Avoid The Zero Point Renovation and Get Great Kitchen Results



Beautiful Simple Contemporary Kitchen by MCK+B



Recently I was visited in the showroom by someone interested in renovating their kitchen in a home they wish to sell in 2 years. I spoke to them a bit about the size of the kitchen and the look they wanted to achieve. I  gave them some literature and noticed they also had Home Depot Kitchen Brochures, including what I consider to be the nicest line HD carries which is KraftMaid.We began to discuss the budget for the project and the value of the home, which they revealed to be a $10,000.00 budget  including new appliances, in a home valued at $500,000. Granted the kitchen was tiny, it still wasn't a realistic number. A client this far off the mark, may need to explore the market more and hear similar from a few designers before they reevaluate their budget.

I attempted to explain to them  what they were proposing was a "Zero Point Renovation". This is a remodel that is so far below what the property value demands that when you go to sell your home, you get absolutely zero to negative credit from prospective buyers. In other words, you may actually get less for your home if you rip out older but nonetheless good quality materials, and put in new poor quality in it's place. When people are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for a home they will look closely at the kitchen and bathrooms. And if you are going to live there for 2-3 years before selling it, the poor quality renovation will be truly lackluster by then.

When they asked me what is reasonable to spend on a kitchen remodel, I told them 10-15% of a homes value. Now I know there are many who believe the real number is 15-20% , but I think that a well spent 10% is plenty, and if the kitchen is small as in their case, and the appliances are going to be a nice quality GE, but not SubZero-Wolf or comparable, then realistically they could get the entire project done for 7-8% or $40,000. For that with the right design advice, I would expect them to be able to get:





Stylish Upper East Side kitchen with a view


• semi-custom cabinetry
• basic granite or Caesarstone counter tops
• Ge Profile appliances in black(possibly stainless)
• natural stone or glass tile backsplash(Susan Jablon Mosaics is a great cost effective online resource)
• under cabinet lighting
• recessed lighting in the work area
• under mount sink
• Kohler Pulldown Simplice faucet in Vibrant Stainless at under $300.00 is a bargain  
• Hardware is a great thing to save money by purchasing online (I recommend you order samples in at least the amount of the restocking fee, that way you hold them and know you like them before ordering the whole kitchen worth a risk being disappointed)

There are certain fixed costs in a kitchen remodel, namely the labor, including electrical and plumbing costs. Many times homeowners seek to save money by just cutting everything they can out of their cabinetry expenses. And while I've heard the expression "a box is a box" a few hundred times in past years, and there is  room for an argument here, but you aren't just giving up the box, it's the door, drawers, and more importantly the finish. I gave up being a field representative for a cabinet company, simply because they did business in a lower price point, and it was heartbreaking to meet with consumers disappointed and complaining about the finish of their cabinets after they were installed.  It's better to avoid this disappointment, shop, look closely at what you are buying at set your expectations appropriately.

I recommend a  balanced approached when trying to cut costs. Take advantage of some of the websites and tips I offered above as a way to get a well blended design and the most out of your renovation budget. In the end I believe you'll be more satisfied overall.

Garbage Disposals, Batch Feed vs. Continuous Feed

The first kitchen I ever had a part in the technical design of, was my own, it was the start of the love affair I have with well designed kitchens. I thought I was going to have fun with the window treatments, and the dining table, after all, interior design was my field. Boy was I wrong, it was the appliances that charmed my socks off! Looking back, I did things in that kitchen that I will never do again, without a sign off of course!



One appliance that had me on the fence was a garbage disposal. I hadn't grown up with one, but had managed to feed nearly an entire set of cutlery to one in an apartment I had in college. So even though the designer was recommending I install one, I was skeptical. True also is that I was looking at the sweet plump fingers on my baby's hands, and the thought of her reaching in at the wrong moment, well it made me squeeze my eyes shut real fast!



When I caught my breath the designer gave me a little lesson in batch feed vs. continuous. Most people have continuous feed disposers with the black plastic flaps that give way to the food as it slides through the opening. This type usually has a switch on the backsplash or countertop that you simply flip as you are feeding the unit, it can run this way at any time, and if you drop a knife or spoon it's going in! I know it's a longshot but as a young mom, I could just envision my for year old son chucking his Thomas the Tank Engine down to here the cool noise, and well the possibilities of his retrieval method was of most concern.



What my kitchen designer recommended was what they call a Batch Feed Disposal. It has a plug that covers the opening but allows water to pass through it, the plug must be in and turned for the power to run to the unit. therefore there is zero risk of little fingers intruding on the blades, and it only slows down the feed process slightly, and just enough that you have very little risk of losing cutlery or jewelry or any of the other fun stuff that slips by.

