In most homes, the kitchen is the hardest-working room of the house. It’s the center for meal preparation, of course, but in most homes it’s a storage center pots and pans, dishes and tableware, food and cleaning supplies and all sorts of appliances—some used continuously and others only occasionally. In many homes the kitchen is the center of family life for everyday meals and even entertaining. In some it’s also the family communications center with a desk, phone, broadband Internet service and a bulletin board. 

Implications of Changing a Kitchen Floor Plan

Because of their importance, kitchens are, perhaps, one of the largest components of value in a home. And because kitchens are complex, remodeling them can be complicated and expensive. A major kitchen remodeling project involving changes in floor plan and/or an addition will require a good design, virtually every construction trade in addition to permits and inspections.

Opting for a Kitchen Facelift

But updating a kitchen needn’t necessarily involve major floor plan changes. It’s possible to freshen the appearance of a kitchen and preserve or enhance the value of a home with a kitchen facelift. In a facelift, only visible surfaces, fixtures and appliances are changed. Facelifts are less expensive and disruptive because they generally don’t involve major alterations to plumbing, electrical systems or HVAC systems. Permits and inspections generally aren’t necessary. It may be advisable to get advice from a kitchen designer when planning a kitchen facelift, and experienced designers are often available through a kitchen and bath center, or a home center where you plan to purchase fixtures, appliances, flooring and, perhaps, cabinet refacing services.

So the first choice when you’re planning to remodel a kitchen is: Do I need to change to floor plan and/or build and addition, or will I get the kitchen I want and preserve the value of my home with merely a facelift?

Whichever choice you make will involve many more decisions. Click on “Components of a Major Kitchen Remodeling Project “or “Components of a Kitchen Facelift” to learn more about how to proceed in each case.