think kitchen | tips and tricks

Tips and tricks
Who said you've got to have upper cabinets? Try medium height cabinets instead, and your storage becomes so much more accessible. Try to keep your dishes in a drawer and you will see how much more convenient it is to unload the dishwasher! Why is it better to buy a sink with a drain in the back? Because this way one can fit much more storage underneath! Nothing below the waist should have a door - only pullouts can provide ergonomically-sound access. These are just a few tips one should consider before remodeling.

Things to consider when hiring a designer

1. Payment schedule
Payment is a tricky issue. The way most designers work is by taking a certain percentage of your total remodeling job costs. At THINK KITCHEN we believe that such practices create conflict of interests. And since our main goal is to help our clients, we do not want to boost up your costs and increase our share. We prefer to charge by the hour. It is fair to both our clients and us. For prices, see our design agreement.

2. Selling products
Many designers offer a shopping service for their clients and then mark up the pieces they recommend. We would rather our clients spend their money on buying a better quality appliance, a fancier bathtub or better cabinets. We therefore prefer not to sell products to you. Instead, we would recommend a vendor and extend our discounts to you directly. There are a lot of bargains available nowadays on the internet which makes pricing really competitive. If you prefer that we help you shop, we will outline the additional hourly costs to you.

Things to consider before remodeling

1. Your project
What made you decide to start the project now? Are you planning to sell the house in the near future? Do you intend to stay in your home for a while and need it to function better for YOUR family? Have you established a budget? Do you have a realistic time frame?

2. Cabinetry: custom vs. stock
We have all heard of custom cabinetry vs. semi-custom or stock. What is the difference? It is simple. Custom cabinetry allows you to utilize every single quarter-inch of your space. Usually hand-crafted by a cabinetmaker, custom cabinets can be specified to any length, height or depth at no extra cost.

Semi - custom cabinets and stock cabinets always come in increments of 3" - i.e. 15", 18", 21", etc. This means that if your kitchen has a room for 29" drawer, your only option is to have a 27" drawer with a scribe thus voiding the remaining 2". Sometimes in bigger kitchens that does not make a lot of difference, but in smaller ones every inch counts! Semi-custom cabinet manufacturers could accommodate custom dimensions, but usually it adds up to 30% - 50% in costs. It is also harder to specify certain hardware and materials. Stock manufacturers have their own technology and machines in place and are seldom able to accommodate anything out of their usual production routine. On the plus side they are a little less expensive, since production is automated and less manual labor is used.

3. How to save money on remodeling

Planning is extremely important if you are not confident about starting your project, ask for a designer's advice. Often all you might need is a 2-hour consultation to help point you in the right direction and establish priorities. If your project requires structural changes, you will need architectural drawings.
We are happy to recommend a good contractor. If you already know someone you trust, try to secure the bid as soon a possible and be aware of his/her availability. When it comes to contractor bids, lower is not always better. Try to understand why it is lower: is it because he/she provides a LOW quality service or is it because he/she is NOT overcharging for materials?
When working with a designer it helps to make quick decisions. The longer you procrastinate, the longer your project will take and therefore your costs might be higher.
Always get professional ADVICE before you go shopping for your fixtures, materials and appliances. What might look like a great deal today could fall apart a year later. It is better to pay a little extra now than pay a lot more later in order to fix the mistakes...

4. Professional affiliations
Before choosing a designer, make sure you are aware of his/her education and professional affiliations. It is important that your designer is COMPLIANT with existing codes and regulations and knows all the tricks of the trade.