I took his advice, and bought the Kitchen Aid Batch Feed Disposal. I was so happy for the convenience and peace of mind it offered, and I recommend the very same unit to my clients today. Batch feeds are made by many manufacturers and they all work fairly the same way.

As with all disposers, the recommendation is that you use cold running water and do put bones down. It's generally thought that this does the best job of preventing grease from buuilding up and clogging the waste line. Check with your town before installing one, as not all municipalities allow them, and if you are on a septic system check into the special enzyme treatments to assist in the decomposition of the food matter.

How Do I Choose a Good Contractor?

Choosing a contractor is not often easy, and many times fear of commitment holds homeowners back. One of the best ways to find a good reputable contractor you can trust is to ask friends and neighbors for referrals. It's even ok to stop at an ongoing job, but be careful to stay out of the way and speak directly with the homeowner. For the most part people are flattered that you noticed their project and they are proud to show off what they are having done. Strike up a pleasant conversation and you may even be invited back to see the progress.

The remodeling industry is frought with nightmare stories, so it's also important to be able to weed out the truth, the homeowner may have had a bad experience yes, but it's possible that it had nothing to do with the contractor.
One of the most daunting things about remodeling is the cost overrun factor. If you ask a neighbor who just had their kitchen remodeled and they exclaim "my kitchen was supposed to cost $50,000, but when I was done paying for the extras it was closer to $70,000...I love my new kitchen, but I won't recommend the contractor because of how the price went up." Hmmmm, what can you make of that statement, it comes down to what were the extras? Was it that the tile, which the homeowner said went completely under the cabinets really only went two inches under them?...and now with the new cabinet layout the entire floor needed replaced, and while selecting the material, the homeowner fell in love with an exotic marble tile and thought it made sense to add radiant heat, and continue the floor to the foyer?

That's a big change, they just added work and material to include:

1. Rip out and removal (contractors pay to dump waste) of the exisitng floor
2. Expanded the job to the foyer not just the kitchen ($50,000)
3. Radiant heat (will invlove either plumber or elecrtrician depending on the sysytem)
4. Labor and material for Marble floor install (more expensive than ceramic/porcelain.

This change could easily add $10,000 to the bottom line on a job. If the homeowner was warned that uniform flooring throughout was key reusing the exisiting floor in a new layout, and advised of the costs of a potential new floor, gave the go ahead, then the contractor was completely upfront and the homeowner just has remorse over the expense. The homeowner picked beautiful natural stone and wanted warm feet, no wonder they love their kitchen! Give the contractor a break here, he was doing his job.

Now take the same floor, same homeowner, they told the contractor the tile only went under the cabinets by two inches and they wanted to replace it with marble throughout the foyer and add radiant heat since the tile was cold in the winter. The homeowner still ended up with almost $8,000 in additional flooring costs, then you would look at the allowances the contractor included for labor and material, were they enough, did they include the foyer at all?? Probably not or at too low a rate, in this case the homeowner has a right to feel upset.

Unforseen conditions and exposed code violations have to be brought up to code at the homeowners expense. If you bought Pandora's box, it's unfortunate, but it's yours. In this case, the key to a good contractor is that he helps you through the process, with the right subs, and getting the work done quickly and inspected so you can put the situation behind you and your mind at ease.

Remember if you told your contractor your entire wishlist and that you wanted to spend $50,000 on your kitchen, you have to carefully read the contract that everything you want is included at your number. Full disclosure is they key to an honorable home improvement contractor. Ask for a list of what is not included in the job, or what is covered by an allowance, how much is it, and can you go to any store? What good is a $750 allowance for an Exterior French Door, when the least expensive one they sell at the approved vendor is $2000? Well, it $750 worth of good, now add $1250 to your personal bottom line.

Items typically covered by an allowance only or not included:

• flooring material
• cabinetry upgrades (premium woods, finishes, drawer glides, plywood const.)
• faucets
• appliances
• specialty windows
• exterior doors
• exotic granite
  

Remember it IS reasonable for the contractor to cover these items by allowances, after all, you don't want to have the cost of Blue Bahai Granite built in to your kitchen when what you want is a Blue Sapphire or Blue Opal. If you know the stone you want ahead of time, you can ask that it is specifically included in the contract to avoid questions later. When it comes to a kitchen faucet you could spend anywhere from $120.00 to $1200.00, if the contractor offers you a credit to supply your own, believe me there will be noisy days you won't want to be at your house, and they will be perfect for faucet shopping!

