Top Things I Wish I Knew Before I Remodeling My Kitchen and What I’d Do Differently Next Time
How hard is it to do a full kitchen remodel yourself? Sure, it eats up all your free time, your friends don’t want to be around you, and your health gets worse. But you save tens of thousands of dollars and finally get a nice kitchen, one with real countertops instead of teal and salmon laminate.
I wish I had known these eight things before I remodeled my kitchen, and I would do the project differently next time.
For a Long Time, You Won’t Have a Kitchen
People were polite and quiet when I told them that my kitchen remodel would take a month to finish, at most two. They knew what I should have known.
It takes at least three months to finish a full kitchen remodel so you can cook a pot of pasta. That’s just the big things. Finishing the punch list of loose ends adds another month or two to the project.
What I would do differently next time: Set up a temporary kitchen that makes it easier for me to make healthy, fresh meals. It’s sad and bad for you to eat frozen food for three months. If I had to do it again, I would use real kitchenware instead of paper plates and set up an induction cooktop. I’d also plan to eat out at least once a week.
The Subfloor Needs to Be Replaced
The kitchen subfloor is the foundation of the room. The subfloor is what makes the flooring, appliances, tables, and most importantly, the base cabinets work.
The kitchen subfloor might still be in great shape if the house is only a few years old. You can get by with just pouring leveling compound or hammering in a few nails. If your house is older, though, the kitchen subfloor is probably in bad shape.
I spent a lot of time fixing the kitchen’s broken subflooring before I finally decided to take it out and put in a new one. I’m happy I did. The full sheets of 23/32-inch tongue-and-groove subfloor plywood make a great, smooth, and easy-to-use base for putting up the base cabinets.
The Insulation Will Be in Bad Shape
I got ready to find some bad spots in the insulation behind the kitchen drywall. I didn’t expect to find no insulation at all. No wonder my kitchen felt like ice every winter and my electric bills were through the roof.
Older homes often have walls that aren’t insulated. Even if the kitchen does have insulation, you can expect to find moldy insulation behind the sink, around the stove, or under the windows.
The rock-wool insulation I put in the kitchen walls keeps the kitchen warm in the winter and keeps the sound out very well.
Sometimes Experts Get It Wrong
The person who came to measure the countertop brought a laser level that he said cost $815. He also had years of experience, a tripod, and a few tape measures. There was one thing wrong, though. He never once looked at my sink.
I worked up the nerve to ask him to take the sink out of the box and look at it. He did this. After a moment, he quietly said, “I think you just saved my job.” He had guessed the wrong size for the sink.
It’s okay to ask the pros to double-check the measurements or explain something in a polite way. They expect it because you paid for it.
There Is No End to Packaging
We all know what it looks like when there are Amazon boxes by the door waiting to be thrown away. I thought there would be a few boxes with the kitchen renovation.
But I didn’t expect the piles of packing materials that kept growing. Everything comes in boxes, from big appliances to cabinet hardware. Every time you get cabinets, sinks, plumbing supplies, or electrical supplies, you get more cardboard, foam, and plastic.
Next time, I would use a spare bedroom or hallway to store the packaging. I’d also make sure to cut up all the boxes right away so they take up less space.
The Electrical System Isn’t Set in Stone
When you ask for an electrical permit, you need to list everything you want to do. Electrical inspectors want you to stick to the plan.
But a lot can change after the permit is given. I learned that I could make the kitchen’s electrical system more flexible. Sometimes, I had to take out cable and boxes that had already been put in. But it was worth it.
I put service loops on the electrical cables so that I could move the electrical boxes a few inches if I needed to. I also took down a few electrical boxes that were nailed to studs and put in adjustable boxes instead. Finally, I put in a few extra outlets, just in case.
Putting Together a Cabinet Is a Big Job
I got high-quality kitchen cabinets for a lot less than I thought I would have to pay. The cabinet boxes were made of 1/2-inch plywood that was good enough for furniture, and the doors and drawer fronts were made of solid wood. The only problem was that I had to put the cabinets together myself.
Putting together cabinets is not something to take lightly. You won’t be able to finish it in one night. It took me about a week to put together all the base and wall cabinets for the kitchen, in between doing other things in my life.
