Kitchen Renovation Dos & Don’ts, Part 1
If you’re considering a kitchen renovation, make sure you put into place a plan that will guide you throughout the process. Without a cohesive plan, you could end up without a kitchen for months longer than you anticipated at the start. We know you’re itching to get started, but advise that you hold off until you’ve considered the following:
PERMITS
DON’T: DELAY THE PERMIT PULLING
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is to not be proactive with the process of pulling a city or county permit. Depending on where you live, the laws that govern the renovation of your home can fluctuate a great amount, and the permit is at the heart of all that. However, a permit is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and there are often choices that need to be made regarding the nature of the permit compared to the nature of the work. Basically, it gets complicated quickly; this difficulty leads to a “well, we’ll figure it out later” attitude, which can spell disaster for your renovation timeline.
DO: TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ALL PERMITS
Contact the city/county permit office and drill down the following information:
Send them the renovation plan, then ask what type of permit is best for this work.
Can homeowners pull the permit to act as the general contractor?
Will one permit cover all work necessary, or are there additional permits needed for specific subcontractors; do they, I, or my general contractor pull those permits if so?
What is the inspection timeline and when will I need various inspections once the permit is in hand and work is moving forward?
By getting ahead of the ball on the permit usage that surrounds your project, you can keep things moving along later in the process. After all, the last thing you want is for a subcontractor to arrive onsite, only to tell you that they can’t perform the work because the permit is wrong or missing something. Snags like these quickly lead to work stoppage delays that can add huge time and money costs to your renovation.
SHOPPING
DON’T: BEGIN WORK WITHOUT SHOPPING
Shopping for finishes and fixtures takes time. Often, renovations aren’t halted on account of subcontractors, general contractors, or even inspectors, but due to the lack of diligence by the homeowner to make their final selections in time to order and receive product on time. Every detail, including your kitchen’s backsplash tile, floor tiles, countertops, appliances, cabinets, and even finishes should be selected weeks in advance. As soon as your permit is in hand, you should be able to quickly select and order every component of your kitchen. If you are working with a general contractor, it is best to let them look over the final order and see a sample of the materials to ensure that the proposed design will work with the limitations of construction.
DO: RESEARCH YOUR IDEAS FIRST
If you haven’t already, we suggest starting a digital idea and inspiration board through a social media avenue, such as Pinterest. When done correctly, this compilation of articles, images, and fellow renovator’s ideas will help to greatly accelerate your own shopping efforts. At Transworld Tile, we know that San Fernando and Thousand Oaks’ homeowners that have a better idea of what they want before they set foot in our store have a much better chance of ending up with a finish product that will truly fit their design. Also, if you are working with a spouse or partner, it is best to compile ideas separately and together to ensure that both voices are included and heard in the final design; by working through your differences before starting the shopping process, you’re sure to be calibrated and ready to order when the time is right.
STOP IN TODAY
Visit Transworld Tile for your kitchen tiles, where you’re sure to find the selections you’ve been looking for at a great price backed by a friendly, knowledgeable staff. We’re excited to help with your San Fernando or Thousand Oaks home renovation project, and are sure that our inventory of kitchen tiles has just what you’re looking for.