Three reasons not to base your decision to hire a contractor:

1. He/she said we didn't need permits or contracts because my project just direct replacement etc.
2. He/she looked the most professional.
3. He/she stayed for hours going over the reasons we should hire them.

You may feel more comfortable and friendly with a contractor who doesn't want to deal with paperwork, let call it a "handshake deal", but the truth is, a contract is to protect everyone and your state has laws by which the contractor must abide. This is important for both parties, and it should clearly outline all of your project specifications, allowances etc as well as your obligations for payment and cost overruns. A well written contract can save the project for all involved. With regard to permits, allow the town to tell you they aren't needed, even if you are just upgrading from electric cooking to the evermore popular dual-fuel range, you will need a plumbing inspection. This is in your best interest to get.

It's fine and good to clean up and present well after a day on the jobsite, but when a contractor sits in your home for 2-3 hours in a pressed shirt and slacks and says "you know how I know all this, it's because I make this presentation to homeowners four times a day." Now ask yourself, if that is the case, when will he/she find time to be on my job. You are talking to a professional salesman. If he really does this schpeel that many times a day, how would he ever find time to manage or supervise your project? BEWARE.

This "contractor" who took 2 1/2 painstaking hours selling you on the reasons to sign with him/her surprises you and then jams through the paperwork so quick you don't remember what you bought. Now should now sit down and read the paperwork before your time to ask questions is up. Often under the sense of relief that the commitment is made and the process is underway, homeowners tuck the contract in a drawer, unfortunately the next time they pull it out is when they face the first unexpected add-on of something they thought was included

Lastly, online contractor referral services, they are paid for and supported by the contractors. Not all the feedback customers post remain online for your eyes to see. These services are not necessarily bad, just make sure you check references carefully. Always consult the Better Business Bureau, local trade associations, ask for references, speak with the subs if possible, meet directly with the kitchen designer and go see at least one job!

I wouldn't like to make it sound like one industry has it tougher than another, but if the landscaper scalps your hedges and they look terrible, you can still take a shower and sit down to a home cooked meal. A troubled home renovation can affect how you live for many months so take the time to make a wise choice, you will be happy you did!

New Holiday Tradition

As you know, by trade I am a kitchen designer, but the secret underlying passion that led me to my chosen path, was a love of cooking. This is a time in my family's life when completely new holiday traditions are being born one celebration at a time. So as I have seen my hosting responsibilities go on temporary hiatus, it's become all the more important that the "What Can I Bring To Your Party" item is a hit.

When Emilie Barta asked for Tweets on what the favorites dishes were this Thanksgiving I shouted back "Spinach & Artichoke Dip, putting it in the oven now."

Emilie quickly asked how and how hard...I am here to tell you not very hard at all, and it always draws a crowd.

Recipe for Spinach & Artichoke Dip

What you will need:

• 9 oz package of Birdseye Artichoke Hearts
• 10 oz package of Birdseye Chopped Spinach
• 8 oz package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 8 oz sour cream
• 2/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic (alt:1 clove elephant garlic)
• 1 medium tomato diced
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• spicy optional ingredient sprinkle with crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mixing Ingredients:

1. thaw and drain frozen vegetables
2. soften cream cheese for 30-45 seconds in microwave
3. coarsely chop artichoke pieces (chunky)
4. set aside 2 Tbsp of diced tomato for garnish
5. in large bowl combine all other ingredients
6. mix well and move to oven safe/microwavable serving dish
7. heat in microwave on high for 12-15 minutes stopping (stir after 5 minutes) mixture should be creamy
8. stir well
9. sprinkle leftover tomato on top of dip for splash of color
10. bake in oven 20-25 minutes
    

Serve warm with tortilla chips or other snack chip, great with garlic points!

Put your own twist on the ingredients, even try a different cheese, after all, that is the fun of being a chef in your own kitchen!

I hope that you add this recipe to your "What Can I Bring" list, and that your holidays are happy and spent with loved ones.

Follow Aston Smith

The Changing Kitchen Customer

Quality craftsmanship and professional remodeling have inherent value, you get tremendous benefit from a new kitchen when it is well designed and properly installed. Taking shortcuts in the process and product will only shortchange you and your investment in the end. After all, most homeowners look at their house as part of their future financial rewards, a nest egg.

