Full kitchen remodel in New Haven

What a full remodel covers

Down to the studs and back means everything in the room is open to change. The list below is what a full remodel can include, and not every project needs every item.

• Demolition of cabinets, counters, flooring and any walls that are coming out.
• Framing where a wall moves, a doorway changes or a window is added or resized.
• Rough plumbing, electrical, gas and ducting, run by the licensed trades before the walls close.
• Insulation, drywall and plaster repair, then primer and paint.
• Cabinets, countertops, backsplash and flooring, installed in an order that protects each from the next trade.
• Lighting, fixtures and appliances, connected and tested.
• Permits and inspections wherever the work calls for them.

Is a full remodel your size?

It usually is when one or more of these is true:

• The layout is the problem: the sink, range and refrigerator are in the wrong places, or the room is cut off from the rest of the house.
• A wall should open, or an island or peninsula should go in.
• The wiring, plumbing or gas supply behind the walls is old, undersized or in the wrong place.
• There is water damage, rot or a sagging floor to deal with.
• The cabinets are failing and the footprint is also wrong, so replacing the boxes alone would not fix it.

If the layout works and the systems are sound, a smaller scope may give you most of what you want. Look at cabinets, countertops or finishes first, or let the scope picker sort it out.

How the job usually goes

1. Walk and measureThe remodeler visits, measures and asks how you cook, who uses the room and what annoys you now.
2. Drawings and selectionsLayout, cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures and appliances are chosen so the drawings and the orders match.
3. Written contractFour dates, the cancellation right, the payment schedule, allowances and who pulls the permit. See what the contract must say.
4. PermitsPlumbing, electrical, gas and wall changes usually need them. See permits in New Haven.
5. Demolition, rough-in and inspectionThe room is opened, new lines run, and the inspector looks before anything is closed up.
6. Close, install and finishDrywall, paint, flooring, cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures, appliances and final inspection.
7. WalkthroughYou walk the kitchen with the remodeler and agree what is left.

The order of work shows this sequence for each size of project, with the inspection steps marked.

Decisions that save trouble later

• Choose appliances before the cabinets are ordered. Cabinet openings, ventilation and power all depend on the exact models.
• Plan the layout against clearances, not just the look. Layouts and clearances covers the NKBA guidelines for aisles and walkways.
• Plan the lighting early. New wiring is cheapest to run while the walls are open.
• Decide where the range hood vents. A hood that ducts outside needs a path through the wall or roof.
• Settle allowances in writing. An allowance is a placeholder amount for something not yet chosen. See what drives the cost.

Permits, trades and what to check

A full remodel usually involves permits, because it usually involves plumbing, electrical, gas or structural work. Connecticut requires home improvement contractors to be registered with the Department of Consumer Protection, and requires electricians, plumbers and heating contractors to hold their own trade licenses. The contract should say who pulls the building permit.

Common questions