Surviving a Kitchen Remodel

Makeshift Kitchen

You’ll be relying more heavily on take-out food and restaurant fare during your home renovation, but if you set up a makeshift kitchen, you can make basic meals for your family and save on eating out.

• Designate a dust-free space as the temporary kitchen. Equip it with a microwave, coffeemaker, conventional toaster oven and refrigerator (mini or full-size.)
• You’ll need a little bit of counter space to work—this could mean a table.
• Use paper plates and cups so you won’t have to wash dishes.
• Ask the contractor about setting up temporary plumbing and a utility sink on legs.
• Cook meals on a grill outdoors if weather allows.

Real-World Renovation

Wouldn’t it be great if you could start and finish a complete kitchen renovation in a weekend? Even if that’s what seems to happen on T.V. (and, we promise, there are resources and lots of elapsed time viewers don’t see), don’t expect to stage a dramatic weekend makeover in your kitchen.

Sure, you can repaint and change the entire look in a few days. Or you can switch out the hardware on a Sunday and update tired cabinets. But you cannot redesign, demolish and install a fabulous new kitchen in 48 hours.

Here are some items that can slow you down:
1) Countertops: production can take at least 10 days or longer
2) Cabinets: production can take 8 to 10 weeks, depending on what you choose
3) Special plumbing: delivery may take weeks for delivery

If all materials are ready and available on the worksite, a kitchen can be installed in as little as three weeks. So it’s important to get firm schedules from contractors and commitments for the delivery of cabinets and other materials.

Even with careful planning, the project will always take longer than you expect so be flexible.