Before you remodel a kitchen.

Write down what bothers you before you look at a single photo. Not enough counter space next to the stove. Nowhere to put the mixer. Two people can’t pass each other. Dark corners. Cabinets that are falling apart. That list is what the new kitchen has to fix, and it keeps the project from turning into a list of things you saw online.

1. 01

   Layout

   Whether the sink, the range, the gas line and the walls stay where they are. Moving plumbing, gas or a wall costs more than anything you pick later, and taking out a wall that carries weight needs a beam and a permit.

2. 02

   Budget

   Set it from real numbers, not a national average. The kitchen projects we show were signed between $74,866.25 and $130,000.00.

3. 03

   Appliances

   Pick them before the cabinets are drawn. The cabinet layout is built around their sizes: range width, fridge depth and height, the dishwasher, and any panel-ready fronts.

4. 04

   Cabinets

   A big line in the budget. Decide the construction level and the door style (see below) before the finishes.

5. 05

   Counters and backsplash

   Chosen with the cabinets, because the slab, the edge and the sink style are measured and cut to them.

6. 06

   Lighting and outlets

   Plan general light, light on the work surfaces and any accent light, plus outlets where you’ll really use them. It is far easier before the walls close.

• Quartz is engineered stone: consistent color, no sealing, and resists stains. Keep hot pans off it.
• Granite is natural stone, hard and heat-tolerant, every slab different. Most need sealing now and then.
• Marble is beautiful and softer: lemon, vinegar and wine can etch the surface. People who love it accept the patina.
• Quartzite is a natural stone that often looks like marble but is much harder. Check the slab, because some stones sold as quartzite are softer.

• In New Jersey, home improvement contractors must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs. Ask for the number and look it up.
• In Pennsylvania, contractors register with the Attorney General, and the number has to be on every contract. Pennsylvania also gives you three business days after signing to cancel without penalty, a contractor can’t take any payment before the contract is signed, and on a contract over $5,000 the deposit is capped at one-third of the price, plus any special-order materials named in the contract (73 P.S. § 517.9; PA Attorney General).
• Ask for the insurance certificate, and check what it covers and its limits.
• Get a written scope that lists what’s included, what isn’t, the materials, the allowances and the price. If two quotes differ a lot, they’re usually not pricing the same job: here’s how to line them up.
• Ask how changes are handled. The answer you want: a written change order with the price, signed before the work starts. What else each state says the contract must include is in our contracts guide.

Call (609) 874-0990 or send us the form. We talk about the project, your timeline and budget, then come see the house. You get a written scope after the visit, and you owe nothing until you sign. See the kitchen projects we show and their signed prices.