How much will my kitchen remodel cost?

How much will my kitchen remodel cost?

The kitchen has become the center of activity in the home. No wonder it is one of the most popular rooms to remodel. When embarking on a kitchen remodel it is important to have a realistic idea of the cost. Kitchens are often the largest investment you will make in your home. With so many elements involved; cabinets, appliances, flooring, countertops, lighting, ventilation, etc., the kitchen is much more complicated than a bedroom or living room to remodel. Determining an exact cost without site visits, design, and selections is difficult at best. Below we will try and give you a guide to help determine a budget for your kitchen remodel. At Jim Keller Kitchen, Bath & Home, we’ve been guiding our clients through the process of remodeling their kitchens for decades! 

Kitchen Remodel Budget Ranges Around Chicago

Here is a basic description of what is included in different levels of a kitchen remodel and how that applies to different sized kitchens. Design, labor, materials are included. Appliances, permit fees, decorative light fixtures are not included.

Basic Kitchen Remodel:                                                                                                                                        

This will freshen up your kitchen without making any major changes in the physical space. 

A basic remodel uses the existing cabinet and appliance layout. Existing or entry level flooring, stock cabinetry, keep existing soffits, in stock standard granite countertops, entry level sink faucet & hardware. No electric or plumbing relocation.

Mid-level Kitchen Remodel:                                                                                                                                      

A mid-level kitchen remodel is a step up in both price and quality. Upgrading the look and function of your space while keeping an eye on the budget. 

It can include layout changes within the existing space, refinish or new hardwood flooring, semi-custom cabinetry with more drawers and interior storage features, expanded stone countertop options, removal of soffits, undercabinet LED lighting, addition or relocation of recessed ceiling lighting, ceramic or porcelain tile backsplash.  

Luxury or Dream Kitchen Remodel:                                                                                                                                   

Luxury is just like it sounds, where you are after that truly special place. Form and function rule the day.

A luxury remodel includes wall removal to expand or relocate the kitchen space, new hardwood or tile flooring, custom cabinetry, upscale finishes, door styles, and moldings, exotic granite or quartz countertops, undercabinet, above cabinet, and in cabinet LED lighting with programmable remote, extensive ceiling lighting, porcelain or stone backsplash.   

Courtney Burnett with Dave Fox design build remodelers

Appliances for Kitchen Remodel

You will notice that appliances were not included on the budget examples. The range of appliance type costs can skew the budget of any size or level of kitchen. Below are some appliance packages that you can plug into your budget of choice above.

Kitchen Remodel Considerations

Understanding your budget

The above estimates are just averages and can vary on many factors such as the age of the home, what you find when opening the walls, discovering that wiring isn’t up to code or finding rot or mold from a leaking dishwasher or plumbing from an upstairs bath. Be sure to allow for the unexpected, especially if you are remodeling an older home.

Everyone has a budget, large or small. When we ask the question, “What is your budget?” the overwhelming answer is, “We don’t know”. Hopefully, the above examples will help you start to answer that question. Understanding what is most important to you and what you want to spend will make the process move along much more comfortably.

Other kitchen remodeling resources

A fantastic resource to help start establishing a budget is remodeling magazine’s Cost vs Value report. https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2020/.  It provides a good look at what costs are averaging nationally and in your area for kitchens or any other home improvement project.

A lot of other factors can influence what you spend on a kitchen remodel. The size of the space, the value of the home, and your neighborhood are just a few. The internet is littered with cost estimates and calculators. Many have “too good to be true” estimates with little to no information. Be wary of ones linked to services asking you to sign up at the end.

Know what your priorities are

Decide what is most important to accomplish with your remodel. Bring your list when you meet your kitchen designer. Tell them what you are looking for and what you think your budget is. We help clients understand how all these items impact the budget and help them understand their tradeoffs and their options.

The kitchen really is the heart of the home. We provide our clients with the highest level of service to help them get the very most out of their kitchen remodel. From up front planning and consultation, through design and construction, to the day you are able to begin using your new kitchen, you can rely on Jim Keller Kitchen, Bath & Home to guide you every step of the way. Call us today at 847.844.1900 if you live in the Barrington, Elgin, or Crystal Lake areas, and you can begin creating the perfect kitchen or bath for your home!

