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Writer's pictureBeth Blei

What to Expect When You Hire an Interior Designer to Renovate Your Kitchen



Kitchen renovations can be challenging but the payoff is always worth it.If you are just starting to think about your kitchen renovation, here’s what you can expect: 


1.Budget: Generally, in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, a kitchen renovation will cost between $80,000 -$150,000 and can go up from there.  Interior designers charge either a flat fee or about 10% of the project’s cost. Typically, that fee can start at $3,000.00 and go up from there.


2. Understand your Contractors fees:The biggest expense in any construction project is labor. A general contractor who pays their employees a decent living wage and has the proper insurances, liability, and workers’ comp (which is a requirement mandated by the city of Philadelphia in order to obtain permits) should be able and willing to show you their labor costs vs. material costs so that you can see what the variables are in your kitchen design. If you work with us at Revise Studio, we provide you with material costs at our first design presentation so you will have a good sense of those costs early into the design phase.


3. Understand your project managers fees: Designers who offer project management and procurement services will help your project to run smoothly and efficiently. This will ultimatley save you money in the long run. They will purchase your materials for you in advance of your project starting. Designers will mark up the materials and here is why: It takes time to source, order and track materials; it also takes skill and experience to know how much to order and when to place the order. It also costs money and takes time to rectify mistakes made sometimes by the distributors, when materials arrive damaged or the wrong size or color is sent, for example. When you hire a good designer, you are also investing in the longstanding relationship history they have established with vendors and suppliers. These relationships also mean discounts and good service, which is often passed on to the client as an additional benefit.


4. Anticipate the mess: Expect that your house is going to be a mess, there is no way around it. We do our best to mitigate the chaos, but there really is no way to get around the fact that your house— for at least a few weeks—is going to look like, well, a construction zone.  It will be worth it in the end, but do expect drywall dust in your underwear drawer, I mean it just gets everywhere. What you can do to mitigate the chaos is be prepared for it. Don’t want dust on your clothes? Pack them in sealable bags before the reno begins.  Also if you can, pad your budget with the cost of renting an AirBnB for a week or two during the demolition and drywall phase of the project so you can get out of the chaos.


5. Include a take out budget: Finally, include a take-out allowance in your budget. You won’t be able to cook for at least a few nights, and on the weekends you’ll want to get out of the house to eat! So make sure you take that added expense into account.

 

Are you thinking about renovating your kitchen but not sure where to start? Let’s

connect! I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have!


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