Ashby Remodeling & Services provides you with the following checklist for your use. We hope that you find them helpful and we are happy to answer any questions that you may have about them.

Please contact us if you have questions or concerns regarding these checklists.

• Remodeling Preparation Checklist
• Kitchen Remodeling Checklist
• Bathroom Remodeling Checklist

Home remodeling ranks high among life’s stressful events. And no wonder, your home will become a worksite and a source of disruption to your daily routines for weeks or even months to come. During construction, keeping your inconvenience to a minimum is a priority and we'll use our relationships with suppliers, trades people and inspectors to keep your project on time and on budget.

Some things to remember when preparing for a home remodel:

• Be realistic about how long your project will take. Unforeseen obstacles, inclement weather, material delay or the amount of time you might need to make informed decisions for various interior finishes will all add up and can impact your ideal schedule.

• Designate a room or area(s), within your home not affected by the construction for eating, watching T.V., entertaining, homework, etc. to minimize the disruption to everyone’s daily activities. Discuss how newly designated areas and limited resources are to be used (bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, etc.)

• For kitchen remodels, you may want to pack and label items in clear plastic containers for easy identification. Make sure to keep out those items you’ll need on a daily basis (a can opener, basic eating and cooking utensils, a coffee pot, etc.)

• Be sure to plan adequate storage space for items that will need to be removed from the construction area (such as furniture, pictures, plants, breakables, etc.)

• Cover furniture and carpeting in adjacent rooms to protect them from dust that will circulate as both your family and workers move between areas. Similarly, remove fragile or heavy hanging items from neighboring walls to eliminate potential accidents.

• Communicate or post any special instructions regarding pets or areas where materials may be stored and accessed by workers.

• Try to look at your remodeling project as a process, and not an imposition. Take before pictures as they will help you realize how far you’ve come!

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or raise concerns with your general contractor during the remodeling process. Things are bound to come up that could not have been anticipated in the beginning and the best thing to do is to address them promptly.

• If you are getting more than one estimate it is imperative that you are getting “apples for apples’ comparisons. This is where your “pre-planning” comes into play. The more you know going into the remodel, the easier it is to get a quote for “exactly” what you want. Ask the contractor(s) to provide a “line-item” estimate breaking down all of the costs. That way if you wish to change something along the way, it is easy to quantify the change in price.

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When it comes right down to it, your kitchen is the most popular room in your home.  Your exiting kitchen has served you well over the years, but the time has finally come to transform it from an old “functional” kitchen to a new “Dream” kitchen. Once the decision has been made to remodel, the real work begins and there are a number of factors you should address very early on.

There are numerous decisions to be made when remodeling your kitchen. These decisions will not only determine the cost of the project, but will have a direct impact on the success of the final product. It is crucial that you spend sufficient time addressing theses issues prior to commencing the work. As with any home renovation, the key is in the planning.

General

• What is your budget?
• Are you keeping the same configuration of the kitchen as the existing layout?
• What do you like most about your current kitchen?
• What do you dislike most about your current kitchen?
• Does the kitchen area flow into surrounding rooms the way you would like?
• Do you want your kitchen area to be opened to a family room, den or other areas?
• What is the overall style preference for your new kitchen?
  
  • Contemporary, formal, traditional, country or other
• Do you plan to use wood cabinetry in your new kitchen?
  • If yes, do you prefer light or dark wood, painted or faux finished

Use

• What types of activities do you envision taking place within the kitchen?
  • Sit-down dining, homework for the kids, paying bills, other
• Where does your family currently dine and where will they dine after the remodel?
• If you want to eat family meals in your kitchen, how many people would you typically need to accommodate at mealtime?
• Do you entertain? How often?
• What is your entertainment style?
  • Formal or casual
• Are your gatherings typically small or large?
  • Are they more mix-and mingle or formal sit-down affairs
• If you are not using a din-in kitchen table, what type of everyday seating would you use?
  • Barstools, chairs, booths, bench seating or none
• What entertainment features might you want to incorporate into your kitchen remodel?
  • Separate beverage area, wine storage, television, intercom, radio

Cooking & Preparation Areas

• Is mealtime a family affair?
• How many people are normally involved in food preparation?
• Would additional or separate work areas be helpful?
• Plan for the location of like items. For instance, the sink, dishwasher and recycling areas that might be adjacent; or you may want spices and cooking utensils near your stove or oven area?
• Is there enough counter space for appliances you use every day?
• Would you prefer these appliances to be built-in or stored away?

Storage

• How do you usually shop:
  • By meal, for the week, in bulk, canned goods
• Do you have enough accessible storage for bulk and everyday food items?
• How about storage room for your Tupperware, entertaining or serving items?
• Cabinets:
  • Type of wood
  • Painted or stained
• Do you want to showcase any kitchenware or serving items in a glass or cabinets?
• Do you require any additional storage for items currently house elsewhere in your home?
• What about linens, fine china or other pieces that you may now keep in a hall closet, china hutch, attic or garage
• Do you need areas which are safeguarded from children?
• Do you require a recycling center?

