If you recently renovated your kitchen, where did you start?

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to understand the pros and cons of renovating a kitchen with the following as starting points: design/build firm, interior designer, architect, stand-alone kitchen design company. If you have renovated your kitchen in the last two years (during or after the pandemic), could you tell me about your process and costs? I live in Chevy Chase DC, so it would be great to hear from people who live in similar areas that are close to DC. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

OP it all depends on what you’re trying to do, your budget and your priorities.

Are you changing the footprint of the kitchen? Are you moving any walls? That’s the first question.

[Anonymous]

Contractor. He put me in touch with designer. (So design-build, sort of?)

[Anonymous]

DP. I am wondering the same thing too! We will be getting rid of a hall closet and moving the doorway from the dining room to the kitchen to the center of the wall and making it larger. Does that constitute "moving walls"?

My approach is
- Have plans drawn up (looking for the least expensive way possible if anyone has suggestions)
- Send the project out to bid with a variety of contractors
- I am not going to hire a designer, as I know exactly the cabinets and other materials I want to use, having remodeled a few other houses over the past 10 years
- Will order everything now including cabinets and fixtures and store in our garage

[Anonymous]

Design build firms will be the most expensive. Easily 25-40% higher than contractor + architect.

You will need an architect if you move any walls or change the footprint.

If it's a simple replacing the cabinets/counters/appliances, contractor and kitchen design company would do.

We moved the entire kitchen, so had a GC and architect. GC worked with a kitchen designer. The one thing we wish we had done is to inspect the walls behind the cabinets before they were closed up. Our sub did not put in adequate insolation. And it's much harder to remedy since it involves removing cabinets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP. I am wondering the same thing too! We will be getting rid of a hall closet and moving the doorway from the dining room to the kitchen to the center of the wall and making it larger. Does that constitute "moving walls"?

My approach is
- Have plans drawn up (looking for the least expensive way possible if anyone has suggestions)
- Send the project out to bid with a variety of contractors
- I am not going to hire a designer, as I know exactly the cabinets and other materials I want to use, having remodeled a few other houses over the past 10 years
- Will order everything now including cabinets and fixtures and store in our garage

Yes, probably. You don’t know what’s inside the walls you want to remove or make a doorway in. If you’re lucky, it’s just some electrical and not load bearing. If you’re not, there could be pipes, ducts, etc and your doorway might require a more intense beam.

[Anonymous]

I started with the layout. I did it myself then found a cabinet maker, contractor, and picked out countertops and appliances.

If you are engaging a kitchen designer do that first. They will have a cabinet person for you and perhaps contractors they recommend. This route will be more expensive though.

Cabinet places can often do layout/design for you so you can start there as well. Your order of operations would be kitchen/cabinet place, contractor and appliances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started with the layout. I did it myself then found a cabinet maker, contractor, and picked out countertops and appliances.

If you are engaging a kitchen designer do that first. They will have a cabinet person for you and perhaps contractors they recommend. This route will be more expensive though.

Cabinet places can often do layout/design for you so you can start there as well. Your order of operations would be kitchen/cabinet place, contractor and appliances.

I forgot about the architect. He just drew up the plans I designed since we were doing significant work.