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Home Improvements - Questions and Answers
When considering home improvements, it is important to ask
family members for their opinions. So, how do you evaluate the
answers?
Typical Discoveries
Talking with family members about home improvements will lead to
surprising answers....
How to Deal With Contractors
Not everyone is aware of how to deal with contractors. Imagine that your Home Improvement Loan has been granted. What do you do next? Do you rush out and find the first available contractor and offer them your cash? Not a good move. Whether you're...
Installing a Brick or Paver Walkway
The key to installing a Brick or Paver Walkway is to first properly prepare the area where the bricks/pavers are to be installed. The area should be dug out at least a foot down, removing all topsoil and clay soil. Once the area has been dug down,...
Real Estate Terms – From Condominiums To Deeds Of Trust
When buying or selling a property, it always helps to have a basic understanding of real estate terms. In this on going series of articles, we take a look at definitions starting with "condominium."
1) Condominium - A type of ownership in real...
Refinish Your Hardwood Floor Like a Pro
This article is written by a pro of refinishing hardwood floors since I have done too many to count. Maybe 300 would be a good guess.
My father was in the business full time (as well as aluminum windows and doors (which I'll write another...
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Kitchen Cabinets - Reface or Replace?
Kitchen Cabinets - Reface or Replace?
Homeowners sometimes ask themselves if they really need to
replace the cabinets. Why not just "reface" them ? To decide if
your kitchen remodel warrants replacing cabinets or you should
consider refacing instead, take this brief quiz:
1. What is the MAIN reason you are considering remodeling?
A. Just want a fresh new look
B. Need more counterotop work space.
C. Need more storage or to add an 'eat in space'
D. Need new appliances, sink of floor covering
E. Cabinet drawers stick or otherwise don't work or other
cabinet problems
2. Is the value of your home rising?
A. No
B. Yes
3. Have others in your neighborhood remodeled the kitchen in the
past 5 years?
4. How long do you plan to stay in your home?
A. One year or less before we sell
B. Plan to stay 3-5 years before we sell
C. Plan to stay in this home indefinitely
If your answer to more than one of these questions is "A",
refacing might be the right choice. "Refacing" is a general term
for a process of replacing doors and drawer fronts and includes
placement of a veneer to match the new wood species and finish
on the cabinet frames. (Some refacers also offer optional
replacement of the entire drawer and drawer glide system and
adding other interior functional features.)
Positive Results You May Obtain by Refacing Your Cabinets
* Costs less than cabinet replacement
* Fresh, new look for your cabinets
* More pleasant or up-to-date environment
* Possibly interior functional features for extra cost
* More appealing to potential home buyers
Refacing Cautions
* Same
old traffic, workspace and storage problems have not been
improved upon.
* Future decision to do the complete job and make floor plan
improvements would mean replacing the countertop and sink a
second time. The same for floor coverings and wallpaper.
* No opportunity to enhance the kitchen with specialty cabinets
like dish or wine rack, etc.
* Interior of cabinet remains the same; so does interior
maintenance
* Warranty is for new products only. Basic cabinets are not
covered
Positive Results You Can Expect by Replacing Your Cabinets
* The opportunity to improve the traffic, work patterns and
storage space in your floorplan
* One time sink and countertop replacement. (If a few years
after refacing you decide to tackle the entire kitchen and make
general improvements, countertops and sink cannot be
re-installed on new cabinets
* Stronger, more durable cabinets throughout
* Solid wood face frames, not veneer applied to the surface
* The possibility of enhancing the beauty of the kitchen by
adding specialty cabinets such as a wine rack or display cabinet
* Light, attractive easy to clean interiors
* Warranty on the entire cabinet, not just the doors and drawers
Best Advice
The price difference between refacing and replacing may be
minimal when the overall value is considered. Replacing cabinets
does dictate the replacement of countertops, sink, built-in
appliances and probably floor covering. The additional cost for
completely new cabinets compared to refaced old cabinets may be
quite small. In some instances, the difference is as little as
10%. Be a wise shopper!
About the author:
SuperKitchens.com offers tips on getting the most out of your
kitchen redesign projects. For more tips, visit
http://www.superkitchens.com
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