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Choosing the Right Kitchen Remodel Contractor 2021
A kitchen is usually the heart of the home. We often spend a lot of time in our kitchen making meals or helping the kids with homework. Many newer homes have the perfect layout and even luxurious appliances. If you’re living in the Fox Cities area, you may be considering a kitchen remodeling project. There are many factors that go into making your dream kitchen come to life. For instance, where’s the best place for appliances, the best material for countertops, better water efficiency? A new kitchen island? A sturdier, prettier floor? There are plenty of changes you can make. The most important aspect of a successful home remodeling project is choosing the right kitchen remodel contractor. In this article, we share some tips for this process.
Who Gets To Do The Work?
Since home remodeling projects costs money, it makes sense that a homeowner’s goal is to get the job done just right the first time. The best way to do this is by hiring the right kitchen remodel contractor. The success of the remodel, and the conversion of your hard-earned money into the kitchen of your dreams, depends on your choice of contractor. Therefore, it is crucial to put much thought and careful consideration into this decision.
Here are some helpful tips for choosing the right kitchen remodel contractor:
Get Reliable Recommendations
It may be easy to find a contractor online and do research about them. It is still a better idea to consider ones that are recommended by people you actually know and trust. From these sources, you can quickly get a more realistic picture of what the contractor and their kind of work are like. Create a shortlist of candidates from your friends’ or relatives’ suggestions. Our friends at Specialized Audio and Video, the #1 Sacramento AV Company, recommends looking on NextDoor or Yelp to see if the contractor is reliable.
Ask the Right Questions
You need to be thorough about asking your references about the contractors they have recommended. Some of the more important ones are:
Did the contractor demonstrate positive work habits like arriving on time, being prepared for every task, cleaning up after the work, respecting the property, providing progress reports, and informing the client of any potential or existing delays?
Were they able to stick to the scope of the project or were any unauthorized modifications made to the details or materials used?
How did the contractor handle mistakes or mix-ups, if there were any?
Was the budget followed? What compromises were made and how did they affect the result?
See the Work for Yourself
Make time for visiting houses that the contractor previously worked on — at least the three most recent ones. A good contractor will produce high-quality work even if there have been changes to their team of laborers or subcontractors, suppliers of materials, or certain methods. It also helps to see the contractor during work in progress so you can actually observe their commitment to quality and safety.
Are you planning a kitchen remodel this year? The pandemic sparked a lot of home projects. Starting kitchen remodel projects are a much bigger project than people anticipate. The first step to sticking to the budget is understanding the cost of an average kitchen remodel. So, how much does a kitchen remodel cost in 2021? Our Fox Valley home remodeling experts share more about kitchen remodel costs.
Planning a kitchen remodel?
Before the pandemic, a homeowner could spend $4,000 to $47,000 on a kitchen remodel. On average, a typical home remodels project will hover between $11,424 and $29,178. Now that the prices of wood and materials are high, it’s likely that material could be double or even triple of what it was a year ago. Our friends at Headwaters Construction Inc., a Sacramento ground-up construction company, point out that the type of material you choose will determine the cost. Furthermore, the more unique, the more expensive. Things to consider are wall painting, cabinet refacing, kitchen sink upgrades, and the installation of a tile backsplash.
What are the factors that influence your kitchen remodel cost? Where will your budget for a remodel go?
Cabinetry and hardware account for the bulk of the expenses, taking as much as 29 percent of the overall budget. This is followed by installation costs (which usually account for 17 percent of the budget), followed by appliances and ventilation (which account for 14 percent of the budget), and countertops (which take 10 percent of the remodel budget). Other costs include design fees, lighting, flooring, doors and windows, faucets and plumbing, walls and ceilings, and other expenses.
If you want to trim your budget, there are a few areas where you can cut corners. For example, instead of hiring professionals, you can do some of the installation by yourself. Or instead of using custom cabinets for your new kitchen, you can opt for stock cabinets. Another strategy that you can try to keep costs low is to break the project into smaller pieces. This allows you to upgrade your kitchen while spreading the work and expenses across a longer timeline.
What are the other factors that you need to consider when you are planning a kitchen remodel?
