The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Kitchen Remodel

Home Depot & Coldwell Banker Real Estate teamed up to provide you with the ultimate guide to kitchen remodeling.

Step One: How to Plan Your Kitchen Remodel

Taking the time to plan a new kitchen design is arguably the most important step in the remodeling process. A clear, well-conceived plan will guide you through each phase of the remodel and help ensure that the work progresses smoothly and stays on budget. In our first post, we show you the steps to take and provide you with some valuable remodeling design tips. Read It Here

Step Two: Creating a Budget

 After deciding on a plan for your kitchen remodel, the next step is assigning a budget to the project. The easiest, most accurate way to establish a kitchen-remodeling budget is to break down the project into smaller jobs. In post #2, we show you which major remodeling expenses to calculate and other ways to keep your costs on target. Read It Here

Step Three: Put On Your Hard Hat (And Thinking Cap) Time for Construction Planning!

Kitchen-remodeling projects should follow a logical work sequence, as those that don’t are subject to problems down the line. In post #3, we provide a typical progression of work for a moderate remodeling project. Read It Here

Step Four: Picking the Right Appliances

A key component of any kitchen remodel is selecting new products that fit with your design,  budget and construction timeframe. In our final post, we take a brief look at six categories of kitchen-remodeling products. With several models, options and variations within each category, picking the right product for your specific kitchen can seem daunting. However, it’s actually a lot of fun and easier than you might think. Read It Here

Lindsay is the the Director of Media Engagement for Coldwell Banker Real Estate and manages the brand’s media and social media department. She is also a licensed real estate professional. In 2017 & 2018, she was named a top 20 social influencer in the real estate industry in the annual Swanepoel 200 power rankings.

Lindsay lives in Livingston, NJ with her college sweetheart and now husband Joe and rwelcomed another Joe into her life as she became a mom in June 2016.

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41 Comments

  1. Lisa
    March 14, 2016

    Could you do a kitchen in the 3000.00 range?

    Reply
    • Mike
      March 26, 2016

      You could do a small kitchen facelift for that, but not a full remodel.

      Reply
    • ryan
      June 16, 2017

      It depends on how hands-on you want to be, and what needs to be replaced. I would make a list of what’s most important to you, and also find generate a list of alternative, less expensive materials and appliances to use. Perhaps someone in your family can help you, who is a handyman ?

      Reply
  2. Rachel
    July 28, 2016

    While budgeting certainly isn’t the most fun part of any kitchen remodel, it’s definitely helpful to know what you’re working with and how you can save money. Thanks for sharing the tips!

    Reply
  3. Bruce
    September 9, 2016

    Great post, Lindsay. I really enjoy your post, your useful tips help me a lot. I’m going to try them out with my kitchen. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. Jack Coleman
    September 24, 2016

    Hi Lindsay ,

    Firstly. I must say it’s a great post!

    Your article couldn’t have come at a better time , because my wife and I are actually considering giving our kitchen a whole new look.

    We have a budget of just $2,000 , I hope its enough?

    Anyways , I will forward this article to her so that we can start planning.

    Cheers.

    Reply
  5. Ridley Fitzgerald
    December 13, 2016

    These are some great steps for a kitchen remodel. I am hoping to remodel our kitchen in the near future, so I need all the help I can get. I like your idea of breaking the remodel down into little jobs to figure out the budget. I will remember that.

    Reply
    • Lindsay Listanski
      December 14, 2016

      We are go glad you enjoyed the post!

      Reply
  6. Silas Knight
    January 30, 2017

    These are some nice ideas for planning a kitchen remodel. I like the idea to find new appliances for my kitchen, since ours are so out dated. I agree, with so many options, it can be hard to find the right one, but it’s worth it!

    Reply
  7. Lucy Taylor
    February 10, 2017

    I liked your tip to make sure your choosing the right appliances for your kitchen because it makes major difference in the whole feel of the room! I’m a fan of stainless steel appliances and thought everyone else was as well, but when my sister remodeled her kitchen, she opted for black appliances. “Trust me,” she said “you don’t want stainless steel appliances with six kids in the house.” I get it now, and I actually really like the way they look in her home! There are so many great options to choose from!

