Tips on how to Construct a Kitchen (and Why)

Nicely, seems to be prefer it has occurred once more. 

Because the final time we spoke, I received sucked into constructing my seventeenth(?) kitchen, and I’ve lastly emerged from its messy but addictive grasp as I stand right here on the new breakfast bar, typing this report back to you.

Why am I so hooked on this unusual pastime? And extra importantly, why am I so excited to inform you about it, when most MMM readers most likely don’t have home constructing on the prime of their checklist of life priorities? 

It’s most likely as a result of the idea of house is such a core a part of life for me: a spot that enables us to care for our households and ourselves, host pals and construct our lives outwards from there. And to me a very powerful a part of a house is the place the place you put together and stash your meals provide, which additionally occurs to grow to be the spot the place our youngsters unfold out their homework, we’ve got our deep talks, and the pure gathering level for nearly each social gathering.

There’s after all a cash aspect to all of this too: housing is the most costly factor in most of our lives (together with my very own), and this value has exploded upwards in recent times as a consequence of a loopy imbalance of provide and demand.

Individuals need  houses with stunning, extremely purposeful facilities like kitchens and loos, which suggests these homes get bid as much as larger costs by these prepared to wildly overpay, which leaves the extra investment-minded amongst us swearing on the irrational market situations, or shopping for ugly fixer-uppers as a compromise.

This results in a second scarcity: a scarcity of tradespeople like myself, as a result of there are a variety of flimsy little sinks, leaky plastic-handled taps and faux woodgrain oak cupboards on the market, however not lots of people with the expertise to rescue that 1982-style kitchen and convey it into our superb trendy current.

Which signifies that for those who may even discover somebody prepared to construct you a brand new kitchen, you’ll usually see quotes from $25,000 to north of $75,000 for the distinguished however not-all-that-difficult job.

As you’ll see beneath, this interprets to an extremely costly labor price of between $100 and $300 per hour, which is cash you get to assert for your self in case you are prepared to do a few of the work. And the rewards will be even larger than that, as a result of whenever you improve a kitchen in an costly housing market, you sometimes create much more than $25-75k of extra worth. It will move again to you within the type of additional cash whenever you ultimately re-sell, or larger rental earnings each single month in case you are fixing up a rental property. 

And yet one more actual property secret: a kitchen is successfully only a actually huge fancy model a WC, so for those who study the abilities you are able to do both one. Think about the God-like energy of with the ability to level your finger and name into existence kitchens and loos the place none existed earlier than! 

So on this article, I’m going to whisk you thru a high-speed tour of the principle steps of rebuilding a kitchen, specializing in the issues that make the most important distinction in perform, value, and problem – in different phrases, the issues I want I knew 23 years in the past after I began engaged on my first kitchen. 

We don’t have area right here to cowl each element of each step, however as with every vital endeavor, it’s finest to begin with the large image anyway. And from there, I hope to depart you with a way more empowered place to begin to do one among three issues:

• To know what to search for (and how one can tune your Bullshit Meter) when hiring another person to construct you a kitchen.
• To strategically break off components of the work you wish to do your self, to save lots of money and time even for those who rent out the remaining.
• And even to do the entire thing your self, looking for assist from extra skilled pals or YouTube movies as wanted to get the total particulars.

So let’s get into it! The 11-ish most important steps to designing and constructing essentially the most joyful room in your home.

Step Zero: Do You Want a Allow?

In most areas, it is a “Sure” in case you are messing with plumbing and electrical energy contained in the partitions, in any other case it’s “perhaps”. However guidelines fluctuate broadly all over the world – I’ve labored in some locations the place the inspectors will come knocking in the event that they see a lot as a scrap of drywall poking out of your trash can, and others the place individuals construct a complete barn with out elevating the eyebrow of the authorities. However whether or not you get a allow or not, a very powerful half is to do the job proper – this implies tidy, skilled work that meets the native constructing code and would move an inspection even when no person will see it. It can let you sleep properly and keep away from troubles down the highway.

1: Work out the Value

This one is clearly all around the map relying in your tastes, however we are able to begin with the next overly simplified desk:

The greenback figures are only for the supplies together with home equipment, and the labor hours are what I’d funds for myself or one other skilled – you possibly can modify as wanted based mostly by yourself talent degree. I’ll additionally hyperlink a barely extra detailed model of this spreadsheet right here.