One crucial factor that you need to consider is how long you are planning to live in your home. Simply put, if you are planning to sell your home in the near future, you should resist the temptation to splurge. Experts recommend spending somewhere between five to 15 percent of a home’s value for a remodel. Within this range, you can expect to recoup your investment for your kitchen’s upgrade.
You should also consider the average cost of kitchen remodels in your area. If you are planning to sell your home, your kitchen should be within the same range as the other kitchens in your neighborhood. If you over- or under-spend on your kitchen, potential buyers will notice that and might affect the performance of your home in the property market.
On the other hand, if you are not planning on moving out of your current home in the foreseeable future, you can indulge and spend as much as you can afford. You can recoup your investment through the regular use of your kitchen.
If you have questions about kitchen remodel costs, contact the professional plumbers in Fox Cities at Turek’s Plumbing today! Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with our latest plumbing news!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in September 2016 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
The Kitchen Remodeling Checklist Everyone Should Have
Here at Tureks Plumbing Services, we are dedicated to making sure our clients get the best deals from us, not only in terms of work done but also regarding reliable and useful information. Today, we focus on kitchen remodeling. We will take you through the basics and add information from our experience that may prove useful to both first-timers and experienced renovators. Yes, I know it sounds hard, especially if you’re not a do-it-yourselfer. We recommend hiring a professional for your kitchen remodel, so find a kitchen remodel company in Appleton, WI, as soon as you can.
Below are a few of the things to consider if you are thinking of remodeling your kitchen, down to the smallest detail.
A Wall-Mounted Faucet is Better for Your Kitchen
When selecting a tap, you may be predisposed to pick a standard deck-mounted design. However, if you’d prefer a model that’d make it easier to maintain a dry and clean sink surface, Fox Valley plumbers recommend a wall-mounted faucet as the better option.
Don’t Forget About the Finer Details
On your kitchen remodeling checklist, make sure to include the small bits most people usually overlook or forget about. These may include electrical outlets or kitchen vents. There’s no point in focusing on marble countertops and beautiful tiles and forgetting to include plans for proper ventilation. Nobody wants to have a state of the modern art kitchen with the latest appliance models and gleaming countertops, yet you have only one electrical outlet located in a corner next to the door or a kitchen filling up with smoke every time you cook because you forgot to include vents in the remodel. Make plans for the little things, people!
If you’d prefer a professional who ensures everything is taken care of down to the smallest detail, then contact Tureks Plumbing Services for all your kitchen remodel needs in Appleton, WI today.
Don’t Get Caught Up in the DIY Craze
The world of DIY offers many brilliant ideas on how to redo your kitchen cabinets and the numerous different cabinet styles that exist. Trust us. There are very many ideas out there. However, these may be very confusing, so you should try not to get carried away in the glamor that is DIY. That is unless, of course, you plan on doing and redoing your kitchen cabinets because the design didn’t come out like in the video, which may be time-consuming and stall the rest of your remodel.
For timeless and durable styles, there are about six cabinet styles you can choose from. Ikea offers these custom cabinet styles at affordable prices, which eliminates the need to source for material to build from scratch and the confusion that comes with deciding what you want from the internet. If you’d prefer a professional opinion, look up a Fox Valley kitchen remodel company.
Be Prepared to Spend
We aren’t going to lie; for your dream kitchen to become a reality, you may need to put a price on it. Kitchen remodeling is not cheap, despite the many shows that peddle “on a budget” kitchen remodels on your TV. Figures from Remodeling Magazine estimate the average cost of an entire kitchen remodel at about $66,000, and this is just the basic stuff. If you’re looking to do an “upscale” kitchen renovation, which is basically starting from scratch, it may cost you over $100,000.
HomeAdvisor.com estimates that about 29% of the cost goes to hardware and cabinetry, with Installation raking in 17% of the cost while ventilation and appliances account for 14% of the cost. It is important to note that remodeling may not necessarily increase your home’s resale value. Owners looking to sell their houses may recover only about 60% of the remodeling costs.
Our friends at Headwaters Construction Inc., a commercial renovation company in California, recommends sticking to the original layout. This is where you can save big on time and money. There are plenty of different ways to work with different layouts. If you need help, our Appleton kitchen remodel professionals can guide you. It will cost less, and you won’t need to move your wiring. It is recommended that for electrical work, you hire a professional as it may be dangerous.
