Preparing for Your Kitchen Renovation

Once you’ve planned your kitchen remodel, there are several things you need to do before and during the actual project. Learn more in this Lowe’s video:

Although you can eat out or get take out meals, you don’t need to live without a kitchen during the remodel. Set up a temporary kitchen in a location that has access to electricity, water and storage. You can use a hot plate, microwave, outdoor grill or toaster oven for cooking. Get a small refrigerator to store perishables.

Empty out your old kitchen. Use clear plastic containers with labels to organize your items. This is a great time to dispose of anything you don’t need or ingredients that have expired. Store frequently used items in your temporary kitchen; others can be stored somewhere out of the way.

You’ll want to protect other areas in your home from dust from demolition. Cover up doorways, nearby air intake vents and furniture in adjacent rooms. Put down floor runners on high traffic areas. Change the filter on your furnace both before and after the remodeling.

Safety is important. Keep children and pets away from the work area, but allow easy access to the installers.

You should definitely be present on Day 1 as you’ll need to sign for the delivery of your cabinets and show the delivery person where to put the boxes.

Kitchen remodeling can be full of surprises, such as the discovery of hidden water damage or inadequate electrical or plumbing, which can have a significant impact on the scope and cost of the project. You may have to make quick decisions in order to avoid delays. For this reason, you should make sure that installers can easily reach you throughout the process so you can authorize any changes.