Questions to Ask Before You Remodel Your Kitchen

Do you plan on remodeling your kitchen?

Are you so excited that you are ready to jump in with a home improvement company and getting started within a few days?

Wait just a minute, and take a step back to understand the questions you should always ask before committing to a kitchen remodeling project. The kitchen is an important part of your home, since you most likely spend a significant amount of time in the room. A kitchen remodeling project is also important, so you want to make sure that all your questions are asked and you receive the best service possible.

What questions should you ask your home improvement company before starting your kitchen remodeling project?

What is payment like?

Of course you want to understand the pricing before you commit to anything. Ask the company about the entire budget of the project and see if it fits in with your own budget. Talk to people you know who may have used the home improvement company before and figure out if they require any hidden charges down the road. Make sure the company does not constantly try to upsell its customers, making it difficult to afford.

One of the most important aspects of payment is the time. Ask the company when you will have to pay for the completed project. Don’t ever pay to get a consultation or estimate. You shouldn’t have to pay for anything until they start doing work for you. If a company asks for a payment upfront, it doesn’t necesarrily mean that they are not credible. You just have to understand that the company will do a good job. The best situation is a company that only requires payment upon completion of the project. This puts all the risk on them and allows you to ask for changes until they get it right.

What are the materials that will be used?

Kitchen remodeling projects incorporate various different components such as wood, tile, faucets, countertops and more. Make sure that each one of these items is high quality and lasts for an extended period of time. When you want to sell your house in twenty years you don’t want the price to go down because of broken shelves or cracked countertops.

Check to see if all the materials have manufacturer warranties. This helps you repair problems in case something happens in the future.

What is the time frame of the project?

Time is valuable, and most home improvement companies understand that, but you want to see how long your kitchen will be out of service. When a team of home improvement specialists come into your home it causes distractions such as loud noises, dirt, blocked doorways and more. Get a detailed schedule from your contractor and make sure it is a quick, effective plan.

Now it is your turn. Let us know in the comments what other questions should be asked before committing to a kitchen remodeling job. Do you have any good or bad experiences when getting your kitchen remodeled?

The Difference Between Insulation and Radiant Barriers

Is your energy bill too high? Are you constantly shelling out large amounts of money to keep your San Antonio home cool throughout the warmest months?

Usually when cooling costs are abnormally high the residents of that home experience hotter living conditions than those who have proper insulation or radiant barriers. Both of these home improvement techniques cut down on the cost it takes to keep your house cool, and they typically start with the attic, which attracts heat and lets cold air seep out.

So what’s the difference between these two energy saving tactics?

Insulation

Insulation is typically implemented in the attic where large amounts of cold air leave the home. The insulation keeps the temperatures of the outside away from the house and seal the warm or cold air in. This works nicely for homes in warm weather climates such as San Antonio, because the cold air is then kept in your home without letting in the warm air from outside.

Insulation is padded material that is inserted into the walls of your home. Similar to a water cooler it keeps the contents inside warm or cold, cutting down on energy costs in your home.

Radiant Barriers

Radiant barriers produce similar results as insulation, but the process is much different. They both work to keep your energy costs low, but radiant barriers are ideal for houses in warm weather climates where the sun is constantly beating down on roofs.

Warm air beats down on your roof and absorbs into the home, minimizing the effectiveness of your cooling system. Most people turn their air conditioning up to compensate for this, increasing the amount they pay for cooling. A better solution would be to deflect the sun’s rays and keep heat out of your home. Radiant barriers act as reflective surfaces, and they are typically installed on the exterior of your roof or attic. They reflect the warmth of the sun instead of absorbing it like most surfaces do. The reason absorption occurs is because heat typically moves through a surface to a cooler area, ie. your home.

Both radiant barriers and insulation are affordable and effective forms of energy conservation. They both cut down on the amount of money you spend on energy and they make your home more comfortable to live in. Insulation is more effective for homes in cold weather climates since it can keep both warm and cold air in your house. Radiant barriers are typically used on homes in warm weather areas, such as San Antonio, to keep the sun’s heat from penetrating your walls. Consider trying out one of these energy saving tactics to keep some money in your pocket and improve the quality and value of your home.

Now it is your turn. Let us know in the comments if you have any questions about radiant barriers or insulation. Tell us if you have any experience with installing radiant barriers or insulation in your home. Are your energy bills more affordable? Do you feel more comfortable in your house?

Should You Remodel Your Kitchen or Bathroom First?

Have you been looking around your house and realizing that a change needs to be made?

Maybe your kitchen is outdated or your bathroom is filled with stains or cracked tiles.

Both of these rooms are important to impress other people who come to visit and for increasing the quality of atmosphere for the people that live with you in your home. It’s always a good idea to start with your bathroom or kitchen when you begin remodeling your house, because they are two of the most used rooms in a home.

But the big question is: Should you start with your kitchen or your bathroom?

Ask yourself the following questions to understand which room you should start remodeling first.

Which room do you use more frequently?

Some bathrooms are used less than other bathrooms, so you can typically eliminate one or two of the bathrooms in your home from the conversation. If you use the kitchen for every meal of the day you might think about remodeling the bathroom first since you might have an extra bathroom to use while the other bathroom is being remodeled. This cuts down on the costs of eating out when you remodel your kitchen, and it allows you to sit back and reassess your finances after the bathroom is done to see if you have enough for your kitchen.

If you never use your kitchen it might not be that important to you, so think about remodeling your bathroom, since it is probably used more often. If you have lots of people over for parties or get togethers it is a good idea to get your kitchen completed first. If you’re going to be showing off your kitchen or flaunting your cooking skills you might as well get the kitchen job done as quickly as possible.

Which room needs a remodel the most?

Although the bathroom is used frequently, visitors don’t typically expect a bathroom to be spotless. If both your kitchen and bathroom are outdated or rundown, think about remodeling your kitchen first. Since more people will analyze the look of your kitchen you should contact a contractor and get it fixed up.

If your bathroom has faulty components you should remodel the bathroom before the kitchen. People need to wash their hands in the bathroom, and a broken toilet makes a bathroom useless. Broken functional components in the bathroom always push it to the top of the list.

Your kitchen also includes components such as sinks, faucets and cabinets. So if your kitchen is filled with broken components then you should go with the kitchen first. If both your kitchen and bathroom have broken sinks or other components, go with remodeling the bathroom first because you can always eat out with a broken kitchen, but a broken bathroom forces you to go somewhere else.

Now it is your turn. Tell us about your experience remodeling your bathroom or kitchen. Was it difficult deciding which one to remodel first? Would you agree with the points we discussed in this article? Would you add some additional points that make it easier to decide which room to remodel first?