What Are Your Kitchen Needs?
When planning, you should put into consideration your cooking needs. For example, do you require an oven? A larger freezer for storage? Taking into account which will be using your kitchen and what you would like to add to your kitchen in the remodel may help you decide on the remodeling design and make decisions based on this information.
Also, when deciding on what countertops to get, focus more on practicality rather than on the aesthetic. Materials like soapstone and marble need to be maintained and are costly. If you are on a budget, ceramic tiles, cultured granite, or laminate are some of the affordable options to choose from.
Single or Double: Which Sink is Better Suited for You?
When it comes to sinks, a double-bowl sink is better suited for anyone, really, especially if you’re a multitasker like me. A single-bowl sink is better for a small kitchen, but wouldn’t you prefer to have easy access to the disposal, wash your dirty dishes in one sink and rinse them in the other without getting soap all over the counter? I know I would.
For professional installation of the sink of your choice or any queries you might have on either, contact Tureks Plumbing Services. We’re always happy to be of service.
Look Out for Discounts on Preloved Appliances
Our friends at Specialized Audio and Video, a whole home automation company in Sacramento, know that smart appliances are the greatest thing. You can preheat your oven, look inside your fridge, all from your phone. Now, this may not be for everyone, but if you live a busy life, smart home automation may be for you.
However, kitchen appliances depreciate in value. If you’d prefer to get reliable appliances for a fraction of the cost of a new one, look for sturdy, slightly used items. They’ll do the same job a new one would anyway. Additionally, there’s no need to buy appliances you do not actively need for the sake of it. Please add this to your kitchen remodeling checklist: Buy only what you need or will use on an almost daily or daily basis.
Make a Checklist to Ensure You Have Everything You Want
As humans, we often forget. With the hustle and bustle that goes on in worksites, packages may be left unopened till the last minute. A checklist helps make certain what you ordered is exactly what you received. If it isn’t, it may be returned for the right item. That’s why it is important to sort out any wrong orders before workers install the wrong item. This helps avoid renovation disappointments.
Armed with the information above, your kitchen remodel will proceed without a hitch. If you are overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done, get in touch with Tureks Plumbing Services. Our Appleton kitchen remodel experts will help you during every step of the way.
Every now and then homeowners desire to remodel their kitchens. The remodeling can be anything from repainting and adding a few items to changing the entire design of the kitchen. A kitchen remodeling project can cause a lot of changes. It also has the potential of interfering with your utility lines.
Whether you go for a small or large remodeling project, it helps to know how to protect your utility lines. This ensures that there are no disruptions in gas, water, or electricity. Here are some of the ways to protect these utility pipes during a remodel.
Gas Lines
Most gas lines either carry natural gas (methane) for heating or propane for cooking. A common remodeling project that might involve your gas lines is installing new gas appliances or moving the ones you have to a different location. This could warrant a shift or extension of the gas lines.
Our friends at Headwaters Construction Inc., a commercial construction company, says to make sure to note where the existing gas lines are located and plan around them. Contact a professional if your remodeling project will involve moving them to avoid leaking gas into your house.
Electricity
Most, if not all, appliances in your kitchen use electricity. Every now and then, homeowners buy new appliances that require bigger or smaller spaces. Your project might introduce appliances that may not adhere to the standard outlets installed or those that require more power that is not provided by the outlets. Additionally, it may also affect lighting.
Plan adequately on how to go around these issues to prevent accidents or damage to your appliances or entire wiring system. This involves planning for general illumination in your kitchen to provide direct light to task areas such as sinks and food preparation areas.
If your plan involves rewiring the kitchen, make sure to remove the old wiring systems first. You can also involve an electrician or the local planning department in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Plumbing
Your plumbing system can be affected by your Appleton kitchen remodel. Any alterations that might affect the flow of water can lead to blockages and leaks. These will have an adverse effect on your kitchen and the entire house.
Make sure that your sink has a free and unobstructed supply of both hot and cold water lines. If you plan on having a dishwasher or moving the one you have, make sure that the plumbing is done right to provide the machine with enough water.