As a Kitchen Designer, sometimes my profession can be viewed as a "fat" that can be trimmed away in lean times. After all I am a leap of faith, and from the moment my client engages my services, I have to prove my worth. I quietly point out that I pay for myself many times over when I save you from making mistakes in your new kitchen, either costly to fix, or unsightly and inconvenient to live with.

Hiring a professional designer or a remodeling company that provides a designer you should expect:

• detailed measurements for project planning
• best use of space
• innovative design ideas
• current industry technology in your design
• what you have ordered will work
• you don't pay for excessive material that gets wasted
• material is right and on time
• open communication with the crew installing your kitchen
• a direct line for help when you have a question
• no "last minute" details that were forgotten

These are benefits the Home Centers can't pitch to you, because if you design your kitchen there, your project may changes hands as many as three or four times before your kitchen ever gets ordered.

Increasingly over the last few months I have received an influx of inquiries from homeowners shopping for design services as a first step in the remodeling process, prior to talking to any contractors. It comes as welcome news when I tell them of installation services we offer at The Kitchendeziner, we recognize a trend towards design it, sell it, and install it, all in one place. I have been designing in the Millburn/Short Hills area of New Jersey now for over a year and half now, about thirty minutes south of Bergen County where I initially developed my reputation as a kitchen designer. Both areas are saturated with a variety of remodeling "shopportunites" from the entry level Home Center to the Ultra-Boutique experience.

A common complaint I hear from my clients when we first meet is, "No other designer would even talk to us without a retainer." And what I hear from colleagues is "People just aren't buying" and I believe once you take that view, no one will buy from you. I understand that time is money. I have been known to ask a "shopper" who becomes pushy for a copy of my actual design before committing to the project "what do you do that you get paid for, that today you want to do for free?" The truth today is, in this economic climate, if you hold people to money just to talk, you may find yourself very lonely in your showroom.

Less people are out spending money right now, and everyone knows it. And those who are out there shopping, know they can probably get a little more than they would six months ago. What I have also concluded is homeowners are enjoying the design process a little more than before, taking longer, asking more questions, and exploring their options. The current buying behavior is definitely more conservative. If I have to be more inventive, and entertaining to please my customer, then sobeit.

In an attempt to help folks over the buying hump and give them a place to shop for a kitchen that isn't high pressure or intimidating, we have redesigned our showroom with offerings that make sense to today's customer, more smaller displays, beautiful and real, but not over done, showing styles and finishes that range from Contemporary Dark Wenge to a Distressed Glazed Tuscany motif, and all else we have room for in between. The focus is definitely on added value, features like roll out trays, spice storage, base wastebasket pullouts, and customizable cutlery storage. The response has been great, and once they are in on the design, it's very short leap to purchasing our complete installation services.

Offering homeowners the complete service package has been the key to our success in these tougher times. Homeowners want to know what their project will cost when it's done, and they want to know before they begin. We have taken steps to help our clients avoid cost overruns. People are looking to hear that from us, especially with today's economy.

At Empire we take a project from inception to completion offering the client:

• cabinetry
• tile back splashes
• counter top surfaces
• flooring
• project management
• decorating advice
• engineering/sealed plans
• dedicated electricians and plumbers
• in-house crews
• a detailed project timeline
  

These are the features that we are offering to put our clients at ease and give them the assurances they are looking for. With as much HGTV as the average kitchen consumer has seen, they are more savvy than they were 5-10 yrs ago, many know what they want when they come in, others take a guidance. Either way the pace of sales has slowed a little for now, the time isn't wasted, we are using it to expand our offerings, improve our services, and get better at what we do best, taking care of our clients, and building great kitchens. Doing anything else now, just wouldn't make sense!

Diary of a Bathroom Remodel "Go ahead and rip out both bathrooms, I'll shower at the Gym"

You know that famous interview question "what is your greatest distinctive attribute?" we have all heard it! As a kitchen designer, I had a great answer for that one--my age. Young enough to be seen as "hip" "in touch" "with it" and old enough to know better, not a rookie.

At The Kitchendeziner, we don't start a remodeling project until everything we need for it is inventoried in our warehouse. All stamped with Mr. or Mrs Happy Kitchen-Customer's name on it. Before we start the project we lay out a timeline with the clients that works for both parties. When I have more than just a kitchen remodel (kitchen+ 1 or more bathrooms), before we turn a screw in any room, we establish a sequence. My goal: balancing continuous job progress against access to facilities i.e.: shower, water closet etc. I never want a client running in the house after being stuck in rush hour traffic for 45 minutes and scrambling up the stairs to use a bathroom that doesn't exist anymore!

