Include The Counters in Your Kitchen Tune Up
By Gabby HymanRefacingCabinet.com Columnist
If you're looking to transform your kitchen in as little as a single day, consider replacing your kitchen counters. While it's always a good idea to start a kitchen tune up with cabinets--ordering stock or custom replacements or having them refaced--new countertops can make for a solid investment in your home. Complete the make-over with new sinks or hardware.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends that a strip of countertop at least 24" deep and 36" wide be installed adjacent to your sink to provide adequate food preparation space. You can plan for new kitchen counters by charting your counter space on paper, then take the template to a contractor or countertop retailer along with several choices in laminates and colors that match your scheme. If you're using tile or stone, shop for a range of materials within your budget.
The Kitchen Counter Turnaround
You can bring in a kitchen contractor to take precise measurements of the space before making a quote. You'll need to determine whether the electrical or plumbing will be affected. If so, plan ahead with your contractor or arrange for subcontractors. Depending on your budget, you might include adding new backsplashes, too. Bright tiles or artwork can transform a room. Be sure to include prep work and all cleanup and removal of old countertop materials in the estimate, along with proof of contractor insurance.
Dupont researchers report that a kitchen counter tune up can spave you upwards of 75 percent compared with the cost of doing a complete kitchen remodel. Again, laminate kitchen countertop replacements can be done in a day or two--spending on materials--compared with the two or three-week schedule for full kitchen renovation.
Sources
http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/project_center/planning/replace_counter.html
http://www.nkba.org/guidelines/kitchen_12.aspx
About The Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
