The kitchen is the heart of every home within which the aromas of good food mingle with the laughter of family and friends. From preparing family meals to entertaining, the functionality and design of your kitchen is one of your home’s most important features. Moments in the kitchen crystallize into cherished memories. Moments worth savoring. With a Buckingham Group kitchen such moments can become everyday events.
eight steps to your new kitchen
What do you want to do?
Have you thought about…?
What ’s your look?
setting your budget range
Finalizing your choices
How will it come together?
918-624-2666
kaplan-bgi@tulsacoxmail.com
The questions and format within have been adapted from the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s brochure on kitchen remodeling.
While decorating shows on TV are fun and inspirational, the real life process of creating a new kitchen takes longer and involves many more “behind the scenes” steps than first meets the eye. Here, the NKBA spells out the eight steps to achieving your dream.
What are your main objectives? Your priorities will drive all further decisions on budget, style, products and more. So give this step some time and talk it through with your family
Mr. Kaplan may have several ideas on how you can best use your space, each with different budget implications. Make notes on how you use your space, where the current roadblocks are, and what you wish worked better.
Determine how much you can realistically invest in your new kitchen and how you plan to pay for it. Shop around to get an idea of product prices and remember that installation can be about 17% of the budget.
Your NKBA professional may have several ideas on how you can best use your space, each with different budget implications. Make notes on how you use your space, where the current roadblocks are, and what you wish worked better.
Define your style by collecting pictures, visiting showrooms and home shows, and making notes of individual elements you like.
You’ll have a seemingly endless list of product decisions to make. Your experienced Buckingham Group professional can help you sort out what’s truly the best for your needs.
Then there are some things that just have to wait their turn. Stone countertops, for example, may not be fabricated until the cabinets are installed, to ensure the best fit.
Consider who will be responsible for finding and supervising the electricians, plumbers, tile contractors, carpenters, cabinet installers and all the other trades involved with a new kitchen. Plan for a substitute kitchen while yours is under construction.
Longer than a TV episode, for sure!
The size and scope of your project will determine the time frame, which could be anywhere from four to six weeks for simple improvements or changes, to six or eight months or more for a full-scale remodeling.
Be aware of delivery times
Timing also depends on product choices. Custom cabinets may take 8 to 16 weeks. Special plumbing fixtures can also require weeks for delivery.
Sometimes, things happen
Unexpected delays can occur if structural deficiencies are found when walls or floors are opened up. It’s best to tell your Buckingham Group kitchen professional if you have a deadline for your new kitchen. They can give you a realistic time estimate based on the parameters of your specific project.
Here’s a questionnaire to get you started.
Determining your priorities for a new kitchen, and sticking to them, will help you and your Buckingham Group professional make the best decisions about budget, design, layout and products.
About Your Project
About your family
Number and age of household members:
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Number and age of cooks:
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Do you anticipate:
New children arriving?__ yes __ no
Children leaving home?__ yes __ no
Adult children returning home?__ yes __ no
Parent(s) coming to live with you?__ yes __ no
Does anyone in your family have physical issues that should be considered (difficulty standing, walking, bending, poor eyesight, arthritis)?
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How often do you entertain? ____ times a month
Do you entertain large crowds or small groups?
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Are you remodeling?__ yes __ no
Building a new home?__ yes __ no
How old is your home? _____________
How long are you planning to stay there? ______
Approximately how big is your kitchen now?
__________ ft. x _________ ft.
Thinking of expanding your kitchen?__ yes __ no
Adding on?__ yes __ no
Relocating the kitchen?__ yes __ no
Your Goals
Would you like to have
Eating area__ yes __ no
Island__ yes __ no
Pantry__ yes __ no
Home office area__ yes __ no
Laundry area__ yes __ no
Recycling center__ yes __ no
Wine storage__ yes __ no
Three things you want most in your new kitchen:
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Three things you dislike most about your kitchen now:
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Update the look of the room__ yes __ no
Update kitchen for resale of our home__ yes __ no
Open up the kitchen to another room__ yes __ no
(dining room, family room, etc.)
Update with latest & greatest appliances__ yes __ no
Other:
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As you plan your new kitchen, you may have some special personal priorities. They could be environmental concerns, health and safety issues, longer-term family needs. Many health, safety and usability factors are addressed by the NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards. But no matter what your concerns, your Buckingham Group professional will be able to offer solutions.
