If you’re reading this shortly after it was published, it’s National Kitchen and Bath Month! October is the month when EVERYONE from your designer to the National Kitchen and Bath Association steps in to get the most out of these two essential rooms.
It makes sense that this month is celebrated in October…the holidays are approaching and the remodeling industry sees a HUGE boom as households prioritize new projects, just in the nick of time! DIY “how-to” materials fly off the shelves, too…
Of course, that’s what normally happens. This year is the second of MAJOR material delays and long staging waits for remodels to start…
…THANKS, global pandemic.
It might be early next year when your next remodel project starts instead, but the holidays are coming whether we like it or not.
How can you get the most out of National Kitchen & Bath Month this year with that slow-moving reality, then? By getting your ideas and priorities in order NOW so you’re ready for that remodel when it’s time, you’ll enjoy this as as an opportunity to dream bigger and more beautiful than ever before…
The dilemma…
WHICH home remodel you chose (this month or in the future) will always depend on factors like budget, schedule and your goals.
If even ONE of those factors limits you to only focusing on the kitchen OR the bathroom, you have some soul searching to do.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. There are, however, some key questions to ask to LEARN exactly which one is most important for you.
Ask yourself:
Where do I spend the most time?
This is kind of a “gimme” question because almost everyone spends more time in the kitchen. Habits surveys and studies of all kinds estimate that the average time we spend in the bathroom is 30 minutes a day. The average time in the kitchen, on the other hand, is just over an hour—61 minutes a day.
What you REALLY want to think about here is the quality of time you spend in each space. Do you spend more time in the kitchen just because your kids produce an UNGODLY amount of dishes? Or do you spend more time in the bathroom than the average Joe because you treat yourself to a hot bubble bath every day?
Ask yourself honestly where you spend the most quality time.
That room has just scored a point as the one to update first!
What do I need right away?
When there’s a pressing need, you know it. Something is leaking in the bathroom, or your kitchen has a wall separating you from guests every time someone comes over…or maybe you have a new or temporary disability and need to update the bathroom with new safety features.
Anything you need to remodel “right away” won’t be literally right away right now, either. It’s the tough truth of the remodeling industry now that lead times are MONTHS out for most selections, materials and even design work.
If either your bathroom or kitchen does need immediate attention, that’s worth TWO points as the one to update first. Expert tip: make smaller home maintenance or local handyman updates now if you do need updates but can’t start your remodel right away.
What’s my budget?
Of course, this is an OBVIOUS and crucial determining factor.
If you can’t budget it, you can’t do it.
Or…if you CAN budget it, do it now and knock out the bigger of the two investments!
- A high-end kitchen remodels last year averaged around a $146,210 investment in 2021, according to national numbers on the Cost vs. Value Report.
- A high-end bathroom remodel averaged $70,886.
Those numbers are specific to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Look at the Cost vs. Value Report for yourself…we’ll personally email it to you, request it here.
Kitchen and master bathroom updates both add HUGE resale value to your home, too. However, if you’re remodeling to live and LOVE your home better than ever…your return on ENJOYMENT should be your top priority, not the ROI.
Ask yourself what your enjoyment is worth!!
What do you “love” most?
Speaking of what you “love” most…
If you don’t have any plans of selling in the foreseeable future, what YOU love should be the factor that weighs the most in which room to remodel first.
What space brings you the most pleasure?
Do you LOVE cooking for your family, for yourself, or for guests?
Or do you LONG for that luxurious soak in the big bubble bath, or that long visit to the steam shower?
…Or, are you most into what others can see in your home (and what it says about you)? Just saying…a bathroom door can be SHUT. A kitchen, however, casts an IMMEDIATE impression…
You want to be a savvy homeowner. Part of that means focusing on the projects that give you the biggest return OR make the biggest measurable impact on your day-to-day.
And in these times where SO much about selection sourcing and home remodeling is delayed, it’s extra important to prioritize what you want to do first!!
It might not be this month that you start your kitchen or master bath remodel…but permit yourself the joy of dreaming…which would you do first? How did the points stack up?
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