Here’s how to avoid the most common mistakes during a kitchen remodel

#1 – Not enough planning

Rushing through the planning and design phase of a remodel can cause you many technical and financial problems.

You should put your time into asking yourself what you really want, how much money you are willing to spend and how long you could go without a functional kitchen.

That’s right – during the remodel you are most likely not going to be able to use your kitchen, so you will have to come up with a plan B for food prep.

Solution:

This is kind of self-explanatory – you should plan the whole remodel process as thoroughly as possible.

The more detailed your plan is, the easier and more successful the construction will be.

It is also essential that you stick to your original plans and ideas, as making changes during the construction can bring about many unforeseen consequences.

This brings us to our next possible mistake:

#2 – Making changes after the project begins

Making impulsive decisions well into the remodel can be the death of your project.

If you decide to go with another material than what you originally chose, it can not only delay the project completion, but can also add significant extra cost.

Deciding on a different layout mid-project is another grave mistake you should avoid, as walls may have to be torn down, plumbing and electrical may need to be changed for which you might need to hire another contractor.

This will hold back your remodel and at the same time you would risk going way over your budget.

Solution:

To start with, hire an experienced contractor that can advise you regarding materials and the layout.

And once again: plan well and stick to it, as this way you will not need to make compromises later on in the project.

#3 – The wrong measurements are taken

Taking measurements by hand is extremely risky as even the slightest mistake can cause huge problems.

If your countertops are not cut according to the correct measurements, your sink may not fit and you can start the measuring and fabrication processes all over again.

This is why we ask our clients to have sinks, faucets, disposals, dishwashers, and other accessories to be already at hand at the time of the templating.

Solution:

At Zsolt Granite we use an extremely precise digital laser templating device that takes 50 measurements per second and creates an average of these 50 shots.

Using this device we can take uneven walls and curved lines into consideration when creating the final template.

The digital template is then double-checked to make sure it matches the measurements that were provided by our client earlier.

This way our measurements are 100% on point and no unpleasant surprises come up during the installation process.

#4 – The wrong materials arrive

Going to a showroom and choosing the materials for your new countertops is one of the most exciting parts of a remodel.

This is why it’s insanely painful if the contractor shows up on the installation day with a material that looks nothing like the one you ordered.

In situations like this you have two options:

1. Just accept your fate and proceed with the wrong materials.
2. Reorder the materials and possibly wait several weeks for the next delivery.

Solution:

As we have our own workshop, all the materials that you choose for your project go out to your home straight from our warehouse after fabrication.

We order our slabs directly from the producer so that no 3^rd party distributor is involved, thus decreasing the risk of wrong orders.

#5 – Going over budget

There’s no denying that kitchen remodels are rather costly, so irresponsible budgeting is the last thing you’d want to do.

You don’t want to run out of money halfway through the project, so we recommend you set your limits, then take a look at what your priorities are and allocate funds for them first.

And don’t forget: always be prepared for unforeseen expenses!

Solution:

It’s a good idea to base your expected expenses on the value of your home.

This makes it easier to create a clear budget limit.

Try to save money where you can: at Zsolt Granite, we don’t expect you to pay for a full slab if you’re not even going to use it.

Using our Square foot program you can save a significant amount of money, and you don’t need to worry about any valuable material going to waste.

#6 – Not choosing the right contractor

Many homeowners get mesmerized by cheap offers and fall victim to contractors who are promising things they cannot deliver.

Another mistake we often see is customers thinking that the fabricator can take care of the electrical or the plumbing too, whereas they would usually need to hire a separate contractor for this.

Solution:

To ensure that your project is in good hands, choose a reliable, certified contractor.

Always check what services the contractor offers before asking for a quote.

Just a hint: thanks to our partnerships, the expertise of our fabricators and skilled installers, we can cover full-scale remodeling projects.

We make sure these things never happen to you

Our goal is to turn an otherwise stressful kitchen remodel into a pleasant and exciting journey for our customers by providing high-quality products and services.

You can find out more about our process here.

Feel free to visit our showrooms for a personal consultation, or ask us any questions through our contact form below!