Additionally, make provisions for waste pipes. These are especially tricky to adjust because their functionality is usually set on a gradient. Therefore, make sure to involve a professional plumber.
Remodeling your Kitchen the Right Way
Kitchen remodels can be a fun and exciting way to bring some life into your home. There are also necessary as people move in and out of your home or when you buy new and modern appliances.
It is always important to ensure that all utility lines are well taken care of. You can easily do this by involving a kitchen remodel company in Appleton WI. Tureks plumbing offers a fast and guaranteed service delivery for all homeowners. Contact Turek’s Plumbing today and get the best remodeling services.
Is the farmhouse sink trendy or timeless? Although still largely seen as traditional, the farmhouse has quickly become a popular fixture in modern homes as well.
This short guide will show you how this rustic sink has evolved through time. If you are planning to renovate your kitchen anytime soon, the list of pros and cons may help you decide whether it is worth buying or not.
Form and Function
The farmhouse sink is characterized by the deep design of its basin. Sometimes known as apron-front sinks, these kitchen fixtures were designed to hold copious amounts of water and wash large cooking tools. The basin is so deep that you can bathe a baby in it.
Farmhouse Sink Installation
A typical farmhouse sink is installed with the apron protruding beyond the cabinets below it. This design feature is meant to protect the cabinets. If the water starts to overflow, the liquid will fall straight to the floor instead of damaging the cabinets beneath the sink.
The width and depth of a farmhouse sink offers homeowners ample space for washing dishes and kitchen tools. On the other hand, farmhouse sinks are also bulky. Standard sinks weigh around 20 to 30 pounds while an apron-front type may weigh up to 100 pounds. If you intend to replace your standard sink with a farmhouse one, you will need to find a way to reinforce the supports around the sink.
Farmhouse sinks don’t come with holes for faucets. As a result, the faucet needs to be installed on the wall or counter. On the upside, if the sink ever gets damaged, you can take it out without the need to turn off the water mains. However, you will also need to pick the right type of faucet to go with your country style sink.
Materials
Farmhouse sinks were traditionally made out of porcelain or fireclay. During the 1920s, sinks forged out of cast iron, copper and nickel alloy became popular. Nowadays, you can find farmhouse sinks made out of stainless steel, concrete and stone as well. Farmhouse sinks also come in a wide range of available styles and textures to suit varying design needs.
Price
Finally, going for a specific style can be expensive. With farmhouse sinks, expect to pay hundreds of dollars more than your standard type. Plus, you will need to consider the installation cost and other fees. Make sure to explore these expenses carefully before making your decision.
Also known as a “demand type” water heater, a tankless water heater provides hot water only when needed. As such, it does not produce standby energy losses, which saves you money.
How a Tankless Water Heater Works
Water is being heated without the use of a storage tank. Cold water will travel from a pipe to the unit if a hot water tap is turned on. This means a tankless water heater delivers a steady supply of hot water. In other words, you do not have to wait for the storage tank to be filled up with enough hot water each time you need to use it.
Why Opt for a Tankless Water Heater?
Heating costs will be reduced – Enjoy monthly savings of up to 40% off your utility bill for the product’s life. Heating and reheating water in the storage tank is not required.
Only a small amount of space is needed – As compared to traditional water heaters, tankless water heaters will take up less space since this is just about the size of a small suitcase or even smaller.
Eco-friendly – Tankless water heaters are 30% more energy-efficient than tank water heaters. Maximum energy efficiency will help conserve natural resources.
Long-lasting – It has a longer lifespan for up to twice as much as that of the traditional water heater. This further means less waste in the landfill.
Clean – Avoid using water stored in a tank with accumulated rust.
Safe – A tankless water heater is equipped with excellent safety features to prevent injuries and burns caused by boiling water.
Installing and Maintaining Demand-Type Water Heater
Proper installation will greatly depend on different factors. These include the following:
Local building code requirements
Climate
Fuel type
Safety issues
Regular water heater maintenance is also important to extend the life of the water heater. This will also decrease loss of efficiency.
Proper installation and maintenance are very crucial to optimize the water heater’s energy efficiency. Therefore, it is best to have a licensed, skilled plumbing and heating contractor to install your tankless water heater.
