Hawaii kitchen remodeling checklist - John Cook Kitchens Honolulu, Hawaii.

Kitchen Remodeling Checklist

Before we begin:
1. Get dimensions of your existing kitchen including wall lengths, wall heights, window and door sizes and locations from the corners of the room and any other pertinent information that will affect layout of your kitchen (i.e. - electrical panel in the room to be remodeled and its location). Or - if the kitchen will be relocated or expanded into an entirely different room, get dimensional information about that room as well. If you have architectural drawings of your existing home, gather those for review with our staff.

2. Take photos (digital photos are best) of the area(s) to be remodeled (including exterior photos if remodeling will involve exterior walls) and have them available for our staff.

3. Answer the questions below and have them available for our staff when you come in.

4. Set up an appointment with one of our staff to come in and go over your remodeling ideas. Bring all the information you have gathered including any magazine photos, etc. of designs, appliances, counters, colors, and other things you like or would like for your new kitchen

General
1. Do you have a budget you are attempting to stay under ? What is that budget ?

2. Will John Cook Kitchens be acting as the General Contractor or as a Subcontractor to another General ?

3. Will people be living in the home during construction?

4. Are there schedule constraints, such as a deadline for relatives arriving or graduation party, etc., that will need to be met? (design can take a month or more, ordering will take around two months, construction can take from one to three months depending on scope or work - total approximately 4 to 7 months to complete).

Layout / Design
1. Do you want to expand the Kitchen outside to the exterior of your home ? If so, describe. Also, if so, what is exterior of house (shingles, stucco, etc.)

2. Do you want to expand the Kitchen into other interior rooms of the house requiring walls to be removed, relocated ? If so, describe

3. If no walls are to be removed or relocated (i.e. - Kitchen will stay in the same location and remain the same overall size), do you want to relocate existing appliances, change existing cabinet layout, etc. within that room ?

4. Will any exterior windows or exterior doors be replaced or modified in this remodel?

5. How tall are the ceilings? Are they flat or sloped?

Cabinets
1. Are the cabinet boxes to be made out of plywood (more expensive) or particle board?

2. What cabinet door style is desired - either a specific door style name from our brochure or a generic style (flat panel, recessed panel, raised panel, "simple", lots of detail, etc.)?

2a. What finish is desired on cabinet door (i.e. wood species with stain, . laminate, Thermofoil, painted, antiquing, distressing, etc.)

3. Do you want to include an allowance for specific cabinet accessories (such as trash pullout, cutlery inserts, spice racks, tray dividers, rollout shelves, glass for display in cabinet doors, interior cabinet lights, etc.)?

Countertops
1. What countertop material are you thinking of using ? (granite, Corian, laminate, Silestone, Zodiac, tile, concrete, etc.)

2. What type of backsplash is desired ? (standard 4" in. high backsplash, cove - if Corian is involved, full height backsplash, backsplash of another material such as tile in conjunction with stone countertop, etc.)

Flooring
1. Do you want to replace the existing flooring ?

2. What are you thinking of for the new flooring ? (ceramic tile, porcelain tile, natural stone, real wood, "Pergo" or similar, etc.)

3. If new flooring is to be installed, what is the existing flooring, and what is under the existing flooring (concrete slab, plywood subfloor, etc.)?

4. If new flooring is to be installed, what is the extent of the new flooring (will it be only in the room to be remodeled or will it extend into other areas of the home)?

5. What is the adjacent flooring in the other rooms that the new flooring will connect to at doorways, entrances, etc.)?

Appliances
1. Will the existing appliances be salvaged or replaced with new?

2. If some appliances are to be salvaged, which ones are they?

3. Circle any new appliances or related items to be purchased - Refrigerator, separate freezer, dishwasher, single oven, double oven, cooktop, hood, downdraft ventilation, microwave, compactor, sink, faucet, soap dispenser, garbage disposal, other (list any others)

Finishes
1. What finish are you thinking of for the walls (paint, wall covering, specialty finish)?

2. Will the new wall finish extend beyond the room to be remodeled into adjacent rooms?

3. What is the existing ceiling in the rooms to be remodeled and will it require modification prior to painting (example: If the ceiling has spray on acoustic "popcorn", this may need to be removed and prepared for paint)?

Lighting
1. Will existing lighting be replaced?

2. Is additional lighting desired to be added in the room?

3. Is under cabinet lighting desired?

4. What types of lighting will be replaced or added in the ceilings (i.e., surface mounted, recessed can lights, pendant, etc.)?

Specialties
1. Are there other items in the room that will be relocated, revised, modified (such as television cable, telephone, intercom / speakers, alarm systems, irrigation controls, etc.)?

Plumbing and Air Conditioning
1. Do you want an ice-maker for the refrigerator ?

2. Is there a hot water heater in the room or will the existing hot water heater need to be modified, relocated, or replaced during this remodel ?

3. Is there a gas line to the kitchen or will one be required for gas cooking?

4. Is there central air-conditioning that is connected to this room?

5. If no central air, is there a free standing, wall mounted or window mounted air conditioner in the room(s) to be remodeled?

Electrical
1. Is the electrical in the unit up to current electrical code?

2. Are there existing smoke detectors in all the rooms in the home?

3. Is the existing electrical panel currently utilized to its maximum capacity ? (i.e. - is the panel "full" and possibly requires upgrading ?)

4. What room is the existing electrical panel in ? (current electric codes do not allow electrical panels to be located in closets. Existing electrical panels in closets may have to be relocated during remodeling)