Last October, I started a kitchen and bath renovation I was really excited about. The job was a kitchen and two bathrooms in a two and half bath townhouse. That left Ms. Happy Kitchen-Customer with a half bathroom all to herself for the duration and my commitment that she would always have a shower. I thought about my options, knowing I had an excited and anxious homeowner on my hands. She had the desire to choose beautiful things and followed her heart. This was obviously a fun pleasureable undertaking, and I wanted to do everything to keep it that way. Keep in mind even kitchen remodleing customers who take six months to decide to move forward on a project have one question after they sign the paperwork, and that is: "How quickly can this all be done?"

The Plan for the Townhouse:

• rip out the kitchen
• rip out the hall bathroom
• leave the master bathroom intact
• get kitchen and hall bath past rough inspections and tile/install fixtures in hall bathroom
• hall bathroom working/rip out master bathroom(trade one shower for another)

We were projecting a job completion date 10 weeks after initial demolition, on all phases. Everything was running ahead of schedule, I found I had Ms. Extra Happy Kitchen-Customer on my hands now.

With the holidays approaching, and work sending her out of town for a week, my client, who I am very fond of to this day, came and asked me to make a change. She said "Aston, while I am away will you rip out my master bathroom? I know, the schedule doesn't call for it, but I can 'shower at the gym'(words I won't forget) until the bathrooms are ready." I was reluctant, I warned against, and then I made like a neanderthal and caved.

I should have had my head examined! As a seasoned kitchen and bath designer, I know better than to take away all the bathrooms at once! but, I did it, fingers crossed.

And wouldn't you know, that the the very next thing that happened? Ms. Happy Kitchen-Customer's neighbor had a leak that flooded her unit, old buried un-neighborly disputes rose up again, the neighbor declined to allow the proper firestopping remediation that was now necessary, and my cherished client, came down with pneumonia. You can't make this up. I was in a tailspin.

Well, I have to say that without my plumber's tactful intervention (I didn't realize he was a part time "therapist"), the township inspector bending over backwards to schedule the inspections in a tight timeframe, and some Divine intervention, undoubtedly my client would have been bathing in her kitchen sink...which thankfully was as scheduled, back in action, her hall bath only two days from completion, on time, not too bad.

The key to keeping the situation under control was remember you don't get what you don't ask for, and you need to ask nice, people will go out of their way to help, if you are polite. Equally paramount: communication, with the town, the trades, and most importantly the homeowner. Don't let a day go without checking in, you may not always have answers, but a client in this situation is reliant on you, trip up and it can be a disaster, once you lose their trust it can very hard to recover. Let them know you have been to their house, you aren't just taking other people's word for it. Copy your homeowner on imporatant emails, don't make their project their part time job, just keep them in the loop.

And put your experience in your mental file for the future, the next time that the happiest customer you have ever met asks you to tread this close to the line remember from this little anecdote, no one with pneumonia wants "to shower at the gym".

Big Impact Small Space-Kitchen Remodeling

Welcome to February 2009, friends know me as a person who loves to cook, and when I cook, I make enough to feed a small hungry army. I believe a great kitchen doesn't need to be huge to accomplish this task, just well organized. And when done, everything should have a home, I know i am not alone in my cooking style or my philosophy!

With the recent slump in the economic market, I see less clients on a daily basis who are willing to "blow out" the back of their home to add the "Super-Kitchen/Great Room". Many more are looking to grow from within. To me, that means, while they may be willing to remove a wall to promote the open feeling they seek, they are really looking to me for Zen-like efficiency and space planning. At the store I call "home" we recently completed just this very task. In a very nice neighborhood in Hillsborough, NJ, I designed a kitchen in a home like many others on the street. All well kept homes just of an age where the builders kitchen needed to go! Surrounded by neighbors, who also wanted islands or peninsulas, but had been turned down by designers and settled for less. Our clients hadn't given up on their dream!

The fly in the ointment: soffits that can't be removed. The answer: add more soffits where you need them so the design makes sense!(TBC in another post)

The key to the design, interestingly enough, was using a tall oven cabinet. By converting the surface cooking to a cook top, we were able to offer alternate corner storage solutions and pull the cooking away from the back door! The homeowners got the gourmet feeling they were looking for in many respects, glass transom cabinets, a fabulous dining peninsula, deep under mounted corner sink, and enhanced back splash with a tile mosaic; we even ordered additional sheets of glass tile to add more of the cranberry tones we wanted.

With this simple kitchen remodeling we went from a kitchen you would feel forced to cook in, to a kitchen you would love to cook in without building on to the space, just using what they already had better!