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| Living thru a remodel can be like going to the dentist unless you plan accordingly, and prepare yourself for what to expect. |
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The time has finally arrived!
A kitchen remodel can be a fun and exciting project to undertake. Unfortunately, many people do not have a realistic idea of what it will be like to live through, and don’t properly plan for coping with the challenges. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to realize that a kitchen remodel is a complex project that takes some time, and realize that problems WILL occur. Keep in mind that once your kitchen is completed, it will all be worth the trouble. Just be realistic and CONVINCE yourself that you are going to enjoy the process and roll with the punches. A good attitude will go a long way into making your project a fun and enjoyable one.
Minimizing the frustrations
There are many things you can do to minimize the inconvenience that a remodel causes, but the most important thing to do first is to make sure you keep the total time it takes to do the project as short as possible. One of the most important things you can do to keep the time down is to make sure that your cabinets are ready and waiting to be installed. Many frustrated homeowners have started their project before their kitchen cabinets have arrived (or even worst – not even ordered yet). If this happens, any delay on the cabinets arriving will only slow down your entire project. So make sure your cabinets have arrived and are inspected PRIOR to beginning your project. Also, make sure you have selected all of your appliances, sinks and faucets, and either have them in your possession or make sure that they are readily available.
Now that you have everything set up and ready to go, start by putting up some visqueen plastic as a barrier between the project and rest of your home. As work progresses, make sure all the tradesman know that they are to keep this barrier intact, and make sure they all use the dedicated entrance into the home that you designate. Meanwhile, you and your family can use an alternate entry way into your home, and this will help keep dust and debris from being tracked all over your home. Vacuum up all the dust and clean up construction mess on a daily basis. This not only helps keep the area clean, but it also sends out the message to the tradesman that you want things kept neat. This will encourage them to pick up after themselves.
Oh no! I'm getting hungry!
Another major problem during a kitchen remodel is not having a place to prepare meals. If it is all possible, keep your old sink temporarily hooked up to allow for some limited use. Next, set up the microwave and refrigerator in another room, along with a bookshelf that can be used as a makeshift pantry. This set up will at least allow an area that you can make sandwiches, and microwave frozen dinners or leftovers. Also, plan on eating out a few more times than normal, and be sure and bring home extras for the next day’s meal.
As the project progresses, keep a positive attitude and try and enjoy the process. Even though you will be inconvenienced and encounter problems, having a positive outlook sure beats the alternative!
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