Lighting

• Do you need additional task lighting in specific work areas?
• More lighting overall?
• Is the kitchen open to a shared family space? Perhaps ambient or low-level cabinet lighting (above or below) would be beneficial
• Would you like recessed lighting in your kitchen?
• Would you like skylights (solar tubes) installed

Other Considerations

• Wall coverings:
  • Paint, wallpaper, tile or a combination
• Sinks:
  • Mounted or Under mounted?
• Appliances:
  • Stainless steel, black, white, etc.
• What type of countertops do you envision?
  • Granite, Tile, Marble Tile, Silestone Tile, Laminate, other?
• Flooring:
  • Hardwood, Tile, Travertine, Linoleum, Tumbled Stone, other?
• Hardware:
  • Handles & Knobs
  • Sink faucet
  • Towel bars
  • Outlet covers
• Do you have enough electrical outlets or circuits in the right places to support food preparation on a large scale, such as holidays, birthdays, parties, or any other type of entertaining?
• If there is a window, is it ideally situated for a view of the backyard, garden or other preferred areas? Does it allow enough light inside?
• If there is a back door, is it ideally situated for access to the backyard, patio or entertaining areas?

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Your exiting bathroom has served you well over the years, but the time has finally come to transform it from an old “functional” bathroom to a new “Dream” bathroom. Once the decision has been made to remodel, the real work begins and there are a number of factors you should address very early on.

There are numerous decisions to be made when remodeling your bathroom. These decisions will not only determine the cost of the project, but will have a direct impact on the success of the final product. It is crucial that you spend sufficient time addressing theses issues prior to commencing the work. As with any home renovation, the key is in the planning.

General

• What is your budget?
• Are you keeping the same configuration of the bathroom as the existing layout?
• What do you like most about your current bathroom?
• What do you dislike most about your current bathroom?
• Are there currently enough bathrooms in the house for your family, as it expands for children, teens or live-in relatives?

Use

• What will the bathroom be used for?
  • Master bath, child’s bath, guest bath, powder room
• Who will be the primary users of the bathroom (adults, children, guests)?
• How many people will be using the bathroom at one time?

Comfort

• What features would make the bathroom more comfortable?
• Are there enough sinks and counter space available?
• If multiple family members are sharing the bathroom and they are separate, do you need private bathing and/or vanity areas that are required?
• Tub or Shower Enclosure?   
  • Tile or fiberglass enclosure
  • If it is a shower, do you want a fiberglass shower pan or tile
  • Prefab fiberglass units are more cost effective than tile, however tile is much more aesthetically appealing and adds more value to your home
• Do you prefer to take showers or baths?
  • If you like baths, would you prefer a tub and shower combination unit or would you like to have them separate
• Would you like to install a whirlpool or stem shower? How about for you bathtub, would you like a Jacuzzi jet tub, standard tub, or a walk-in tub

Storage

• What type of storage will you need in the new bathroom?
• Will you need storage for cleaning supplies, toiletries, linens, first aid items, hair appliances or medications?
• Do you prefer closet storage over vanity storage?
• Do you want medicine cabinets in the vanity area?
• Do you desire a bathroom linen closet?
• Will you be storing items such as hand towels, towels, washcloths or have a stock on hand of toilet paper, soap, cleaning supplies?
• If you choose to have a vanity cabinet, some things to think about are:
  • Type of wood
  • Painted or stained
  • Low profile- 31 ½” height
  • Regular height- 34 ½” height
  • Master baths usually have a 34 ½” height while hallway or secondary bathrooms typically use a low profile cabinet

Other Considerations

• Do you need additional lighting over a shower or bath?
  • Do you want lighting around the vanity?
  • Wall mounted or recessed lighting?
  • Would you like skylights (solar tubes) installed?
  • Relocating lighting (this will require electrical and drywall work)
  • Installing or replacing exhaust fan?
  • Keeping light fixtures in the same location will of course same you money
• Wall coverings:
  • Paint, wallpaper, tile or a combination?
• Hardware:
  • Style and finishes for shower door
  • Vanity cabinet knobs
  • Sink faucet
  • Towel bars
• If there is a window, is it ideally situated for ventilation
  • Retrofit or standard replacement (Standard replacement involves stucco, siding and drywall repair)
• Sinks:
  • Do you want your sink mounted or under mounted?
• What type of tile and countertop surfaces or vanity top do you want?
  • Granite, Tile, Marble Tile, Silestone Tile, other?
• Are you going to be replacing the bathroom door?
  • Same style?
  • Pre hung or replace door using existing door jambs?
  • Would you like it painted or stained?
  • Hollow or solid core?
• Tile selection
  • Stone, Marble Tile, Tile that is ceramic or porcelain, other?
  • Same tile for the floor and shower enclosure?
  • Any decorative tile additions?
  • Shampoo nooks?
  • Shower seat?
  • Material and color choices are almost infinite as the price points
• Flooring
  • Are you using the same material as the tub or shower enclosure?
  • Wood or tiled base? Wood base is more cost effective; however tile has a classier look.
• Toilet selections:
  • Round or elongated?
  • White or a special color?
  • Prices change dramatically for designer toilets and even the color can change the cost for the fixture

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