Ready-to-assemble (RTA) cabinets will make it much cheaper to fix up your kitchen. But it takes time to put them together, especially the first few when you’re still learning how to do it.
It’s Not Too Hard to Work with Drywall in the Kitchen
Putting up drywall can be stressful because you have to hang sheets, mud them, and sand them. Fine talc dust settles in every nook and cranny of the house. The drywall still doesn’t look right at the end, and you wish you had hired a professional to do it.
So, I got ready for the pain and suffering that was to come. But I didn’t think about the fact that most of the drywall would be hidden. The base cabinets, wall cabinets, large appliances, backsplash, and exhaust hood would cover up most of the drywall. Only about a quarter of it would be visible.
Important Advice for a Successful Kitchen Remodel
Remodeling your kitchen can change your home and make your daily life better. It’s an exciting journey. But there are a few important things to think about during the process that could make or break your project. Here’s a complete guide to help you avoid common mistakes when remodeling your kitchen:
1. Make a Budget That Makes Sense
Making a budget is one of the most important things you can do for any remodeling project. It’s easy to forget about costs, so make sure to plan carefully. Think about not only the cost of materials and labor, but also any extra costs that might come up. This could mean delays, unexpected problems with the structure, and the extra costs of eating out if your kitchen is going to be out of commission for a while. A well-thought-out budget will help you stay on track with your project and avoid money problems.
2. Put Functionality First
A kitchen remodel should be more than just pretty; it should also work well. The “kitchen triangle” idea is a good place to start. It means putting the sink, stove, and refrigerator in a way that makes it easy to move around and get things done. Make sure there is enough counter space for preparing food and enough storage to keep everything neat. A well-designed kitchen will not only make cooking easier, but it will also make your daily tasks more fun.
3. Make the Most of Storage Options
Storage that works well is a big deal in kitchen design. Think about adding things like deep drawers for pots and pans, pull-out shelves to make it easy to get to things, and a well-organized pantry for storing a lot of food. Having enough storage will help keep your kitchen clean and make it easier to find what you need when you need it.
4. Light Up Your Space
Lighting is very important for both how well your kitchen works and how it feels. Good lighting can change everything. Use a mix of task lighting, which lights up work areas like countertops, under-cabinet lighting, which makes your workspace brighter, and ambient lighting, which makes the room feel more inviting. Carefully planned lighting will make your kitchen more useful and more attractive.
5. Get Ready for Problems
A kitchen remodel can get in the way of your daily life and take longer than you thought it would. To get ready for this, set up a temporary kitchen space. This could be a small area in another room or even outside if that’s possible. Get ready for the noise, dust, and general chaos that comes with building. You can lessen the effect on your daily life and stay comfortable during the process by planning ahead.
6. Pick Materials That Will Last
When choosing materials for your kitchen, looks and durability are equally important. Choose high-quality materials that can handle daily use without breaking down. This is very important for floors, cabinets, and countertops. If you choose materials that last, your kitchen will stay beautiful and useful for a long time.
7. Think About How Much It Will Be Worth When You Sell It
It’s important to make a kitchen that fits your style and needs, but don’t forget to think about the future. Think about how the choices you make about your design could affect the value of your home when you sell it. Choosing classic, flexible features and high-quality finishes can make your kitchen more appealing to buyers and raise the value of your home as a whole.
8. Choose the Right Contractor
Choosing the right contractor can have a big impact on how well your remodel goes. Spend some time looking into possible contractors in depth. Check their references, read reviews, and make sure they are licensed and insured. A good contractor will not only give you expert advice, but they will also help you keep track of the timeline and budget so that your project goes smoothly and you are happy with the results.
Eight Trends in Kitchen Remodeling That Will Be Everywhere in
2026
More homeowners are choosing kitchen renovations that are both beautiful and useful. These renovations can add extra storage or get ready for future needs.
That’s what Houzz, a platform for construction and design, found out when it asked almost 1,800 homeowners about their recent or planned kitchen renovations. The U.S. Census Bureau just released the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study shows what people care about most when they want to update their kitchens.
Overall, the survey found that 41% of homeowners who are renovating their kitchens say they are doing it because they don’t like the style of the old kitchen. 38% say they are doing it because the kitchen is falling apart or not working right. Transitional aesthetics are the most popular choice for people who are changing the style of their kitchen, with 25% of people choosing them. Traditional, modern, and contemporary styles come next.
