Last Updated on December 6, 2024
Today is demolition day which means the kitchen remodel is in full swing. Can I get a woot woot? While I might be snoopy dancing to the sound of sledgehammers and saws, I must admit a kitchen remodel has put me on a bit of a learning curve. There’s no room for screwups, and attention to detail is a must. So first and foremost, I have to send a huge thank you shoutout to MGT Stone of Barrington, IL, for hooking me up with my contractor, MidConCo.
It’s Demo Day In The Kitchen
While choosing finishes for the Cambria quartz countertops, Nanette from MGT Stone recommended MidConCo as my general contractor. She said, “If you want the best, you want Brian and his team.”
She was right. Pre-demolition Brian popped in to take a look at the kitchen remodel and pointed out renovation details that had never crossed my mind.
For example, instead of saying, “yes, I can install that pendant light over your kitchen island“, Brian asked to review the measurements. Why? Well, he wanted to ensure that it wasn’t too big for the space and could be hung at the proper height. Would it be too low? Was it adjustable? Was it too wide? If you leaned over the island, would you bonk your head on it?
We also discussed all the what ifs when it came to flooring. Was there existing hardwood under the wet bar cabinets? Is there tile under the existing island? If not, how do we fake it to avoid patching? Nanette also guided me through the demolition process and the kitchen appliances I should replace, even if they were in working condition.
See, you’ve only got one chance when you’re cutting stone. Because our existing cooktop and ventilation system is ten years old, she advised us to replace it. It is the same with the sink. After cutting the quartz countertops, I would be locked into those dimensions. Once it’s cut, it’s cut. Since our kitchen faucet was a bit dated and the hole would be cut into the countertop, we bid adieu to the industrial brushed nickel and said hello to a sleek matte black faucet.
RELATED: Sharing a behind the scenes look at how we built the floating stone shelf. Take a peek!
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11 Tips For A Smooth Kitchen Remodel
If you’re gearing up for your kitchen remodel, be sure to download my free renovation budget checklist. But first, here are my best kitchen renovation tips and tricks:
- For a kitchen remodel, find the best general contractor you can afford.
- Source cabinets first. Measure and order.
- Complete initial measurements for Cambria quartz with 3D rendering.
- Meet with your general contractor to solve all potential problems.
- Source your cooktop (if mounted into quartz) and purchase. Don’t forget about the ventilation system.
- Source and purchase sink and faucet.
- Source light fixtures and review exactly where lighting will hang with the contractor.
- Once the cabinets have been delivered, it’s time for demolition. Break out those sledgehammers!
- Install new cabinetry.
- Review measurements one more time for your new cooktop, sink, and faucet.
- Final measurements for quartz. Choose the countertop edging and finish.
Decisions. Decisions. I need to get busy sourcing before demo wraps. Why you ask? Look back and Step 8…final measurements baby!
Be Prepared For Design Changes During A Kitchen Remodel
The only snafu we encountered during demolition was the wet bar. My original design had two kitchen pendant lights, but once we took a peek inside the soffit, we found a bunch of water pipes from the bathroom above. Whomp whomp. No pendant lights for you, Kyla. Besides, unless I hung them at ceiling height, they’d be in the way of the floating shelf.
The best tip, pre-planning makes for a smooth kitchen remodel and really any renovation. So far, so good, and more updates to come! And in case you were wondering, no, white kitchens are not out of style.
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[…] for not only the countertops and island, but also for the backsplash here, and you can check out demo day of the old kitchen design here. Without further adieu, let’s jump into this dramatic kitchen […]