    Reply
  8. John
    February 22, 2017

    I thought it was interesting how the article mentions taking the time to plan a new design is the most important step in the remodeling process. I can see how having a set plan can help you budget the expenses for the remodel, and give a contractor a clear expectation of what you’d like done. My wife and I have been thinking of getting our kitchen remodeled since it’s really old now, so we’ll make sure we have solid plan put in place before we start.

    Reply
    • Victoria Keichinger
      February 22, 2017

      Glad you found the article helpful, John! Best of luck in your kitchen remodel!

      Reply
  9. John Mahoney
    March 3, 2017

    I liked when you talked about planning carefully when remodeling your home. It makes sense that remembering this can help you make sure you set up an appropriate budget and timetable. I can see how anyone looking into this would want to contact a professional to make sure it is done properly and with the best materials.

    Reply
  10. Chris Winters
    March 22, 2017

    Lindsay, it makes sense to create a budget when remodeling your kitchen. My kitchen happens to be very old and outdated. I definitely think that we should consider finding a professional that could best understand what we’re looking for in a kitchen.

    Reply
  11. Tomas Killington
    March 28, 2017

    My aunt recently moved into an older home with her family. She is wanting to have some updates done throughout the home because the home was built in the 80’s. I didn’t realize how important it is to make an effective construction plan to ensure the kitchen installation company can do the work in a logical order. That’s a great tip that I’ll share with my aunt.

    Reply
  12. Pam Lassila
    April 10, 2017

    I have lived in my house for the past 15 years and nothing has changed with it! My husband and I have a pretty tight budget but I want to change something up! I’ve been thinking about a kitchen remodel. I strongly believe that the kitchen is the heart of the home. So if we change that a little, that can help freshen up our whole home!

    Reply
    • Victoria Keichinger
      April 10, 2017

      We totally agree – home is where the food is! Best of luck on your refresh, Pam!

      Reply
  13. Burt Silver
    April 13, 2017

    Thanks for the tips on kitchen remodeling. I really want to completely renovate our kitchen, but my wife and I have had trouble planning it. Thanks for mentioning to make a budget and stick to it. I can see how it would be easy to go overboard, so we will do this.

    Reply
  14. Jesse
    April 17, 2017

    The kitchen is the most important element when people walk into the house to see if they want to buy it. In theory it shouldn’t be the most important, but time after time I hear people say “I want …” for the kitchen area and it’s a must or no deal.

    Reply
  15. Amy Tang
    April 26, 2017

    Great article and very well explained. I believe in professionals so this is a very useful article for everyone. Many thanks for your share.

    Reply
  16. Jesse
    April 28, 2017

    What’s a safe percentage you think someone should set aside for expenses over budget when planning a whole kitchen remodel?

    Reply
  17. Debashis Barman
    May 4, 2017

    I want to say this is a really excellent article. These are some nice ideas for planning a kitchen remodel. I must follow these ideas when I need to remodel my kitchen. Thanks for sharing this article.

    Reply
  18. ita
    May 6, 2017

    We want to reorganize our kitchen and We would like to refresh the space with nicer cabinets and change the flooring to porcelain tile. We will be deciding to budget for a kitchen renovation soon. Thank you for the tips on kitchen remodel, it was very helpful.

    Reply
  19. John Mahoney
    May 25, 2017

    Thank you so much for talking about the importance of choosing products that can work with your kitchen design when remodeling it. My wife wants to remodel our kitchen so that it is more appealing to potential buyers since we are planning on selling our home soon.As I see it, taking the time to make a plan and choose a design can help you and the contractor you choose to find the best material to dive your property a makeover and help it look great.

    Reply
  20. kitchen-Right
    May 30, 2017

    How to Setting Your Budget kitchens and Kitchen Remodeling Budget Guide!