Features That Come with It
Houzz says that more than 75% of homeowners add built-in features when they remodel their kitchens. Pantry cabinets are the most popular choice, with 47 percent of people choosing them. Beverage stations come in second with 24 percent. People also like built-in seating, like banquettes, and wine fridges. Walk-in pantries and breakfast bars are lower on the list.
Butler’s Pantry
About 10% of homeowners who are renovating said they want to add a butler’s pantry or prep kitchen. Thirty percent of people say they want to keep clutter out of sight, and twenty-two percent say they want more storage.
Two-thirds (67 percent) of newly added or upgraded butler’s pantries have storage for small appliances, 61 percent have a prep counter, and 59 percent have cabinets that are closed off. Also, 52% of people have open shelves. Microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, and toasters are all common appliances that people put in their butler’s pantries.
Changes to the Cabinet
Most homeowners who were remodeling had cabinet upgrades on their to-do list (84 percent). More than two-thirds (68 percent) plan to replace all of their cabinets when they remodel their kitchens. Just over a quarter (27 percent) will only replace some of them.
According to Houzz, almost all of the homeowners who were asked (94 percent) will add special storage features to their new cabinets. This includes pull-out trash or recycling bins (64 percent) and cabinets or drawers made just for cookie sheets or trays (55 percent), spices (41 percent), and cutlery (38 percent). Revolving corner trays, pullout shelves, and deep drawer organizers are some of the things on the list that can help you reach hard-to-reach places.
Wood Cabinets
Wood is now the most popular color for cabinets in renovated kitchens, with 29 percent of people choosing it, up 6 percent from last year and more popular than white (28 percent). Medium wood tones are the most popular, with 15% of people choosing them. Light wood tones come in second with 11%, and dark wood tones come in third with 3%. Off-white was the most popular color, with 15 percent of the votes. Green (6 percent) just beat out gray (5 percent). Less than 5% of renovated kitchens used blue, beige, black, or greige.
When it comes to hardware, almost all of the homeowners who are remodeling (95 percent) choose cabinets with handles. Bar pulls are the most popular (74%), followed by knobs (37%), cup pulls (10%), and finger pulls (9%). 28% of people like brushed nickel the best, followed by black (18%) and brushed gold (12%).
Backsplashes Made of Tile and Slabs
Tile is still the most popular material for backsplashes in renovated kitchens, with 72% of kitchens having tile backsplashes. However, slab backsplashes are becoming more popular. The survey found that ceramic is the most popular type of tile (49 percent) and engineered quartz is the most popular type of slab (39 percent).
Walls and Floors That Are Neutral
Houzz says that homeowners who are remodeling still like neutral colors for their kitchens. Off-white is still the most popular wall color, with 29% of people choosing it. White, gray, blue, and beige come next. Wood tones are still the most popular choice for flooring colors, with 49 percent of homeowners choosing wood floors. Brown was the second most popular color, but it has dropped four percentage points from last year. Gray, beige, and off-white are the other three colors in the top five.
More Intelligent Appliances
According to Houzz, a lot of homeowners who are remodeling are choosing new appliances. For example, 78% of them are choosing refrigerators or freezers with special features like alerts for when the water filter needs to be changed (64%) and adjustable temperature zones (49%). In the same way, 62% of people said they would put in ovens with extra features, such as remote monitoring and control (36%), control locks (30%), and accurate temperature settings (28%).
Bigger Kitchen Islands
58% of homeowners who were remodeling said they added or updated a kitchen island. 29 percent of people who added a new island and 29 percent of people who upgraded an existing island were the same. Houzz found that 36% of renovated kitchens don’t have an island, and 6% of homeowners who are renovating kept their existing island as is.
Fifty-two percent of upgraded kitchen islands are longer than seven feet, thirty percent are between six and seven feet, and eighteen percent are shorter than six feet. This year, 80% of homeowners who are remodeling still prefer rectangular-shaped islands. A smaller number of homeowners prefer L or U shapes or square designs. A single island is in almost all of the kitchens that have upgraded islands (96 percent). Only 3 percent have two islands.
