The kitchen is one of the most important rooms of the house, as the family gathers there to eat meals, children do homework at the kitchen table and everyone bonds over the cooking process.  That makes the decision to upgrade the kitchen an important one.  The family needs to have the kitchen open and operational, but there are many changes that the family might want for the kitchen.  This leads to a discussion over whether or not to remodel the kitchen or to go with a simple renovation.  Understanding the differences will make the upgrade process much easier on the family, and still give them the kitchen they want.

How much can you afford to spend?

The first, and most important question, is how much can you afford to spend?  The more money you can spend, the more extensive the upgrades can be.  A renovation can be done on a tight budget.  With a renovation you are giving the kitchen a facelift, without changing the underlying structures or systems of the room (i.e. plumbing or electrical systems), so the cost is much less than a remodel.  With a renovation you will only need to pay for the new fixtures and some cosmetic upgrades, all of which will give your home an updated feel without breaking the bank.  On the other hand, if you have more money to spend, a remodel is the way to go.  A remodel will replace much of the existing piping and wiring because the entire room will be stripped to the studs.  If you are worried about the cost, a renovation is your best choice.

How long can you go without your kitchen?

The second thing you need to think about is how long you can be without your kitchen.  During a renovation, you will not be able to use your kitchen for a couple of days.  A remodel will require much more extensive work, and you will not be able to use the kitchen for up to seven weeks.  Remember that each meal you do not cook at home will have to be purchased from a restaurant, and this can be a very high cost for a lot of families.  It is possible to have a remodel that does not take the full seven weeks, but because of the coordination that has to happen between the various different subcontractors, it will take much longer than a renovation.

Do you like the way that you kitchen looks?

This might seem like an odd question, but it is one that is important to consider.  If you are generally happy with the way the kitchen looks, then a renovation is the best choice for you.  Remodeling is about making serious changes to the way the kitchen looks and feels, whereas a renovation is more about the changing the details to match your tastes.  There is no reason to spend a lot of money on a full remodel if you do not want to make significant changes, especially if you are trying to get the project done on a budget.  The best designers and contractors will work with you to help you decide if the pieces that you like about the kitchen are enough to warrant limiting the project to a renovation, or if a remodel is your only option.

There are a lot of decisions that go into going forward with a kitchen remodel or renovation.  By understanding what your options are, and what you are in store for during the project, you will be able to make good decisions about your kitchen project.

I am Samuel Dowds, and I recently had my kitchen remodeled.  I worked with the designers at www.paradisecustomkitchens.com to create the kitchen design of my dreams, and during the process I found out that we could go with a simple renovation instead of a full remodel.  The kitchen renovations Mainline based Paradise Custom Kitchens did for me saved me thousands of dollars over the remodel that I thought I needed.  Hopefully you will see the benefits of a renovation, and save some money to get the kitchen that you want.