Kitchen remodels are one of those home improvement project categories that require a little more planning ahead of time than others. We lived in our house during the kitchen renovation and that in itself was stressful but having to keep track of all the things to consider during this project without a detailed checklist added more stress to it. Today, I’m sharing my kitchen renovation checklist template with you. This is the checklist I wish I had during our kitchen remodel!
You can use this checklist as a starting point to help you plan your kitchen renovation! This free printable kitchen remodel checklist will help you get an overview of some of the things to consider during a kitchen makeover.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links, you can find more information in my disclosures here.
Kitchen Remodel Planning Phase
I recommend dedicating some time to the planning phase! This is really important because there are a lot of things to consider before getting started with the actual kitchen remodel.
Here are some things to make decisions on during the planning phase:
- Budget: How much are you willing/able to spend on your kitchen remodel? A basic DIY kitchen refresh (like painting walls, painting existing kitchen cabinets, updating some hardware and redecorating) can cost as little as a couple hundred dollars but a full kitchen remodel with a completely new kitchen design can (and most likely will!) cost thousands. It’s important to know your budget before considering anything else because your remodel options will vary depending on your budget.
- Timeline: How quickly would you like to be done with your kitchen remodel and what will your kitchen remodel schedule look like? A quick refresh can be a fun weekend project but a full kitchen remodel can take weeks or months if you decide to tackle it on your own. This is especially important to consider to help you decide if you plan on living in your house without a fully functioning kitchen for a while or if you plan on moving out of your home temporarily.
- DIY vs. Contractor: Would you like to take your kitchen remodel on as a DIY project? A quick refresh with paint can be a great beginner-friendly project but a DIY full kitchen remodel will require some more experience. The alternative to taking your kitchen remodel on as a DIY project is hiring it out. Typically, that would involve a general contractor who manages all the different parts of a kitchen makeover. Of course, hiring out a kitchen remodel impacts the budget. You could also do a mix of both, which is what we did! We hired out most of the “big stuff” and tackled the remaining elements of our kitchen renovation process (like the kitchen cabinets installation) ourselves. You can read more about that in my kitchen reveal post.
- Layout: Based on your decisions around budget, timeline and DIY vs. contractor, do you plan to leave your existing kitchen layout as is or do you plan on changing the layout of your kitchen? Do walls need to be removed to add more space, are you planning on adding more counterspace or changing the location of any of the appliances? Generally, structural changes will increase the kitchen remodel cost and permits might be required but they can also increase the value of your home in some cases.
- Design: This is the fun part of the kitchen remodeling planning phase to bring your dream kitchen to life! I typically collect some inspiration for my projects on a dedicated Pinterest board. Usually, one specific element catches my eye and the design plan evolves from there.
Checklist for Kitchen Remodel
Once you’re done with each step of the planning phase of your kitchen makeover, you can start working on the kitchen remodel checklist by allocating a budget to each line item and sourcing products and materials that fit your needs.
Here is the checklist for a full kitchen remodel and I’ve also included a printable kitchen remodel checklist pdf!
Printable Kitchen Remodel Checklist pdf
- General/Structural
- Permits
- Demolition
- Framing/drywall
- Paint/caulk
- Doors
- Electrical
- Light fixtures
- Light/dimmer switches
- Changes to appliance locations
- Kitchen island wiring
- Outlets/outlet covers
- Plumbing
- Sink area (Faucet, drinking water, garbage disposal)
- Fridge area (Water line for water dispenser, ice maker)
- Pot filler
- Appliances
- Range
- Fridge
- Dishwasher
- Other (microwave, range hood, etc.)
- Miscellaneous
- Cabinets and cabinet doors
- Cabinet hardware (knobs, pulls, hinges)
- Backsplash
- Sink
- Countertops
- Pantry
- Flooring
- Wall treatments (shiplap, wallpaper, etc.)
- Moulding (baseboards, crown moulding, etc)
- Storage (shelves, etc.)
- Window treatments
- Decor
As you can see, there are a lot of things to consider during a kitchen remodel. It’s helpful to have a checklist for kitchen remodel to help plan and keep track of the whole project.
I hope this checklist for new kitchen will serve you as a guide and help you plan your new kitchen to avoid some kitchen remodel problems along the way!
Let me know if you have any questions or if you think something needs to be added to this printable kitchen remodel checklist pdf!
Tina
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