Kenneth Lewis Blog

Many homeowners who want to remodel are faced with the question: Should they replace their kitchen cabinets or just replace the cabinet doors?

Other homeowners have no idea that, depending on the material, they could restore their countertops to save some money, rather than buy new ones.

They want their kitchen remodel to be done right but also economically. They are also sure about one other thing.

They are not interested in buying a new home, just in making their existing home more comfortable by fixing up the kitchen and the bathroom.

The state of the economy and real estate market has created plenty of interest in remodeling projects. But consumers are not spending as much money as they used, but rather looking for more economical solutions. One of those solutions is cabinet refacing or cabinet refinishing in the kitchen and the bathroom.

If you are interested in spending your money more wisely, looking for value, and staying put, contact Cabinetry by Kenneth C. Lewis.

There are many colonial homes in Massachusetts. Often in these homes, you would like a kitchen remodel, but it is important to stay with the period look.

Often in these kitchens, the cabinets are custom made and designed, so they are challenging to replace. Additionally, when considering replacing the kitchen cabinets often you feel s though you may need to remove walls, which would detract from the cozy, colonial feel of the original kitchen.

Cabinet refinishing can save you the hassle and expense of ordering and installing new kitchen cabinets, and will allow you to keep the look of your kitchen and home intact.  With cabinet refinishing, the original cabinets remain in place and the doors are refinished in the look and style you are looking for.

Besides being a less expensive route, it takes far less time; around 3-4 days. Contact Kenneth C. Lewis at Cabinet Refinishing for more information on the process.

There are quite a few homes on the market. You need to be sure your home stands out in the crowd. You can do this with a kitchen remodel. There are few home renovations that are worth it when I comes to making your money back, and remodeling the kitchen is one of them.

Kitchen renovations will get you 75-80% return on your investment. But you don’t have to spend a lot to remodel your kitchen. If your kitchen cabinets are in good shape, don’t replace them; reface them.

An alternative to replacing them is refacing them. Cabinet refacing is less expensive than buying all new cabinets. Cabinet refacing involves the replacement of the door and drawer fronts and installing a veneer of new wood over the existing cabinets.
 
If your kitchen is just dated, and not in need of a new floor plan, refinishing or resurfacing the cabinets will update the look and save you money to spend on replacing the appliances.
 
Contact Kenneth C Lewis Cabinetry if you want a less expensive option to a kitchen remodel.

Your kitchen needs updating, but you do not want the expense of replacing the cabinets. Choose a less costly option. Replace the doors.

If the old cabinets are in good shape and are high-quality solid wood, it may only be the doors that really needed to be replaced.

Replacing the doors and covering the remaining exposed parts of the cabinets with a matching veneer can be done for about half the cost. This is the process of refacing.

In cabinet refacing, the cabinet doors are removed, and the sides and exterior face of the cabinet are covered with veneer. After the covering is installed, the new doors are added. New drawer fronts are also created and installed to match.

One of the greatest advantages of refacing cabinets is the minimal disruption to your home. Refacing is easier and faster. The cabinets should be well built and worth saving.

In order to increase storage, it is possible to add cabinets that match the refaced ones. If you replace the counters at the same time, you will feel as though you have had a full-blown kitchen remodel.

New cabinet doors can be made of a variety of woods, such as cherry, oak or maple, or with a wood laminate.

Contact Kenneth Lewis if refacing seems like the right option for you. 

For some, the idea of remodeling the kitchen is overshadowed by thoughts of cost overruns, delays, and decisions. Certainly the process seems daunting, but in the end it is very rewarding. A nice and easy kitchen makes life…nice and easy.

1: How will you use your kitchen

To have a successful kitchen remodel, it is important to think about how you’ll actually be using your kitchen. A kitchen island will often help make kitchen living easier. A kitchen island provides extra seating and serving space for a family and can include great storage options to help keep the kitchen organized.

2: Storage

A kitchen can never have enough storage. Existing cabinets can be refinished rather than replaced to save money while updating the look of the kitchen. Additional cabinet options can be added to existing cabinets such as roll out shelving, peg boards, and cup hangers. Near the garage, as you enter the kitchen, consider a utility cabinet with roll-out trays and cubbies to minimize clutter from purses, hats, and  keys.

3: Make the kitchen functional for all

Understand who is using the kitchen and for what. Do you like entertaining in your kitchen; reface some of the cabinet doors with glass fronted doors. Perhaps you are at home chefs, have all your cooking supplies organized. Is it a homework spot for kids? Have a drawer designated for school supplies.

There are many homeowners that are hesitant to put their homes on the market today because they don’t feel as though they would get the asking price for it. Combine this with the lowest personal savings account interest rates in history and you have more people investing in their homes than ever. If you are going to keep your house, you may as well make it more comfortable while you’re there, and when you do sell it, the return you will get will most likely be higher than any interest rate.

One of the home improvement projects that do pay - Remodel the kitchen:

An average kitchen remodeling project takes nine months to plan and three months to build, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association. You can improve the overall look and feel of a kitchen with a lot less work and money simply by refurbishing what you have. Some refurbishing options include refaced cabinets instead of new, resurfaced countertops or an added backsplash, updated flooring and under-cabinet task lighting.

Regardless of the project you plan to undertake, there are a few things you can do to ensure you get the most for your money.

