How long have you been dreaming of having enough counter space and room for everything in the cabinets? Do you go to sleep at night thinking about floor coverings and wake up thinking about color combinations? If so, you are not alone. Almost nothing gets a homeowner’s heart racing faster than the thought of a kitchen remodeling.
Kitchen renovations are notoriously expensive, though, so if you’re like most of us, you’ve probably got yourself almost convinced that you can do all the work yourself or with a willing spouse. After all, TV shows and YouTube are full of advice — and what could go wrong?
Well, before you take a sledge hammer to the pantry or shell out a fortune at the local big box store, take a moment to consider whether you’re being realistic about things. Here are two questions to ask yourself:
Do you have the skills you need? If you’re planning a down-to-the-studs remodel but have never held a power tool or paint roller, the least you should do is take a class or two or three at a community college or hardware store. -improving your home. You may think that years of watching “The Property Brothers” or “Flipping Out” have prepared you to transform your outdated kitchen into the space of your dreams, but it’s one thing to watch a team of professionals tear down a wall and quite another. to do it yourself.
Do you have the time and energy to watch it? If you have a demanding job or other obligations that take up most of your time now, committing to making changes yourself may be more than you can handle. By the time you’ve spent a few weekends in it, you might be tempted to start putting things away and end up with a bunch of half-finished projects and nowhere to cook dinner. The big rule of remodeling is that everything takes longer than you thought it would.
If you decide to move forward, perhaps on a more modest level, there are some projects you should have no problem handling yourself. The good news is that if you find yourself in the weeds about what for some may be simple, you can find a handyman in a big city like Los Angeles or in the little hamlet around the country that will be able to finish the work.
Here are the easiest projects to DIY:
Countertops
While installing Caesarstone granite, marble or quartz is best left to the pros, it’s relatively simple as well as much more cost-effective to DIY tile, seamless composites, concrete, block butcher’s or reclaimed wood countertops.
Backsplashes
It is particularly easy to install backsplashes using peel and stick tiles which comes with pre-mixed grout. The design options are endless and will add instant flair to your kitchen.
Cabinetry
If your cabinets are structurally sound, refinishing, painting or replacing the doors and adding new hardware is all you need to do for a brand new look. Think about replacing the glass for some or all of the upper cabinet doors for a change of style. If you don’t mind the extra cleaning that will be involved when all your dishes are exposed, you can also consider removing some or all of the cabinet doors permanently for the sleek open shelving look that is so popular .
Floor
It is advisable to have a professional hardwood floor installer, but laminate, ceramic or vinyl tile (don’t worry, today’s vinyl isn’t the kind your grandma had) is relatively simple to install. . Some of these materials are in plates that click together and some are peel and stick. Whichever you choose, make sure it’s designed for DIY installation.
Paint
This is the easiest way to freshen up your kitchen. There are unlimited ways to make your paint jobs special by using various finishing techniques, adding contrasting trim or highlighting architectural details with colors that are lighter or darker shades of the same color. The key is preparation, which will take longer than the actual painting, but is vital for a finished product that doesn’t look like a loving hand in the house.
What you don’t DIY
Electricity, gas, plumbing and major structural changes are not things that enthusiasts should undertake. Not only does getting the job done professionally guarantee it’s done right and safely, but it will save you money in the long run because fixing a DIY disaster can be more expensive than doing it right in the first place.
