How high is up? That cliché question defines the maze of questions and decisions homeowners face with the complexities of remodeling any part of their house, but nothing is more mind-boggling than the myriad issues involved in redoing a kitchen.
Keep in mind that remodeling is not narrowly defined. There are no ground rules. To some, nothing short of tearing out everything, including a wall or two, is needed. But for others, making the kitchen better, nicer, more comfortable or simply prettier may be more than some well-planned cosmetic touches.
Interviews with just three individuals who own companies involved in kitchen enhancement bring out the perplexities that owners might face when dealing with that abiding desire for a new-look kitchen. Regardless, it usually points to the bottom line.
Mark Kresge, owner of Kresge Contracting Inc., is headquartered in Columbus and often is contracted to work in Westerville. He suggests there are certain questions that homeowners need to ask themselves before jumping into home repairs—starting with appliances.
“(They) tend to wear out and have to be replaced,” Kresge says. Are replacements that necessary, or are the incumbents acceptable? Often, “some have been replaced, some have not” and colors may not match. These days, “everyone tends to want stainless,” so that might define the project’s scope.
A fixup could also mean new cabinets and countertops. “A big piece (of the cost) is cabinets,” Kresge adds. Painting them is an option, although it’s often only a temporary solution and depends on the style, age and condition of the cabinets.
Currently, the trend is toward granite countertops. Manufactured stone may be less expensive, but with the countertop comes a new sink and faucet. A new top could be placed on existing cabinets, but they may be marginal because of their age or style. The owner might decide, “I would rather get them sooner rather than later,” Kresge suggests.
In older homes, again another open-ended consideration comes into play: lighting. For example, “You can spend $6,000 or you can spend $15,000,” Kresge says. Oh, and then there’s the floor that wouldn’t blend into any new room, regardless that it’s not worn.
Often, a redo will require moving at least one wall, some utilities and installing a total package of cabinets, appliances, countertops, backsplashes and lighting. Jobs like this usually affect the entire first floor, since other rooms may have to be reconfigured or at least repainted. All of this together can drive a price to the $75,000-$100,000 range, Kresge says, depending on numerous options within the package.
His ballpark figures are $35,000 to $50,000 for countertops, cabinets, floor, appliances and lighting but not moving walls or expanding the size of the room. A project that involves a countertop, sink, faucet, backsplash, perhaps come cabinet refinishing and painting the room and the like will fall in the $10,000-$25,000 range, Kresge says.
Dave Shaver, president of Scioto Kitchen Sales Corp., helps owners design kitchens and he, too, moves in a direction dictated by answers to various questions.
It may start with, “Why are you wanting to remodel?” Will the project involve moving walls or plumbing? Customers “usually pull out a picture” from a home magazine. The question then is “What exactly do you like about it?” Among the things he wants to know: “Have they been through this (remodeling) before? How many use the kitchen. How many cook? Where do you eat?” Working through it isn’t a 2-hour process, Shaver says.
The company provides cabinetry and kitchen fixtures, generally to builders after owners decide what they want. He also deals with owners who want to do their own work, he explains. About “90 percent is a customer working with a (new home) builder or remodeler.”
Shaver designs kitchens with amenities owners select during all the soul-searching. “I can lay out a kitchen five different ways,” he says. “Not everyone wants to move a wall.” There’s no rule of thumb to determine a kitchen remodeling cost. The square foot size doesn’t mean you can spend X number of dollars because of all the variables, he explains. Shaver says he has done kitchen projects that cost in excess of $100,000 and as little as $10,000.”
As the selection process starts, “We typically burst their bubble,” he says, as owners learn that their desires and realism don’t coincide. “If they have an unrealistic goal, we try to deter so that we can better help them.”
Scott Steiner, owner of Handyman Connection, says his company does kitchen work at all levels but usually on the low end. It may be just installation of a disposer, resurfacing cabinets, installing a countertop or more.
An initial question, “Is it a remodel or just clean it up to sell?” Some owners want “Realtor impact,” saying “something’s got to happen (to the kitchen) but they’re not sure what.” They don’t want top of the line “but a quality job to make it marketable,” Steiner says.
Many owners, though, are looking for moderate improvements, such as new cabinet fronts with a finish such as laminate or wood veneer, which costs less than new cabinets but gives a new look. The company does a lot of interior trim upgrades, he adds. “We can shine something up and make it look good” for $3,000 to $5,000, he guesses.
He finds, “A lot of people get misconceptions on TV about the time involved (since they) don’t have experience and know what it might cost to do a project” because of the time that it actually takes compared to abbreviated times shown on a video version.
Because he often he deals with owners who want to do work in phases, “We try as much as possible to help customers plan ahead some they’re not doing a chopped up project that is a problem for future projects,” Steiner says.
Variables involve the price-scale and quality of equipment or cabinets to be installed.. “If you plan to utilize something for a long time, sometimes higher quality is better” although not necessarily as affordable. There’s no simple answer how to decide the scope of a project. “It’s such a personal question,” Kresge explains.
Duane St. Clair is a contributing editor for Westerville Magazine.