Tips for Choosing the Right Contractor
Ask for references. Satisfied customers will give you peace of mind.
Request cost estimates from different contractors. Make sure that these estimates are for completed work and not just for sections of the system.
Check if they can get a local permit when necessary.
Determine if they fully understand local building codes.
Check if the plumbing contractor company is a member of the Better Business Bureau.
Sign the contract only after you’ve read and understood it.
If you’re looking to install a tankless water heater, please call us today!
Clogs in the drain are household inconveniences that can be avoided. Since many are easily disgusted by the backflow of murky water caused by a clog in its usual path, it’s important to know what shouldn’t be done in order to prevent these blockages from building up inside drains.
As such, professional plumbers in Wisconsin have listed seven effective ways to prevent clogs below, as well as solutions to clogged drains that you can apply.
Don’t pour cooking grease into the sink.
It may be liquid in form when you pour it in, but an instant change in temperature can cause it to solidify. In Wisconsin, where it’s often cold, grease poured down the sink will harden in drain tubes right away, according to professional plumbers who service Applegate and Fox Valley residents.
Don’t dump coffee grounds in the sink.
Sure, these won’t harden in the drains and can be pushed down by the strong flow of water, but they can build up over time, especially if they get caught in hardened grease.
Don’t flush hair down your bathroom drains.
Hair doesn’t deteriorate and it can get entangled with the different elements present in your drain. Use a drain cover and throw away hair in the trash instead. It’s nasty, but what’s nastier is fishing out a huge hairball from your drain that’s preventing water from flushing away from your house.
If grease is already clogging your drain, the quickest solution to use is boiling hot water.
The hot temperature will turn grease into liquid again and it will mix with hot water and flow down the drain easily.
Another solution for clogs created by grease and soap scum is a solution of baking soda and vinegar.
This solution will corrode clogs and clear the drain. Not only that, baking soda and vinegar have disinfecting properties too, so if your drains are getting to be really stinky, the solution can take care of that as well.
To get rid of soap scum and hair, you can also try lye.
If you’re not familiar with lye, it’s a chemical that is used to perm the hair and it’s also used for soaps. Since it’s potent enough to alter the shape of or even burn hair, it’s effective in dissolving clogs in the drain. Make sure that you only use a small amount of lye because it’s a caustic substance.
For clogged garbage disposals, try filling an ice cube tray with equal parts of vinegar and water. Freeze the mixture of vinegar and water, and when you have ice cubes, dump them in the garbage disposal. The acidity from the vinegar will clean the drain and its chips will scrape grease off the drain walls.
Starting a Kitchen Remodel Project on the Right Foot
Even the most minor of kitchen remodels entails more than a monetary investment. At the same time, you will need to invest time and deal with some hassles as you try to bring your kitchen remodel project into life.
As such, you would like to get the best returns on your investment, whatever your purpose may be for your project kitchen. In order to do that, you need to avoid one of the most common mistakes in starting a kitchen remodel project: proceeding without a plan.
As the old adage goes, failing to plan is planning to fail. Quite simply, the planning stage is an integral aspect of a kitchen remodel. Give ample time and effort toward planning so that you can get the kitchen that you have always dreamed of.
How do you do that?
Find Sources of Inspiration and Gather These
Perhaps you have unconsciously started this process by looking for inspiration from TV shows, magazines and blogs.
But in order to get the most out of this step, you will need to create your own stylebook. To do that, the first thing that you need to do is to gather all the photos which inspire you in one place. Tear out photos from magazines and print out photos you have found online.
After that, write down exactly what you like about these photos. Now, when you have found a kitchen designer and/or contractor, you can show your stylebook.
Set a Clear Goal
What’s the reason why you want to remodel your kitchen? Perhaps you want to resell your home a few years down the road. Or maybe you want to facilitate the optimal flow of traffic in your kitchen. Or maybe you simply want to turn your kitchen into a great place to entertain guests. Whatever your reasons may be, you have to be clear with your needs and wants.
Set Your Budget
Setting a budget allows you to avoid overspending. In fact, failure to set a budget is one of the leading costs of overspending on kitchen remodels. Go online and use available tools to help you figure out how much you will need for your project. From there, you can look for items on your shopping list that you might think are unnecessary or too costly. After that, you can find alternatives that will help you stay within your budget.