All kitchens should function beautifully for their users, but it’s worthwhile to think about any longterm changes anticipated in your family.
Will the kitchen be used by someone who might prefer to work while seated?
Will it be used by anyone relying on a wheelchair, walker, cane or other device? If so, is aisle space adequate?
Is there enough lighting on countertops, and even inside cabinets, for someone with diminished eyesight?
Can the dishwasher be raised to a more back friendly height?
Can rollouts and pullouts make cookware and dishes more accessible?
Will the right flooring make standing more comfortable?
Are faucet handles easy to operate?
NKBA members can help you select environmentally friendly, sustainable and attractive products for your new kitchen, and can also manage your project in an environmentally responsible manner. Here are some things to consider:
Can some products be recycled? Or reused in a basement or garage?
Will new appliances be Energy Star rated?
How much water will a new dishwasher save? A new faucet?
Will the wood in your new cabinets, countertops or floors come from a sustainably managed forest? Sustainable wood products — products made from forests that grow quickly and are easily replenished — have become more popular. Examples of fast-growing species are bamboo, Lyptus, cane, and some maple.
Can you use recycled countertop materials?
Can you use recycled flooring?
How energy-efficient will your new lighting be?
Do you want a recycling center?
A composting area?
Is this a good time to change to new, more efficient windows?
If any walls are going to be opened, can you add more insulation?
Will new finishes and materials be low-VOC?
A thoughtfully designed kitchen can contribute to your family’s health, safety and well-being. For example:
Excellent ventilation is essential to remove cooking odors and grease that can affect air quality. Proper ventilation also removes humidity that can contribute to mold.
Water quality issues can be addressed with a variety of filter types.
Sharp knives and cleaning products can be stored safely out of the reach of children.
If anyone in your home is highly sensitive and/or allergic, special cabinet finishes and materials can be specified to minimize problems.
Non-slip flooring can help prevent falls
Proper use of GFCI s (ground-fault circuit interrupters) can prevent shocks.
It all works today. We’ve assembled these Buckingham Group kitchen remodels to help you pinpoint your favorites. Do the same with your clippings file. Note: what you love about the room: the color, the materials, a special detail or just the overall tone. The more specific you are, the more the Buckingham Group can work with you to define your style.
WHITE AND WONDERFUL
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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CRISP AND CLEAN
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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WOOD AND STONE
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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RICH WOODS
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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A TOUCH OF COLOR
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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BEAUTIFULLY RUSTIC
What do you like about this kitchen?
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What don’t you like about this kitchen?
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HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR SETTING YOUR BUDGET
Keep your priorities front and center. A $500 range or a $10,000 one? A $100 sink or one that’s $3,500? A $4 polished brass knob or a $98 crystal model? What’s important to you?
Cabinetry and hardware generally run about 29% of your investment, appliances and ventilation can be 14% and countertops typically account for around 10% of the total project cost.
Remember that installation can be about 17% of the budget.
What does a kitchen cost? You ultimately decide by the scope of your project, the products you select and the services you’d like. (Of course, labor rates in your area have some bearing on it too.)
With a wide variety of quality products available, there’s a kitchen for almost any budget, ranging from the lovely to the super deluxe.
To share a few examples: a large show-stopper of a kitchen with luxurious materials in a major metro area could start at more than a hundred thousand dollars and go well beyond that. However a lovely modest makeover in a smaller town might be achieved for around $20,000 to $25,000.
The NKBA’s handy chart on the following page explains how that breaks down by products and services.
WAYS TO SAVE
Set priorities so you know where to allocate your dollars.
Don’t move plumbing, mechanical systems or walls unless it will greatly improve the space.
Avoid changing your mind once products are ordered and installation begins.
Have a clear set of specifications before comparison shopping.
Be sure to compare exactly the same products, not just similar ones. The price for the same model of faucet, for example, will vary by finish. Granite prices vary by grade.
Everyone shops online, but it’s important to visit showrooms and be sure what you see online is what you think it is.
SOME FRIENDLY ADVICE
Get a written proposal with detailed specifications of all products and services.
Be sure that you understand the payment schedule. Is there a design fee? A retainer? What payments are due, and when?
Never pay 100% up front.
Be sure at the end of the job there are no contractor liens.
Set aside some money for contingencies, perhaps 10% to 20% of your project.
