Over the years we found that remodeling a kitchen/bathroom gets a little overwhelming…

As a rule we tell our customers that you should really start the remodel from the ground up.

1. Are you replacing the floors?
2. Are you replacing the cabinets?
3. Are you replacing the appliances?
4. Are you replacing the counter-tops?
5. Do you need a new sink?
6. Do you need a new faucet?
7. Are you re-doing the back splash?
8. Are you going to refinish the walls?

These are all major factors and you should think about them all. We suggest that if you plan on replacing your floors you do so first. Making changes to the floor have a major role in the kitchen…

Issues you may run into when replacing an existing floor.

• The floors were not level and need to be leveled.
• The new floor is going to raise the existing floor
  • If you put the new floor under the appliances, you will more than likely have a height issue. This means that the appliances now set above the existing cabinet height, so new counter-tops will not set on the cabinets and you will either have to pay someone to raise the cabinets or you will have to put some kind of build up on the cabinets to make the new material set level.
  • If you choose not to put the new floor under the appliances, your appliances will not be able to be removed easily. The new floor will block the bottom from coming out and essentially be setting in a hole.

Your cabinets need to be set and level prior to the installation. This included all supports.

New appliances are expensive as are your new counter-tops. You should really look hard at your appliances when remodeling. Like everything in this world appliances change, if you use existing appliances make sure they are in great working condition. It may be worth a service call to have them checked. Standard sizes have changed over the years, a new cook-top/downdraft may not have the same cutout as a newer model causing the replacement not to fit in the existing cut-out.

There are so many new sinks on the market and it is easy to be mislead… always ask for the specification sheet on the sink you choose. Some of the newer sinks are HUGE. That is great to a point. You have standard cabinet base sizes and need to look at  the cabinet base you have & verify that the sink you choose will fit. Standard sink bases for kitchens are 30″w X 24″ d & 36″w x 24″d, however there are custom cabinets out there that are not as big or are larger for larger sinks. You need to remember just because the counter-tops is 25-1/2″ deep you can not have a 24″ sink….you have a 1-1/4″ over hang on the front. a 3/4″ face frame, there is a flange on the front and back of your sink (every model is different), a faucet and a back splash.  I did not give a size on the faucet and back splash because there are many options there as well. Bathroom vanity cabinets are just as important to check, they are not only different sizes left to right but also front to back. (i.e. 21″, 19″ & 18″ are most common depths from front to back)

Faucets are another area you need to look at. There are so many new faucets out there to choose from. I suggest you look at the size of the base on the faucet very long and hard. Large bases make the space between your sink, faucet and back-splash very small even non existent depending on your splash and sink.

Do you want to use a stone back-splash or tile? Splashes are trendy and a personal preference, they can make a statement or just blend and me functional. The decision is up to you but you should really take the extra time to decide.

Your walls are last on the list. Every part of the remodel can damage the walls so it is best to do the wall decor last.

The staff here at Webco, Inc. can help you with your whole project (sorry we do not do appliances & cabinets but can recommend cabinet shops). We have sample of materials to look at as well as a warehouse to select your slabs.