• Establish a budget:
• Hire a qualified remodeler who is familiar with local building codes.
• Compare products and prices before you begin.
• Work with a contract.  

At the time you bought the house, you thought it was a great idea. “The kitchen needs remodeling, but we can do that after we move in”.

Well months or years later, you are still in that outdated kitchen, and the economy has slipped, and you are not sure if you want to use your “rainy day money” on a whole kitchen upgrade. Well, you don’t need to.

Kitchen cabinets can be the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel. Don’t waste your money or your time on cabinets. With Cabinet Refacing and Cabinet Refinishing you can have brand new “looking” cabinets at a fraction of the cost. For the most part, cabinets are structurally fine, it is the color, or the hardware, or they are scratched and worn out, that has them looking so dated.

Cabinet refinishing - this is a great way to save some money and still have a beautiful or elite looking kitchen. The cost can be lower if your cabinets and doors are in good shape.  Decorative possibilities for your cabinets are almost endless.

New Cabinet Doors and Drawer Fronts - It is very possible to combine new doors and drawer fronts with refinishing cabinets for a truly new design. This will bridge the gap between a full refinish and refacing, saving you money and still giving you a new look.

Refacing Cabinets - An alternative to refinishing is refacing. Although cabinet refacing is cheaper than all new cabinets, it is still considerably more expensive than cabinet refinishing. Cabinet refacing involves the replacement of the door and drawer fronts plus installing a veneer of new wood over the existing cabinets.

Refinishing or refacing kitchen cabinets, instead of cabinet replacement, lets you upgrade your kitchen at a price you can afford while getting the new custom look you want. If you looked into remodeling your kitchen you have found that it is not cheap and a significant portion of that cost is for cabinets. They are also costly and time consuming to install. However, if your cabinets are in decent shape, the alternatives of refacing or refinishing your cabinets can give your kitchen a fresh new look quickly, without busting your budget.

The kitchen cabinets are the most visible and abused parts of your kitchen. So when they look tired and worn, so does your kitchen. But, most kitchen cabinets are in good shape structurally and only need a facelift. With many colors, stains and wood veneers, refinishing or refacing kitchen cabinets is the perfect way to transform your kitchen from old and worn to fresh and new.

The least expensive solution between refinishing and refacing your cabinets is refinishing. Kitchen cabinet refinishing is done by painting or staining the cabinets and cabinet doors.

Refacing kitchen cabinets is more expensive than refinishing but still a fraction of the cost to replace them. The old cabinet doors and drawers are removed, stripped, and the door and drawer fronts are replaced with new surfaces, either new wood veneer or laminate. The cabinet frames and exterior surfaces are covered or refaced to match and the inside is cleaned and painted.

The time required for refacing or refinishing kitchen cabinets depends on the size of the kitchen but usually can be completed within 3-5 days. This means that your kitchen will not be unusable for weeks or months as with cabinet replacement.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it's also the most popular room to renovate. The average kitchen redo costs about $15,000.

When it comes to remodeling a kitchen almost everyone has something they might have done differently.

When you're cooking up a kitchen renovation there are so many places where it's easy to goof. Storage space is one of them. Consumer reports says, don't skimp!

"Carefully plan how much storage you'll need and where to put it," said Bob Markovich with Consumer Reports.

For instance, dishes and glasses need four to six linear feet of cabinet space above or near the sink and dishwasher. Pots and pans need the same, and store them close to your cooktop. If you have kitchen cabinets that already provide enough storage space, consider refinishing them instead of replacing them.

Center islands can be tricky too. Make sure they are the right size, too big is a common mistake.

The countertop should be three feet wide to no more than ten feet. As for depth, you want one that measures at least 26 inches, and up to 48 inches.

As for countertops, choosing one that stains easily is another mistake people make. Skip oil-rubbed butcher block for kitchen counters - it's one of the surfaces that stains easily. Corian and Granite work nicely.

With careful planning and attention to detail you can sidestep these mistakes and get the kitchen you've always wanted.

Original article on ABC local

A recession-wrought change in consumer spending is having a dramatic impact on kitchen and bath remodeling, according to a major new study conducted by sink, faucet and shower products supplier Moen.

“Given the current recession, it’s no surprise that consumers are saving rather than spending – and when they do spend, they’re doing so from cash on hand, rather than credit,” says Jack Suvak, senior director of OH-based Moen. “This change in spending behavior has had a dramatic impact on remodeling projects.”

According to Suvak, most homeowners are choosing to perform “room lifts” – small upgrades to personalize a room – rather than undertake the kind of major remodels that were commonplace prior to the recession. An example is choosing to refinish or reface existing cabinets to update a kitchen rather than remodel an entire kitchen. In addition, Suvak said, homeowners “are choosing to personalize renovations to fit their needs, rather than update a room for the next family that will be living in the house.

“For years, we’ve heard that if you want to sell your home, start by remodeling your kitchen because it has the highest return on investment,” he said.

Moen’s research found that families with children living in the home are more engaged in their kitchens than their counterparts without children – and are more likely to view the kitchen as a place where activities or conversations happen. With regard specifically to kitchen remodeling, respondents with children are significantly more likely than those without children to remodel or make improvements to their kitchen or spent more on kitchen improvements, Moen said.

Original article on Kitchen and Bath Design News