Tips For Surviving Your Kitchen Remodel

Tips For Surviving Your Kitchen Remodel

Any remodeling project in your home requires patience and preparation. But when remodeling a kitchen, that can reach a whole new level – after all, we have to eat! Our decades of experience have taught us many ways to minimize your inconvenience.  In fact, we invite you to take advantage of the great tips we’ve put together for you whether you’re located in Barrington, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, Elgin, East Dundee or West Dundee.

Your journey starts well before the remodeling begins. Getting ready for your kitchen remodel project is a great time to clean out all those crowded cabinets and get rid of unnecessary items.  Pack up your kitchen – and remember to label boxes clearly to make unpacking a lot easier. Make sure to mark fragile items accordingly to avoid breakage. Find a place to store everything away from the construction area. It’s also a good idea to remove items such as painting or pictures from the walls leading to and from the work area. Other items need special attention too. Construction creates dust, while hepa construction fans and cordoning off the work area make a big difference,here simply isn’t any way to completely avoid it. If you have a fish tank or delicate electrical equipment in close proximity to the work, it is important to keep them well covered and protected. 

Choose a safe enclosed area to store your new kitchen cabinets and appliances when they arrive. It’s a good idea to have space cleared out and ready for delivery. The garage is often the ideal spot. You’ll also want to designate a safe spot for workers to store their tools. 

Next, plan a location for your temporary kitchen outside the remodeling area. If you have a hot plate, microwave, and a toaster or  toaster oven, these can really come in handy. Here are a few other key items to keep in mind for your temporary kitchen:

  • Plan a space for the refrigerator. 
  • Consider where your water source will be in relation to your temporary kitchen.
  • Keep cleaning supplies and dish towels handy. 
  • Stock your freezer with microwavable meals.
  • Make sure you have your coffee maker and electric kettle for tea handy, including filers, coffee, and tea bags. 
  • Gather your everyday utensils that you use most often, such as can openers, bottle and wine openers, your favorite knives, large spoons and spatulas.
  • Remember your cooking basics, like butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and favorite spices.
  • Minimize washing up by using paper plates & napkins, as well as disposable silverware.
  • Coffee Maker (don’t forget to put the filters and coffee close at hand too!)
  • Designate a table and chairs to use for eating – use tv trays in your living room

No matter how much you prepare, the limitations imposed by a temporary kitchen can get old! That’s why we advise many of our clients to think of your remodel as a fantastic time to try all the new restaurants you’ve wanted to go to. Make a list before it starts and see how many you can check off. Eating out is a nice diversion when you just can’t stand another microwave meal.

If you have pets, you’ll want to have a place where you can safely keep them away from the construction. If you can’t find a safe area in your home, investigate pet daycare options or make play dates for them to visit their furry friends. You can even board them at a kennel for short periods.

At Jim Keller Kitchen, Bath and Home, we take our commitment to our clients seriously. We’ll go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure your remodeling experience is as smooth and easy as possible. We’ll guide and advise you every step of the way.

Your first step to the kitchen of your dreams is just a phone call away. Call us today at 847.844.1900 if you live in the Barrington, East Dundee, Algonquin or Lake Of The Hills IL, and you can begin creating the perfect kitchen or bath for your home!

Personal Attention Every Step of the Way

Personal Attention Every Step of the Way

As a family-owned business for over 20 years based in East Dundee IL, we know that relationships matter. What’s more, we understand that building a custom kitchen or bath is one of the biggest investments you will make in your home – and you want everything to go smoothly. When you work with Jim Keller Kitchen, Bath & Home, you can rely on personalized service and close oversight from the initial design meeting to the final installation. 

Getting to know you – the first meeting

Recently, a couple came into our showroom with a vision for their new kitchen remodeling project, but were unsure how to get started. Armed with their wish list – and an understanding of what wasn’t working in their current kitchen, they sat down with us for an initial consultation. This is an important step that allows us to really get to know our clients better. We asked questions to draw out their wants and needs. Then, most importantly, we listened as they answered, shared their personal experiences, and told us stories that brought their project to life.

One of the things we want to clarify right away is a client’s priorities. For example, is the project driven by design, function, budget, or something else. We talk about the floorplan and size, an overview of cabinets and appliances, their likes and dislikes, and more. By the end of that first meeting, we aim to have a firm grasp of their personalities, their style, their budget, and what things are most important to them. We take personal care of each client whether from Barrington, Elgin, Lake In The Hills, West Dundee or right in our neighborhood in East Dundee IL.

Walking through the Initial design concept

Using the information gathered in the first meeting, we generate a concept and design that incorporates the client’s needs and wants, as well as keeping an eye on the budget that we’re working within.

