Kitchen Remodeling Tip

A great kitchen remodeling tip that is, in my opinion vastly overlooked, but makes perfect sense, is to install an ice-maker outlet box during the rough-in stage of framing.

You can do a simple, small-scale demolition process in the wall right behind where the refrigerator will sit. Have your plumber install the box to the framing, and make the necessary plumbing connections. Once the drywall is installed and finished and the finish plate of the box set, the result is a finished-looking, easy-to-use connection for your ice maker.

It looks good, allows for easier repairs should any arise, has the ability for quick line connect/disconnect applications, and gets rid of the messy long coil of copper tubing (old style) that generally keeps you from moving your refrigerator all the way back against the wall.

Some other great kitchen remodeling tips would include:

Demolition
Do all necessary demo work at the beginning of the remodel. That way, you will have everything you don't want out of the way and out of your hair. Don't demo the kitchen on an "as is" basis. Do it all at the beginning. And, always keep the area clean of all debris after any demo, or even a small tear-out. You simply can work and maneuver better in an uncluttered environment.

Painting
behind cabinetry. Another great kitchen remodeling tip, is to do all the necessary prep, priming, and finish painting to the wall and ceiling space immediately above and around the cabinetry. Also, finish paint the wall where your range and refrigerator go as well. You do this to avoid the inevitable drips and brush marks on the cabinets if you were to paint after installation. By doing the painting before you install the cabinets, just a simple touch-up will suffice if needed.

Lighting
the lights. Have your electrician put all lights on dimmers to acomodate the many different levels of brightness people seem to prefer when cooking versus eating.

Plumbing and Wiring
When any plumbing or electrical work is needed, get a professional to do these things not only for the obvious safety aspect, but for the necessary code requirements that pertain to most all remodeling projects from the mundane, to the exotic.

Venting
Install vents in an exterior wall(s) if possible. Situate your range on the exterior wall where you can vent from your new range hood you wish to install. With this simple step, you eliminate the need for any additional soffits, or other unnecessary costs.