    Your kitchen remodel budget should always start with how much you can realistically afford. Setting a Budget for your kitchen to remodel for you Budget kitchens and staying within it sounds so obvious and simple, but it’s harder than you think.
    There are many factors that affect the cost of any kitchen renovation or remodel like materials, size, weather, work delays, contractor expenses, and unforeseen issues. What you choose for your remodeling work, not an easy task for you to make your kitchen to Budget kitchens. You can get A Complete Budget guide for kitchen remodeling With Kitchen Right.

    Reply
  21. Alex Dean
    June 5, 2017

    My husband and I are wanting to renovate our kitchen but are not for sure about how to go about doing it. It’s good to know that when it comes to planning one out that we need to create a budget for it. That way we can determine what all of the different small projects is going to cost.

    Reply
  22. Gina
    July 8, 2017

    Hi Lindsay , love your information!!!

    Reply
  23. LNWeaver
    July 10, 2017

    I like that tip to break down a project to smaller jobs. That way you can accurately gauge how expensive it will be. Kitchen projects can have good ROI, but you have to control your costs!

    Reply
  24. Herry
    August 19, 2017

    Really great post. Will try to remodel my kitchen soon.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  25. Roger Middleton
    August 21, 2017

    I liked that you had mentioned the importance of selecting products that fit into the design and can fit within the construction timeframe. My wife and I have been wanting to remodel our home since we had purchased it back in 2000 but we just haven’t had the time to. I was going to surprise my wife by doing it this summer while she’s been away with her family but I have waited too long and I don’t have an eye for design so I won’t be able to pick out the right products. I’ll probably have to start calling around to find the right company to handle the remodel.

    Reply
  26. Heather
    August 29, 2017

    Even upgrading your appliances can really make a difference in your kitchen, but if you can afford a full remodel with new countertops and backsplash, you’ll feel as if you’re in a different home entirely. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  27. Ashley Maxwell
    September 7, 2017

    I appreciate your suggestion to make a budget for all you can spend and what you will spend money on for your project. I didn’t know that it was more helpful to divide it up when budgeting. My husband and I are newlyweds, and we recently moved into an older home. We are considering remodeling contractors to remodel our kitchen for us.

    Reply
  28. Spencer Montgomery
    September 26, 2017

    Glad I came across your post. I’m actually planning to remodel my kitchen in the next few months. I agree that creating a budget is important when it comes to this.

    Reply
  29. Theodore Winston
    October 4, 2017

    Thanks for this very comprehensive guide! I’m helping my brother-in-law remodel their kitchen and I am looking for ideas/tips so we could do it successfully. I agree that a successful project always follows good planning. Speaking of, he wanted to redo their kitchens cabinets, what would be a good color to paint them once done? thanks!

    Reply
  30. Kyle Wayne
    October 16, 2017

    I like that you mentioned how kitchen remodeling can only be done right if you budget right. My sister is looking to remodel her kitchen. I’ll be sure to talk to her about budgeting and finding a professional that can do it properly.

    Reply
  31. Sariah
    November 3, 2017

    I’m planning on remodeling our kitchen soon, and since this will be a first for me, I’m looking for steps on how to do it successfully. Taking the time to plan everything is very important, so thanks for the tip on having a clear, well-conceived plan to guide me through. Doing so will also ensure that I stay within my budget. Thanks for such a valuable tip!

    Reply
  32. john celvin
    December 15, 2017

    Really great post. Will try to remodel my kitchen soon.

    Reply
  33. William
    January 25, 2018

    Awesome post, Lindsay . This is really useful and helpful for those who wants remodel their article. Thanks sharing.

    Reply
  34. Joey K
    May 19, 2018

    I was literally moments away from taking a sledgehammer to my kitchen when I decided to search around the web for any advice for kitchen renovations. Found your article and I gotta say it quickly stopped any demo work! I didn’t even have a clear idea of what I even wanted the new kitchen to look like XD

    Thanks for the informative and well-written guide, it’s given me a better picture of how I should go about it before breaking down my kitchen and being left with nothing to cook in!

    Reply

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