optimal functions or difficult areas, solving a homeowner's special kitchen requirements creatively, and having the foresight to avoid installation or long term functionality issues is the realm of an expert.
Obviously, in business, one can't take it personally that a potential client turns down an offer of service. But I admit to feeling sad occasionally, especially after I speak with someone for awhile and come to like them, when they choose to use their existing plans, without allowing us to provide expert help.
1) Question: What is IKEA's purpose?
Answer: To sell you the their cabinets and other materials.
2) Question: What is an independent kitchen designer's purpose?
Answer: To ensure your new kitchen is beautiful, optimally functional, and that the project stays within the homeowner's budget.
Does IKEA's online planner exist for #1 or #2?
If you are going to spend $8,000 or $18,000 or more on a kitchen remodel, it is wise to invest in expert design. You might think that spending a few hundred bucks on design isn't necessary. Of course you can design a layout in the IKEA planner that looks ok, it might even be pretty good.
But when you see how an expert creates a kitchen layout for you within that same space, you will know for yourself that what I an saying is true. Hire us, hire another expert IKEA design company if you must. But treat yourself to a truly wonderful kitchen by having a truly wonderful kitchen design.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Four Types of Contractors to Look Out For
Get our FREE ebook, "How to Budget for an IKEA Kitchen Remodel"
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
1) The Bad Contractor
A bad contractor is one who takes a deposit from you and disappears. Or one who schedules a start date, so you arrange your family and life and depend on him to show up, and he doesn't. Or he stops in the middle and causes you huge problems, financial, legal and personal.
2) The Disappointing Contractor
This guy takes a deposit, does the project, demands final payment. The job has taken 3 times longer than he said it would. His crew left garbage all over your home and yard. There are uneven wall cabinets and gaps between base cabinets. There is damage to your new appliances he said he didn't do. He does not clean up and he is covertly rude to you and your family during the entire project. The job gets done but it is disappointing. You can sue him, and you should, but that takes time, aggravation and money, too.
3) The OK Contractor
This is the contractor who makes an effort. He shows up, works fairly efficiently, runs just a day or two over schedule, and gets the specs you have contracted with him to do, done. It looks nice. You pay him and he leaves. Nothing is really wrong. You are glad the crew is finally gone.
4) The Great Contractor
This is the guy who provided you with real help when he came out to do a bid. He made knowledgeable suggestions, answered all your questions, didin't rush you, and as he was leaving, gave you a Remodeling Guidebook with his company info in it, as well as a nice pen with his logo on it. You genuinely like him as a person.
His bid is clear, detailed and helps you figure out the project and costs. He sends an easy-to-understand contract you sign confidently. He pulls all required permits for you. He has a checklist to ensure you are ready for the start of the job (trash bin onsite, cabinets emptied, etc.).
His crew works neatly and quickly, treats your family with respect, cleans up throughout the day. He starts and finished at times that are best for you.
When an under-the-house pipe is discovered to need replacement, something not on the contract, he discusses it with you so you can understand the issue and get it handled. When you decide during the demo to remove an additional wall, he does it for free.
Your appliances are delivered late and he has to make a special trip back to your home to install them, but he doesn't complain or charge you to do this. He is gracious, does a wonderful job, and you feel little stress about the entire project in his hands. You are very happy to refer him so he gets more jobs.
Look for indicators like a dirty truck or messy appearance, body odor, rudeness, slowness, or if, after talking to a contractor, you feel stressed. People feel better after talking to an honest, genuinely able person.
There are all four types in every area. There are all four types advertising themselves as IKEA kitchen contractors.
...and visit our website to find out about expert IKEA Kitchen Design Services
There are only four kinds of remodeling contractors for your IKEA kitchen project. If you have or know one, you will recognize that he fits into one of these categories. If you are looking for a contractor, find and hire ONLY the last kind.
1) The Bad Contractor
A bad contractor is one who takes a deposit from you and disappears. Or one who schedules a start date, so you arrange your family and life and depend on him to show up, and he doesn't. Or he stops in the middle and causes you huge problems, financial, legal and personal.
2) The Disappointing Contractor
This guy takes a deposit, does the project, demands final payment. The job has taken 3 times longer than he said it would. His crew left garbage all over your home and yard. There are uneven wall cabinets and gaps between base cabinets. There is damage to your new appliances he said he didn't do. He does not clean up and he is covertly rude to you and your family during the entire project. The job gets done but it is disappointing. You can sue him, and you should, but that takes time, aggravation and money, too.
3) The OK Contractor
This is the contractor who makes an effort. He shows up, works fairly efficiently, runs just a day or two over schedule, and gets the specs you have contracted with him to do, done. It looks nice. You pay him and he leaves. Nothing is really wrong. You are glad the crew is finally gone.
4) The Great Contractor
This is the guy who provided you with real help when he came out to do a bid. He made knowledgeable suggestions, answered all your questions, didin't rush you, and as he was leaving, gave you a Remodeling Guidebook with his company info in it, as well as a nice pen with his logo on it. You genuinely like him as a person.His bid is clear, detailed and helps you figure out the project and costs. He sends an easy-to-understand contract you sign confidently. He pulls all required permits for you. He has a checklist to ensure you are ready for the start of the job (trash bin onsite, cabinets emptied, etc.).
His crew works neatly and quickly, treats your family with respect, cleans up throughout the day. He starts and finished at times that are best for you.
When an under-the-house pipe is discovered to need replacement, something not on the contract, he discusses it with you so you can understand the issue and get it handled. When you decide during the demo to remove an additional wall, he does it for free.
Your appliances are delivered late and he has to make a special trip back to your home to install them, but he doesn't complain or charge you to do this. He is gracious, does a wonderful job, and you feel little stress about the entire project in his hands. You are very happy to refer him so he gets more jobs.
Look for indicators like a dirty truck or messy appearance, body odor, rudeness, slowness, or if, after talking to a contractor, you feel stressed. People feel better after talking to an honest, genuinely able person.
There are all four types in every area. There are all four types advertising themselves as IKEA kitchen contractors.
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