Planning a kitchen renovation

The first decision: same layout, or a new one

Keeping the sink, dishwasher, range and refrigerator in their current spots means new cabinets, counters and surfaces on top of plumbing, gas and wiring that mostly stay put. Moving any of them, opening a wall, or pushing into another room turns the job into a project with drains, vents, beams and circuits, and with them more design, more inspection and more cost.

Neither is the wrong answer. Ask the contractors to price both versions side by side, so you can see what the new layout really buys you.

Choose appliances before cabinets

Cabinet boxes are built around appliance dimensions, so the appliance list comes first. It also tells the electrician what the kitchen needs: most electric and induction ranges want a dedicated 240 volt circuit, and a range hood that vents outside needs a path through a wall or the roof. Gas, a second oven or a larger refrigerator each change the plan.

Permits

Building departments treat surface work and work on walls, plumbing, gas or wiring differently. Before anyone gives you a price, ask the town or village what your version of the kitchen needs. Our permit guides link each town's own list of work that needs a permit.

Order of work, and where the weeks go

1. 1Measure and designField measurements, the layout, and the appliance list.
2. 2OrderCabinets and special-order items often take the longest to arrive, so they are ordered as soon as the design is final.
3. 3Demolition and rough workWalls, plumbing, wiring and venting, inspected before they are covered.
4. 4Cabinets, then countersStone counters are usually templated after the cabinets are set, then fabricated.
5. 5Finish and sign-offBacksplash, fixtures, appliances, and any final inspection the permit needs.

Plan where you will cook while the kitchen is out of service. A microwave, a coffee maker and a utility sink in another room make the weeks easier.

What drives the cost

• Moving plumbing, gas or walls, compared with keeping the layout.
• Cabinet construction and how much is custom versus stock sizes.
• Counter material and the number of cutouts and seams.
• Electrical work: new circuits, lighting and any panel upgrade.
• Flooring that runs under the cabinets or meets other rooms.
• Appliances, which can be a small or a very large part of the total.

Before you sign with anyone

• Check the contractor's county home improvement license yourself: Suffolk or Nassau, plus any town license on the East End.
• Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurance agent, not a photo of one.
• Get the contract in writing and signed. New York's home improvement contract law, General Business Law section 771, requires the contractor's license number, a description of the work and materials, the price, the approximate start and completion dates, and a schedule if there are progress payments.
• Know your two protections under that law: you can cancel until midnight of the third business day after you sign, and payments made before the work is finished must be deposited as the state's Lien Law requires, unless the contractor gives you a bond or similar guarantee instead.
• Match each payment to finished work. A payment schedule that runs ahead of the work leaves you carrying the risk.