Three Things Your Kitchen Designer Needs to Get Started

So you’re ready to renovate your kitchen—now what? A good place to start is a consultation with a certified kitchen designer to help walk you through the myriad of decisions that come next. When it’s time to sit down and talk business, it’s good to come prepared with a few things to help your designer give you the best advice. 

Budget

When we talk about your renovation budget, we start with that single “big” number—what’s the most you’re willing to spend on a new kitchen? When you present that budget to a kitchen designer, they can help you break it down to help you see where your money will go, such as:

• Labor
• Cabinetry
• Appliances
• Countertops
• Flooring
• Electrical & plumbing
• Fixtures

It’s also important to set up a contingency budget of 15-20 percent, which will help soften the blow when “surprises” pop up, like bad wiring or a rotten floorboard. A kitchen renovation can result in other costs, so don’t forget to consider things like whether and how often you’ll have to eat out, or even stay elsewhere, during the work.

Floor Plans

You don’t have to bring an architect’s blueprint to your first meeting with a kitchen designer, but having a rough floor plan with dimensions and openings marked is a great start! Understanding the space will help your designer make informed suggestions. If you aren’t sure where to start, use an online reference; we like the Kitchens.com kitchen measuring guide.

In-Store Visit

The best way to get started is to bring your budget and floor plan right to Cabinets & Designs! Meeting with your kitchen designer in person is more efficient than exchanging emails and phone calls, and gives everyone a chance to get to know one another.

Another important reason to meet in person is to make decisions about some of the things that have a significant impact on pricing. In cabinetry, that means door style, wood species, and finishes. And we haven’t even gotten to appliances yet!

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