The first design meeting is always full of anticipation! We walk our clients through the initial design, showing how we’ve incorporated what they are looking for, asking them what they think, and pointing out any trade-offs or decisions they might need to make. This meeting is a true partnership, where we and our client work hand-in-hand to further refine the design. Once the major strokes of the design are finalized, we agree to a design retainer and kick off the next phase of the project!

Guiding clients through decision-making

As the project begins, it is time to make decisions. A major kitchen project is always an evolving process. Using a combination of hand drawings and computer renderings, our clients get to see what their project will look like. We work closely with a client to guide them through the decision-making process and keep them from becoming overwhelmed. 

Once the final layout is approved and appliances are chosen, we move to more detailed decisions, such as cabinet finish, wood species, door style, etc choices. After those major decisions are made, we begin to look at some of the more detailed decisions: choosing sinks and faucets, cabinet hardware, countertop ma, backsplash, paint colors, lighting, and more. Our decades of experience mean we’ve got this down to a science to make it easy and organized for clients. With materials and fixtures chosen and ordered, the installation phase begins.

Our next blog post in this series is focused on what you can do before construction starts to stay sane while you don’t have a functioning kitchen.

Time and time again, our clients tell us that great communication and close working relationships they have with us simply produce better results. We think of what we do as building kitchen “furniture” that can last a lifetime or beyond. Through our process, clients become friends because, together, we’ve built a foundation of trust. We try to make the entire process fun, without the problems and drama that happen with other companies. In fact, recently, we had clients take us out for dinner at the end of the job!

The first step is just a phone call away. Call us today at 847.844.1900 if you live in the Barrington, Elgin, or Crystal Lake areas, and you can begin creating the perfect kitchen or bath for your home!

Custom Kitchen Furniture with a Personal Touch

Custom Kitchen Furniture with a Personal Touch

Remodeling a kitchen is one of the biggest investments most homeowners make. Yet most kitchen cabinet manufacturers force homeowners to design their kitchens around standard sizes and styles. Often this results in unsightly seams or inefficient layouts with wasted space. 

At Jim Keller Kitchens, we take a wholly different approach. We start with your space, your style, and your needs, then we work directly with you to design a kitchen that is fully customized for you and how you use your space – not the other way around! We build cabinets exactly to your dimensions, so that what you end up with is the look of fine handcrafted furniture that fits perfectly in your kitchen.

We’ll work with you to maximize how your kitchen functions, configuring pull-out shelving, doors that open and close with a touch, islands with seating for the family, and all the modern kitchen conveniences. In addition, you aren’t limited to a few basic color options, simply choose colors that complement the rest of your home. At Jim Keller Kitchens, we put our clients first, so you can count on us working with you every step of the way to make your dream kitchen a reality. 

We give every client our personal attention. If you live in the Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Lake In The Hills area and are considering a kitchen or bath remodel, give us a call at 847.844.1900 to get started.

Exciting Kitchen Design Trends for 2020

Exciting Kitchen Design Trends for 2020

At Jim Keller Kitchen and Bath & Home, we are constantly looking at what’s new and interesting when it comes to kitchen design. The kitchen used to be a after thought, stuck in the back and closed off from the rest of the home. Now they are the center of activity, the gathering place, the entertainment center of the home. If you are thinking about a kitchen remodel, here’s are few of the latest trends and ideas that we are seeing.

Color in the Kitchen

White kitchens have been popular for a long time and they are still the most requested finish. Adding some color too an island or accent piece is a great way to make it your own. Using wood for and island has long been a staple but now were seeing contrasting paints moving in. Blues and greens that have the feel of nature are becoming favorites. Cabinets manufactures can match fan deck colors from your go to paint supplier or even come up with a custom color just for you!

Photo Credit Trim Design

Backsplashes are another way to bring color into the kitchen. The 3×6 white subway tile is being replaced by colored glass tile and other non traditional shapes and finishes

Another way to bring color into your kitchen and provide a focal point are brightly colored appliances. Appliance manufacturers like Viking, KitchenAid, Bluestar and others offer a range of colors – even custom color matching in some cases!

Photo credit Bluestar

The Warmth of Wood in the Kitchen

While wood never completely went away in the tidal wave of white, it has taken a back seat for a while. However there are some new trends appearing. Wood is making a comeback! Wood accents in glass cabinets really warm up the painted white. Walnut and dark hickory are the new cherry and oak. Distressing and glazing can bring that antique furniture feel to a hutch or island. Wood counter- tops, maybe with a live edge really add that finishing touch.