Tremendous Duper Purchasing Professional Suggestions:

On the subject of cost-efficient renovations, materials sourcing is all the pieces. Listed below are a couple of of my very own favourite methods:

• Craigslist, Fb Market and Recycled Constructing Materials shops are superb. It takes extra time and talent to search out and use supplies from these sources, however in change you get your stuff for about 75% much less. Previously I’ve purchased a $2000 fridge for $500, doorways and cupboards and lighting fixtures for subsequent to nothing, and stocked up on reclaimed wooden and metal items value tens of hundreds of {dollars} for free, in change for a couple of hours of my time.

  However typically you’ve completely different targets, like sooner pace or or the higher-end finishes which might be solely doable with model new supplies. On this case, you progress down the checklist.

• Amazon is now higher than Residence Depot for a lot of issues. Lighting fixtures, sinks and taps, even noticed blades and large rolls of PEX pipe. All with a method wider choice, quick transport and at decrease costs than the older retailers. I’ll nonetheless get my lumber and drywall and paint regionally after all, however for all the pieces else I verify on-line first. The bonus is that this additionally cuts down my mid-project journeys to the shop by about 80%.
• IKEA kitchen cupboards often supply decrease value, simpler/sooner design, and – surprisingly – higher general high quality than what you get with particular order cupboards from the house renovation shops. Extra on this within the cupboards part beneath.

2: Format (and flattening partitions!)

The essential precept I wish to comply with in kitchen design, not less than for the smaller and older homes that these of us within the fixer-upper crowd tends to buy, is MORE:

• Extra flooring area and counter tops
• Extra open-ness to the remainder of the home
• Extra storage, particularly drawers

Most homes from previous eras have the kitchen walled off right into a tiny sales space. And the excellent news is which you can often simply chop down the pointless partitions between that sales space and the lounge, change one among them with a pleasant spacious island, and remodel your home for the higher. 

Bonus! How to determine if a wall is load bearing:

My protected reply right here is, “Ask a structural engineer or not less than a home builder”, however since I’ve finished a variety of each actions, here’s a shortcut:

• Work out what’s over prime of the wall in query (is it an higher flooring or simply the roof?)
• If it’s the roof, peek up into the attic. If the home is a more recent design it might have trusses. In smaller homes (as much as about 30 ft large), this often means all the burden of the roof is resting on the surface partitions, which means most or all the inside partitions are simply beauty.
• In case your kitchen is on the primary flooring with one other degree above, the wall could also be load bearing, particularly whether it is perpendicular to the ground joists above it. On this case you possibly can nonetheless open up the wall and change it with a beam and posts. However that’s a activity for skilled builders – herald some assist for those who don’t know the way to do that already.

Primary Format Ideas

As a fast instance, let’s use a case examine of one among my very own rebuilds to level out each issues I believe did work, and different locations I made some errors and would do issues in another way subsequent time. (This was in my very own home, so that you’ll must forgive my style for considerably wild colours!)

Whoo! Okay there’s a variety of data in there, however it’s value studying by means of as a result of it captures lots of the issues I wish to cowl in a brand new kitchen. The most important precept to comply with is simply to offer all the pieces sufficient area – particularly the cooks themselves. This typically requires intelligent space-saving methods, however it’s additionally why I find yourself shifting or eradicating partitions so usually. Small areas in your personal home suck!

Design Shortcut: The IKEA Kitchen Planner

To determine how all the pieces will match (and look), you want not less than some scale diagrams, however even higher is a 3-D mannequin which you can go searching. There are many choices right here starting from old school graph paper to stylish however typically clunky design packages like Sketchup. However one fascinating trick is simply utilizing the free device on the IKEA web site, which will be helpful whether or not you intend on shopping for their cupboards or not. https://kitchen.planner.ikea.com/us/en/

For instance, check out the “earlier than” image of my outdated kitchen above. Earlier than constructing the brand new kitchen, I spent about quarter-hour on the IKEA kitchen planner web site and I already had a reasonably shut visualization of how my completed kitchen would appear and feel.

