The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, so it makes sense to carefully plan out your kitchen remodeling. In recent years, remodeled kitchens have been seen as the perfect room to kick start a home-renovation project. Remodeling the kitchen is also a popular choice for homeowners who want to add value to their homes. But there’s also a growing worry that renovations and redesigns make a lot of waste and use up a lot of resources. Here are four more ways to approach kitchen remodeling on a sustainable basis:
Sustainable Materials. One way to improve the environmental impact of your kitchen remodel is to choose durable materials. Non-toxic and recyclable countertops, for example, are now becoming more common, as they’re both more attractive and more Earth-friendly. They’re also more economical to produce, since landfills tend to fill up faster than recycling facilities can dispose of them. And custom countertops made of durable materials can actually increase the value of your home.
Durable Materials. Yet another way to cut down on kitchen remodeling waste is to make sure your cabinetry and flooring go with your overall design. If you want to cut your total cost of remodeling by about 30% just by choosing quality materials over a cheaper option, then you need to put some thought into your cabinetry choices. First, look for materials that are manufactured from recycled material, such as reclaimed wood. Secondly, if you’re going to use laminate over hardwood flooring, look for laminate that’s made from reclaimed wood or recycled barn lumber.
A Dedicated Project. Even though you might think your cabinets are easy enough to replace, a kitchen remodeling project requires a custom cabinetmaker to install each piece. As such, some people choose to have a professional install their new cabinets, saving them money in the long run. However, if you want to have your kitchen remodeling project completed by a dedicated professional kitchen remodeling company, it’s best to pre-order your cabinets so you know how much they’re going to cost. Pre-orders help guarantee that the cabinets will be exactly how you want when they arrive and let the professionals build them exactly to your specifications.
Planning and Design. If you’re planning on doing the kitchen remodeling yourself, then you have a lot of planning to do before beginning. First, decide how much space you want to max out at and which type of cabinets and features you’re going to include. Then, create a budget, work out the details of your custom kitchen cabinets (such as where you’ll put your custom doors) and begin collecting materials. In most cases, custom kitchen remodels can take two weeks or more to complete, so make sure you have plenty of time to get everything done.
Appliances and Controls. You’ll also need to invest in certain types of appliances and cabinetry for your custom kitchen remodeling. Whether you opt for a custom built in appliances and control units, or custom designed and manufactured components, be sure to pick the right ones for your home. Energy star is an important factor in this decision and choosing high quality products with energy star certification can save you thousands over the life of the appliance.