Inset cabinets

What is old is new again! Inset style cabinetry can be traced back to early construction methods used by artisans. The door and drawers are “inset” into the face frame of the cabinetry creating a flush look to the cabinet. Partial inset, a newer version of inset, allows the doors and drawers to sit slightly proud of the face frame leading to a more transitional style. Inset is very versatile, with its many options it can give you that farmhouse look or a more formal style. Inset cabinetry is a great way stand out from the crowd and get that high end kitchen look and feel. Careful though, many manufactures are starting to add inset to their lineups but most still build using the traditional individual cabinet construction method. This requires double “stiles” and a visible seam between each individual cabinet. Inset done right requires gang built construction minimizing seams and those extra stiles.

Matte finish quartz

Matte finish quartz has really come on recently. Manufacturers like Cambria and Silestone are introducing matte versions of their colors. The matte marble look is particularly popular. Matte eliminates most of the reflections of its glossy counterpart. Undercabinet and overhead light reflections disappear. Matte countertops create a rich look and also help set your new kitchen apart from the crowd.

Photo credit Cambria

These are just a few of the exciting kitchen trends we are seeing as we head into 2020. Hopefully you find this helpful and informative. Please share with your friends. If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen, give us a call us at 847.844.1900 or send us an email at info@jimkellerkitchens.com. If you live in the Barrington, St. Charles, Crystal Lake or surrounding areas, we can begin creating the perfect kitchen or bath for your home!

5 High-End Kitchen Countertop Choices

5 High-End Kitchen Countertop Choices

While granite has been the most popular countertop option throughout the years, it’s made its mark on the design world and is now being taken over by newer high-end materials. Although it’s still a popular option, you have many other choices to consider for your kitchen countertops.  

Are you aware of which countertops are trendy that will add a great deal of style to your space?

We have installed many luxurious and high end countertops for many families in Barrington, Inverness, St Charles, IL and more, and that’s why we have gathered five high-end kitchen countertop choices that you could display within your own home to create that perfect space. If you would like to learn more about these countertop design trends, be sure to continue reading or contact us:

  • Two Countertops Are Better Than One. Why have just one countertop when you could have two? Instead of highlighting one material in your kitchen, you can combine two different materials that complement each other and create versatility in your space. Some choose to break up the large expanse off their central island as a way to define its multiple functions. For example, your preparation area can showcase a sleek quartzite or marble, while a finished walnut can warm up your seating area for a stunning combination.
  • A Timeless Classic. If you want your kitchen to stand the test of time, have it showcasing a black and white appearance. You can update your space but still have it complementing some architectural roots. A timeless style of white cabinets paired with black countertops provides a bright yet edgy appearance. Incorporating a honed finish, or matte look to your countertops showcases a more muted finish with little shine, or maybe you would prefer a glossy quartz with marble veins. There are so many options to match your tastes even when it’s just black and white.
  • Precious Stones. You have the opportunity to add a great deal of style and beauty to your kitchen with the use of precious stones. You can have your countertops in all stone for a truly luxurious appearance. You can also make your kitchen one of a kind by incorporating precious stones, which adds dimension and gives an eye-catching appearance. Popular choices include jade, rose quartz, blue agate, even copper.
  • Marble. If you are searching for a countertop material that has been a kitchen countertop staple for years, then look no further than marble! Extremely durable, marble is sure to not only make a beautiful statement throughout your kitchen but hold up for many years to come. Marble is a popular trend for islands and lately many choose to waterfall the marble vertically down to the floor instead of using flat countertops, for a more sophisticated statement. From black to white, you can discover the perfect color of marble to complement your personal taste.
  • Brazilian Blue Stone. Have your kitchen highlighting a one of a kind appearance by choosing Brazilian blue stone for your countertops! This unique material will create your countertops to be a focal point within your space. Pair yours with shaker-style white cabinets and you will create a bright and welcoming kitchen that everyone will certainly enjoy.

Luxurious kitchens should present a high-end appearance! As the heart of your home, you want your kitchen to be a representation of your personal style and taste. These are just five of the luxury countertops options that you could choose to present within your own home and we would love the opportunity to speak with you about your design ideas for your kitchen.

Are you ready to install high end counter tops in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago? If so, please contact us here at Jim Keller Kitchen, Bath & Home, as we would be pleased with the opportunity to help you.