3: Constructing new partitions

Usually, you’ll be eradicating extra partitions than you construct, however typically you’ll want so as to add some as properly. The commonest conditions for me are:

• Shifting an current wall again to create extra kitchen area
• Making a “sales space” of partitions to surround a fridge or construct a meals storage pantry
• Constructing the half wall (typical top is 34.5”)  that ultimately turns into an island.

Normal rules:

• It’s method simpler to construct a brand new wall than to fiddle with too many adjustments to an outdated one. So I often begin with a whole demolition of any outdated partitions, then proceed with a clear slate. 
• Should you’ve by no means discovered how one can body a wall flat on the bottom first, it’s a enjoyable and life-changing talent! Right here’s a 52-second abstract on YouTube.

4: Plumbing (and venting)

In lots of kitchen remodels, you find yourself leaving the plumbing fixtures (sink, dishwasher and fridge water line) in roughly the identical place, and in that case this a part of the job is minimal.

• In the reduction of any out of date copper plumbing and transition to PEX in a handy location, which is able to make all of your new work cleaner and simpler. In a full home rework, I often do that proper after the principle home shutoff valve so the entire system will be constructed proper from scratch.
• Sink drain traces are often finished with 1.5” black ABS (plastic) pipe which is sort of simple to work with. Should you’re doing a giant mission, seize a couple of ten-footers of the stuff up entrance in addition to an assortment of fittings and the glue.
• Drain pipes ought to slope about ¼” per foot, and if you might want to add a brand new air vent, take into account a Studor vent, which saves you the ache of attempting to attach your drain to a pipe that runs right through your roof. (I additionally like to attenuate roof penetrations as a result of it makes your eventual re-roofing job faster and extra dependable and leaves extra room for photo voltaic panels)

We’ll cowl the sink, dishwasher and fridge plumbing individually beneath.

Associated MMM Article from method again in 2012 (however just lately up to date): 

Tips on how to Change into a Kickass Plumber – with PEX

5: Electrical

Like plumbing, electrical energy is a complete commerce in itself which isn’t snug for everybody. And you’ll certainly kill your self for those who contact stay wires within the unsuitable method. So if doubtful, rent an electrician. 

However since I occur to get pleasure from this commerce myself, I made a degree of studying the nationwide electrical code (at present known as the 2020 NEC) sufficient to wire a couple of full homes from scratch and move a number of last inspections: all the pieces from digging the ditch and working new buried service traces in conduit to the meter field, to subpanels and photo voltaic inverters all the way down to the final gentle change. 

However I’m nonetheless not knowledgeable electrician, and codes fluctuate by area – so remember to double verify any concepts you get from me and don’t assume something you learn is completely right.

With all these disclaimers apart, listed here are the commonest conditions that come up when renovating a kitchen:

Undesirable electrical traces in a wall you’re eradicating:  I label these fastidiously, flip off the facility, then pull all the pieces out till I attain the closest junction that’s in a wall I’m preserving (or typically this will likely be within the ceiling or attic). As soon as the brand new partitions  are in place, you possibly can run recent wires to the brand new containers and fixtures.

Including new shops to serve new countertop areas:

The essential requirement is a minimal of two 20 amp circuits, protected by GFCI shops, with shops not less than each 4 ft alongside your work area. Plus, ideally the fridge, dishwasher, disposal and microwave are on their very own separate circuits which is required in model new builds. So, your mission might be capable to tie into the prevailing circuits or chances are you’ll want to drag some new ones.

Including fully new circuits to your property:

Though this will sound like a black artwork to non-electricians, it’s really fairly simple when you discover ways to do it. The toughest half is often working the wire all the way in which again to your circuit panel, except your kitchen is instantly over an unfinished basement or crawlspace. So for those who discover an agreeable electrician prepared to offer you a reduction in change for you doing the soiled work of correctly routing the wire whereas they solely do the ultimate hookup within the panel, this could be a good hybrid method.

If you wish to see the small print of what’s concerned in including a complete new circuit and breaker to your panel, there are many walkthroughs on YouTube together with this one I made myself on how one can set up your personal electrical automobile charger.

