Upgrading a kitchen takes time, effort, and money. Kitchen remodels involve many elements –cabinets, countertops, flooring, appliances – making it difficult to determine which projects to tackle yourself and which to leave to professionals.
Cabinets – Leave It to the Experts
The complexity and investment involved in cabinet changes usually make this a project better suited for specialized experts compared to novice DIYers on their first kitchen makeover. Focus your energy instead on easier interior updates like adjusting cabinet hardware or adding new organizer inserts after a reliable pro skillfully handles the cabinet foundations. Precise cabinet installation ensures perfect alignment, plumb walls, and a visually appealing result in the kitchen. While refacing cabinets sounds easy, it’s more complicated than it seems, especially considering things like hinge adjustments, sanding, and matching new door and drawer fronts.
Countertops – Know Your Limits
Exchanging worn laminate for gleaming granite or quartz countertops can thoroughly transform the look and longevity of kitchen countertops. But is doing a countertop installation yourself realistic for most homeowners? The people at Bedrock Quartz say that this greatly depends on the existing layout and selected materials.
Tile countertops offer the best DIY potential for a beginner installer with more straightforward cuts, prep work, and application compared to heavy natural stone slabs. But working with large format tiles or intricate patterns still requires patience and skill. If your current countertops are an odd shape or size, hire countertop professionals to fabricate and seamlessly install replacement tops with intricate cuts and precision polishing equipment.
Flooring – DIY Dreams Come True
Installing new vinyl plank, luxury vinyl tile, or laminate flooring ranks among the most budget-friendly DIY jobs for ambitious homeowners. The locking mechanism clicks together easily without glue or nails. Success lies in proper preparation and careful measurements. Sweep floors thoroughly, fill uneven spots with floor leveler, and remove existing base trim moldings to slide full planks into place from the longest wall out. Use spacers to allow for expansion and reinstall trim to beautifully finish floor edges.
Painting – DIY Favorite
A fresh coat of paint works wonders to affordably upgrade a kitchen’s color scheme, brightness, and style ideal for DIYers of all skill levels. Proper prep remains critical even with painting. Clean walls thoroughly, fill holes/cracks with spackle, sand smooth, wipe away dust, tape trim, spread drop cloths, and cut in edges with precision. Apply two coats allowing proper dry time between coats. Spray painting kitchen cabinets also falls within reasonable DIY territory with proper cleaning, sanding, primer coats, and thin spray application of cabinet paint for a smooth factory-finished look.
Lighting – It’s Electric
Swapping outdated recessed can lights or dingy fluorescent boxes for trendy pendant lights, sconces, or sleek under cabinet lighting amazingly modernizes a kitchen. But is installing new light fixtures safe for novices? Changing basic surface-mounted lights like pendant lights, track lighting, or flush mount fixtures generally ranks as beginner-friendly with basic wiring connections and conversions to pendant lights possible.
Yet navigating complex wiring, junction boxes, and the electrical load for numerous recessed lights or hard-wired installations under cabinets should remain in the qualified electrician’s capable hands.
Conclusion
At the start of any major kitchen remodel, clearly differentiate DIY-friendly projects from those better left to specialized experts. Budget, experience, and realism help determine what you can sensibly take on yourself. Tackle more accessible changes like cabinet organization, hardware, paint, and basic lighting first. Then hire professional assistance for intricate cabinetry, countertops, flooring, electrical, and precision elements needing mastery. Follow this guide to optimize your investment, reduce stress, and achieve your ideal kitchen.