Boston Kitchen Remodeling

Talk to any real estate agent in Boston and they'll tell you that renovating your kitchen is one of the smartest remodeling projects you can undertake when it comes to improving your home's value. Doesn't matter whether you're in Back Bay, Charleston, South End, or out in Greater Boston, a top to bottom renovation of your kitchen, from cabinets and countertops to new flooring and appliances, tops the list of the smartest home improvement projects for homeowners in Bean Town.

Cost Expectations for Boston Kitchen Remodels
ServiceMagic connects thousands of Bostonians to contractors every year for kitchen remodels and other home improvement projects, and to ensure quality control we follow up on each and every job, collecting data on everything from final cost to how long the project took. Drawing from that data, here's what you can expect to shell out in dollars and cents.

First of all, remember that kitchen remodels aren't cheap. An average kitchen remodel in Boston runs a little under $30,000, though smaller remodels in the $10,000 to $20,000 range aren't uncommon. And if you're wondering how expensive a kitchen remodel in Boston can get, $60,000 tops our list. A lot of this cost depends on materials. Going with custom cabinets, for example, can run $30,000 alone, even in a modest kitchen. If you've got that kind of cash to spend, you can't beat custom cabinets for looks or functionality. If you're a little more strapped for cash, however, choosing stock or semi-stock cabinetry, and other less expensive materials, can cut your costs significantly.

Boston Kitchen Remodeling Timelines
As for Boston kitchen renovation timelines, buckle in for the long haul. A kitchen remodel is a major undertaking, and one that shouldn't be rushed. If your kitchen remodel lasts anywhere near as long as The Curse did, fire your contractor. However, based on our data, six months isn't an unreasonable figure to expect start to finish, and the bigger you go, the longer it takes. Of course, the opposite also holds true. If you live in a one bedroom brownstone in Cambridge with a tiny kitchen, you're probably looking in the neighborhood of six weeks to three months as a general estimate instead.

Things to Consider with Boston Kitchen Remodels
There are a few things you ought to be prepared for when it comes to any kitchen remodel, the first of which should always be inconvenience. Remember, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It's where you cook meals, and more and more often, where families and friends gather to eat and socialize. A kitchen remodel that stretches out to six months or more can create some real challenges. Your kitchen won't be completely out of service that entire time, but plan on some long stretches when it will be off limits or of limited use. In the words of one Bostonian that ServiceMagic surveyed, "Redoing the kitchen is very inconvenient. For most of the 6 weeks, we did not have running water on our first floor?plan on eating out a lot and that adds to the total cost of the project." Another homeowner suggested, "Be patient and flexible. Don't invite any houseguests for a while!" Thinking along those common sense lines will help you to prepare yourself for both the hassle of remodeling such a central area of the home and for the unexpected costs that are sure to arise. A final suggestion: keep your eye on the prize. If you can weather a Boston winter, you can weather anything, and the new kitchen you'll end up with will be well worth the trials you've put up with in the interim.

Plan Ahead for a Boston Kitchen Renovation
Besides preparing for inconvenience, sit down and plan ahead when it comes to designs and materials as well. Remodeling kitchens in Boston, or anywhere else for that matter, is a much more complicated process than, say, adding on a new living room. There are cabinets, countertops, appliances, and fixtures to consider. And don't forget the "little" things, like paint colors, window treatments, and flooring. Your contractor should keep you on track when it comes to making important decisions, but the more you plan ahead, the less you'll be faced with hard decisions, and possible problems, later on down the line.