Different stuff to recollect at this stage:

• An outlet to your eventual over-the-range microwave (or only a wire in case you are utilizing a vent hood), centered about 78” above the ground so it’s within the cupboard instantly above
• A 4” metal vent pipe that goes from behind that microwave to someplace exterior your home (see your set up handbook for actual particulars)
• An outlet beneath the kitchen sink for the disposal, managed by a wall change at a protected distance close by
• Energy to your dishwasher (I often add a normal wire to my dishwasher so I can plug it in to this identical outlet underneath the sink)
• Perhaps even wiring for an outlet inside one among your cupboards, simply behind the highest drawer, for charging telephones and different devices properly out of sight

6: Drywall and particulars

You’re lastly able to cowl all the pieces up! This half is comparatively simple, however for those who’ve by no means finished drywall earlier than, a couple of issues I discover useful to get began:

• Purchase loads of provides (4×8 sheets, mesh tape, containers of compound (mud), plus a trough and knife set) upfront
• When putting in sheets, use both a roto zip device or a cordless “buzzer” multi device to do the cutouts to your outlet containers. A lot better than handbook hand saws or attempting to do it with knives.
• As you open every field of mud, dispense it totally right into a clear 5-gallon bucket with a lid. Replenish your trough periodically from this bucket. By no means work instantly from the field, or the bucket.
• I discover {that a} gentle layer of spray adhesive earlier than including the mesh tape helps it stick a lot better
• Apply 2-3 coats of more and more clean mud earlier than you hassle with sanding (skilled drywallers sometimes solely have to sand as soon as on the finish)

That is the purpose – after drywall and not less than a coat of primer or base white paint – the place you’d set up your flooring in case you are altering that out as a part of the rework. As of late I’m a giant fan of engineered wooden or LVP flooring which is straightforward, powerful and enticing. However for final sturdiness in a busy dogs-n-kids-n-giant events family, flooring tiles are nonetheless the gold customary.

7: Cupboards

Though this step is essentially the most thrilling half, it’s additionally one of many best. You’re simply attempting to place in a line of big containers as robust, straight and sq. as doable. For typical cupboards, because of this a degree and studfinder and shims are your finest pals. 

With IKEA cupboards, it’s even simpler to get it proper, as a result of all the cupboards (each higher and decrease) simply grasp on their proprietary steel rail system. So for those who get the rails proper, the cupboards comply with naturally. One other big bonus: it’s simple to slip the cupboards backwards and forwards and make changes earlier than locking them into their last positions.

8: Counter tops

In case your funds will enable the upper value, a stone countertop (quartz or granite or comparable) is often value the associated fee. That value is at present about $60-120 per sq. foot which may add up to some grand for a big kitchen, however in change you get one thing that appears nice, lasts endlessly and cleans up extra simply than the opposite choices. 

After all, that top value (and my dislike of coping with appointments and outdoors contractors) has meant that I’ve experimented with the opposite alternate options of strong wooden and varied varieties of tiles on some tasks. They nonetheless look good and performance fairly properly, however I’ve at all times regretted the selection in the long term and wished I had finished the quartz. Presumably due to the human psychology issue: a small every day annoyance of worrying about scratching your wooden countertop is with you endlessly. Whereas a one-time expense for the stone counter tops rapidly recedes into historical past and also you overlook about it. And like the remainder of a kitchen improve, it tends to return again to you within the type of elevated resale or rental worth anyway.

9: Sink and Faucet

Fortunately, this half is the alternative of the counter tops: surprisingly low-cost and full of gorgeous choices relying in your style. 

Means again in 2001, I bear in mind paying $600 for a sink and $300 for a faucet, simply to get one thing substantial and trendy that didn’t seem like it was from a Eighties Atlanta Georgia suburb (an aesthetic that runs robust in Residence Depot merchandise due to the corporate’s origins in that point and place).

 However now, because of Amazon we stay in a complete completely different world. You possibly can have your alternative of large, trendy sinks within the 200s, and even stunning taps are underneath $100. The costs are typically so low that I’m nervous in regards to the high quality, however to date all the pieces has been a nice shock on the upside. TBD sink drain pic above.

