Most kitchen remodeling contractors will advise you to pick kitchen appliances out before designing the rest of the kitchen. If your appliances are to be the same ones that are in your kitchen now, then you don’t have any problems in selecting them. If you are relocating the appliances however, their hookups to the necessary utilities will need to be relocated, so the appliances will still need to be an early decision. In many cases, the cabinets outlast the appliances for one reason or another, so picking oddly sized appliances may not be something you wish to do unless you are certain it’s replacement will fill the gap in the cabinets similarly. Let’s look at some of the items to consider with appliances, before kitchen design can take place.

Be Certain To Purchase The Correct Appliances In Advance

Avoid costly mistakes by picking the appliances first. If you have your heart set on a certain design, and submit that idea to the contractor, make sure that you have the exact measurements of appliances that you have already purchased. Even if you look at a catalogue or website and choose one that is in stock, there is no guarantee that it will be when your kitchen is done. You may be forced into getting a refrigerator, microwave or stove that you don’t like, or doesn’t match simply because it was in stock, and fits the design you have. Alternatively if you purchased them in advance, and they do not match your design, delivery and installation of the replacement for the replacement can increase expenses. Alterations on the kitchen remodeling contractor’s part due to improperly sized appliances can also be costly.

Contractors Need To Run Utility Lines For Appliances Before Installing Cabinets

A few items we must mention are any water lines, electric lines, or gas lines that are needed to allow your kitchen appliances to function properly once they are put in the kitchen. If you are relocating your stove or dish washer to an island or another section of the wall then contractors will need to know before hand so they can make the necessary adjustments. If you are getting a refrigerator with a water dispenser or ice maker when your previous refrigerator didn’t already have that functionality, they will need to plan where to run the plumbing. 

Everything Needs To Fit In Between The Cabinets

You likely have an idea of how you wish your kitchen to look. Depending on the size of your appliances, and their location that may not be feasible. Cabinet’s are pretty modular, and there are different out of the box options, but sometimes a contractor needs to make their own adjustments. If you buy the appliances in advance, select their position in advance and commit to it, you can always modify the cabinet layout and structure. When remodeling your kitchen and the refrigerator you chose late in the process can not have an inch taken off of it to allow it to fit in its designated spot. 

When Picking Out Appliances First, Keep The Cabinets In Mind

Even though you are picking out the appliances as recommended you will still need to get their measurements and compare it to your existing kitchen if the layout is changing, or the size of the appliances is changing. 

If you upgrade to larger appliances and have not looked at those measurements alongside your kitchen, you may end up with less countertop and cabinet space than desired. This is especially likely if you have a small kitchen. In some cases you can knock out a wall and take a little bit of space off of the dining room or another adjacent living area. Others you may not be as lucky. Make sure the appliances you choose do not dominate too much space in your kitchen remodel to where you run out of space later for your working and storage elements. 

Work With An Experienced Contractor For Kitchen Remodeling Services

While you may be tempted to hire a handyman who will work for less; they may not have worked long enough on kitchens to catch some of the pitfalls before they happen. If you call Gilbert Tile at (412) 341- 5955 and ask for Bill Gilbert, you are starting a conversation with a kitchen remodeler who has been doing it long enough to know what not to do, and how to best serve you for a functional and aesthetic finished product.