Kitchen Remodeling Costs
Design fees:4%
Installation:17%
Appliances & Ventilation:14%
Cabinetry & Hardware:29%
Countertops:18%
Lighting:5%
Flooring:7%
Doors & Windows:4%
Walls & Ceilings::5%
Faucets & Plumbing:4%
Other:1%
When it comes to resale, check with real estate professionals to find out specifically for your neighborhood what the return would be for a new kitchen. National statistics can give you a general idea, but what matters most is your neighborhood.
Find out how much faster your home would sell with a new kitchen.
Discuss your budget with an your Buckingham Group pro. They work a variety of price ranges, and can tell you up front whether they’re the right fit for your project.
The Buckingham Group professional can also help you get the most value for your investment.
Here’s a handy checklist of everything you may want to consider for your new kitchen. Don’t worry, your Buckingham Group professional will help weigh the pros and cons of each to fit your lifestyle.
3. REFRIGERATION
Separate cooktop and oven(s) or all one unit
Range top: gas, electric, halogen, induction
Hardware
Oven: convection, gas, electric, single, double, under counter, wall
Specialty: high BTU burner, simmer burner, wok, griddle, grill, steam, deep fryer, French plaque, coffee maker/espresso machine, warming drawer,
microwave: combination
Convection, combination vent, built-in or drawer model
Ventilation: downdraft or hood
Built-in, free standing, drawers
Side-by-side, French door, top freezer, bottom freezer, under counter
Through the door ice and water, separate ice maker
Wine refrigeration, tall or under counter
1. CABINETS
2. COOKING APPLIANCES
Door material (wood, metal, laminate, etc.)
Style/Finish
Hardware
Interior storage aids (pull outs, roll outs, lazy Susans, spice racks, trash cans, drawer dividers, etc.)
6.LIGHTING
4. CLEAN UP
APPLIANCES
5.FIXTURES/
FITTINGS
6.COUNTERTOPS
7.FLOORING
Granite, marble,
other stone soap stone, etc)
Wood
Quartz and solid surface
Ceramic tile
Laminate
Lavastone
Concrete
Edge treatment
Backsplash material
One or two dishwashers
Full size, oversize
or compact
Trash compactor
Laundry: washer,
dryer, stacked
Front or top loading
One or two sinks
Single, double or triple bowl
Undermount integral, self
rimming
Enamel/cast iron, solid surface, stainless, quartz
Baskets, cutting boards, drainer racks
Soap and lotion dispensers, side spray
Strainer basket
Bar or vegetable
Faucets: single or
double-handle, pull-out, pot-filler
Instant-hot
Water purification
Wood
Tile
Vinyl
Laminate
Stone
Bamboo
Cork
Ambient
Under cabinet
Task
In-cabinet
Fluorescent,
incandescent, LED, xenon, halogen
While it may not be fun having your kitchen torn out and your household disrupted, proper planning can alleviate some of the stress. Get a jump start with our checklists here.
3. Keep on schedule by
2. remember to...
• Ask for a written schedule
• State your preferences about music, smoking and eating on the premises.
• Prepare an alternate kitchen, such as by placing a microwave and small fridge near a bathroom sink.
• Close off the rest of the house as much as possible.
• Remove artwork on walls adjoining the kitchen, since hammering can jar them.
• Communicate in advance with neighbors so they know what to expect.
• Be accessible- Let the crew or general contractor know how to reach you.
• Where will products go before installation?
In the garage? On a porch? Living room or dining room?
• How will they be delivered? A back door into the kitchen? Or through the rest of the house?
• How will your old kitchen be removed?
• Where will you put a dumpster if needed?
• What hours will the crew be in your home?
• Who do you talk to if you believe there’s a problem? The crew or someone else?
• What happens if I want to make a change after the project starts? Whom do you contact?
DO IT YOURSELF?
Yes , No or Maybe?
The success of your kitchen depends on the quality of the installation. In inexperienced hands, cabinet doors and drawers may not align properly, countertop and wall edges may not come together precisely, and the overall look can be a disappointment.
If you’re thinking of doing it yourself, realistically consider your skills and time available. Are you generally handy? Do you have the right tools? Have you tackled a project like this before? Do you have any help? Do you like doing projects like this? Would you be better off handling some tasks like painting, wallpapering or installing a sink or floor, versus doing the whole job?
1. Think about
• Have products you supply on hand before work begins (remember there can be long lead times).
• Don’t substitute a product without telling your designer (even small changes can have a big impact).
• Keep any changes to a minimum after construction starts.