Bonus: Tips on how to construct a pleasant new sink drain:

Your outdated kitchen most likely has an unsightly nest of pipes underneath the kitchen sink, and also you’ll not less than want to transform this half as a result of the brand new sink will likely be greater and in a barely completely different place. So we’d as properly cowl this proper right here:

Beginning with the flowery new sink (which comes proper after counter tops), you

• Set up the disposal unit which doubles because the drain as properly
• Free-fit a lure adapter to the disposal output after which work out what route to angle your lure to create the best/tidiest run to the wall pipe
• Add elbows and straight bits as wanted to get the water to that last vacation spot
• As soon as you’re positive all the pieces suits, mark the joints with tape or a marker, then fastidiously disassemble, glue, and reassemble/tighten all the pieces. Prepared for water inside an hour!

10: Home equipment

That is yet one more space the place we’ve seen deflation over time reasonably than inflation: the standard and options of home equipment appears to maintain going up, whereas costs come down. And the used market is even higher: home equipment have a really low resale worth, which suggests for those who store fastidiously you may get new-ish models for about 75% lower than brand-new ones. 

Nevertheless, a notice of warning: Don’t purchase used stuff except you belief the vendor and/or get an opportunity to check it. I’ve been fooled twice shopping for used seemingly high-end dishwashers that appeared nice … however on reflection the particular person was promoting them as a result of they didn’t work correctly. 

Me: “Wow, it is a very nice $1500 dishwasher – why are you promoting it?”

Vendor: “Oh… I used to be upgrading my kitchen and this one simply doesn’t match the brand new home equipment.”

Me: (naively overlooking another purple flags in regards to the vendor’s residing state of affairs): “Okay right here’s my $200 in money.”

On a 3rd event, a buddy and I virtually made the identical mistake when shopping for an unique under-counter European fridge, however fortunately seen that the vendor had it sitting in his storage unplugged once we got here to select it up. Once I requested to see it working, he pretended to have a scarcity of extension cords so I pulled one out of my van. Certain sufficient, once we plugged it in, the damned factor wasn’t even working. Shady!

Different suggestions: fridges, microwaves and particularly ovens/ranges are a safer wager to purchase used as a result of they have a tendency to simply work for many years. 

Additionally, for those who stay in a local weather with sub-freezing winters, don’t purchase a fridge, dishwasher or washer that somebody has moved into their shed or storage through the chilly season. As a result of the water within the tubes and valves will most likely have frozen and burst with out their information, providing you with a messy and sophisticated restore job the primary time you hearth it up.

Due to all this, I’ve had many success tales with used home equipment previously, however I nonetheless have a tendency to purchase all new home equipment today now that point has grow to be extra scarce than cash for me. Should you’re youthful and nonetheless attempting to optimize for {dollars}, you need to nonetheless verify Craigslist and Fb Market usually.

11: End work!

Eventually, we’re within the house stretch. You possibly can add as many customized thrives to your kitchen as you want, however simply to share a couple of of my favorites:

• An artsy tile backsplash is an effective way to make any kitchen far more fascinating. I wish to tile the whole space from the countertop as much as the higher cupboards. In some instances on empty partitions, I’ve gone all the way in which as much as the ceiling to create a fair greater feeling of area.
• Think about hiding an influence wire inside a prime drawer someplace, which you’ll be able to then hook as much as a pleasant multi port USB charger, so you possibly can preserve all the telephones, tablets, bike lights out of your valuable work space.
• Stainless-steel outlet plates and modern-style gray shops and switches add a extra polished and high-quality look to any space, particularly kitchens.
• Undercabinet lights are well worth the effort, as they supply nice illumination whereas cooking and make for stunning atmosphere even internet hosting events or dinners.

Wow, that was a Lot!

This can be the longest MMM article in historical past, and but we nonetheless solely skimmed by means of it. However I hope this abstract provides you not less than a peek on the numerous enjoyable, helpful and worthwhile abilities which you can study to make your life as a home-owner (or as an occasional contractor) extra joyful and satisfying.

When you have extra questions on specifics, drop them into the feedback part beneath and everybody will help share some solutions. And naturally, this text will certainly be stuffed with errors and omissions after I first publish it – please be at liberty to level these out and I’ll make updates as properly.

Glad cooking!