Create a Timeline
Apart from setting a financial budget for the project, you will also need to determine how much time you are willing to allocate for the completion of the project. Set a project timeline and talk about this when you are interviewing prospective contractors.
Be Realistic
Talk to friends or relatives who have recently had their kitchens remodeled. This will give you a fair idea of what to expect and help you avoid being blindsided by unexpected factors.
Kitchen Remodel Ideas That Will Help You Stay Within Your Budget
Sometimes, you do not have to spend a sizeable amount of money to breathe life into your kitchen. If you do not want to break the bank, here are some budgetkitchen remodel ideas that you can try.
Give your cabinets a second lease on life
A new set of cabinets can eat up your budget for your kitchen renovation. If you are trying to save money and the current cabinets installed in your kitchen are still in a good condition, you can simply apply a fresh coat of paint on these.
Shop online
During the planning stages of your kitchen remodel, you are probably spending a lot of time online. You probably find yourself doing research on possible options that you can try. While you are online, you can try looking for great deals on cabinets, countertops and other materials that you can use for your new kitchen. Some online merchants offer competitive prices for their products.
Consider using surplus items
If you are working with a contractor for your kitchen remodel, it is a good idea to talk to him about how much you can truly afford for the project. Being transparent about your budget and flexible about your options can lead to greater cost savings. For example, if your contractor has a few surplus items lying around from a previous project, you can buy those materials at a substantial discount.
Perform some of the works involved in the project
There are some types of work that are best left to the experts. Additionally, hiring professionals can help you save more money and time over the long term because they know how to get the best results the first time, every time. However, you can substantially reduce the labor costs for your kitchen remodel by taking up some of the simpler works involved — like painting, for example.
Know what to ditch and what to preserve
If you are eyeing something that is too luxurious and pricey for the kitchen remodel, you can save more money by retaining a few existing elements in your kitchen. Focus on a few aspects of your kitchen which still look good and are in great shape. You can now use the savings from these to buy the premium items that you want to have.
With a little creativity, online research and a few compromises, you can update your kitchen without draining your savings. If you are considering a kitchen remodel, contact Turek’s Plumbing in Fox Citiesto start your remodel today!
Should I DIY my kitchen remodel project? That is a fairly common question homeowners ask. There is no simple answer to this question. You must account for your personal circumstances in order to arrive at the best decision.
Why DIY-ing has become popular
Why have DIY projects become more popular in recent years? There are plenty of possible answers to this phenomenon.
One major factor influencing this trend is the steep cost of labor. In many projects, the cost of labor is considerably higher than the cost of the materials, driving homeowners to look for other options, including DIY.
Additionally, there are plenty of resources currently available that DIY-ers can utilize. Unlike before when knowledge and expertise were handed down by a master to his apprentice, today you can watch a video, download an e-book, or read a blog post, and you’ll get detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do something.
Finally, there’s the unique sense of achievement and ownership you get from knowing that you created something with your own hands.
When DIY is not a better option
However, not all projects are suitable for the average individual. How do you know if you should DIY a project or call in an expert? Here are three scenarios.
The tasks involved serious risks
Simply put, if you do not want to risk the safety of your loved ones and your property, you need to hire someone who can perform the job safely.
Messing up will cost you more
When you commit mistakes with small projects, you can chalk those up to experience. But when correcting your mistakes leads to hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in costs, then you better call in the professionals.
Your home’s value is at stake
For larger projects like a kitchen remodel, you have to be aware of the impact of the final outcome on the value of your home.
The project requires a permit
When a project requires a permit, that often means that it is too complicated and difficult to tackle for someone with minimal experience.
Should you DIY your kitchen remodel?
If you have above average skills and if you are confident that you can produce the best outcomes, and you are not worried about the potential added costs, perhaps you can consider going the DIY route with the remodel. However, you still have one hurdle to face: getting a building permit.
For most homeowners, it makes better sense to enlist the help of a seasoned Fox Valley plumber. Remember, you are not simply paying for someone to do a set of tasks for you. You are paying for expertise, time savings and quality work.
Starting a Kitchen Remodel Project on the Right Foot
