Orange County Kitchen Remodel Mistakes Part 1 of 2

The Eccentricities


Orange County, CA like many cities can be an expensive place to live. Its always a good idea to plan your next move, and for these two reasons before beginning the daunting task of remodeling the heart of your OC home, you want to consider making sort of a checklist to save yourself precious time and important money.

Some things to consider are your kitchen space, the customized uses of your kitchen space, your budget, and the inconveniences of remodeling.

In as much as every person is not a chef, every kitchen is not made to hold an island. You may have seen "L" shaped kitchens before, and thought "hmmm, if the stove were two feet smaller and the wall moved back three feet, an island could fit in here." Let me be the one to tell you, very gingerly, no. Do not force anything into a kitchen by moving walls or huge appliances, if it fits, it fits. If it does not fit however, your Orange County neighbors would be pleased if you get rid of it. Property value is a huge key of the old "location" adage.

One word you don want to hear when home buying is "eccentric". Unfortunately Orange County, CA is one place where this word heavily applies. Still the design of the home on the whole should be a reasonable design; no countertops should run into windows, no dishwasher doors should have to compete with cabinet doors to be open. You should not have to go into the downstairs bathroom to turn on the upstairs bedroom lights. Design flaws like these are bought, paid for and fixed in remodeling, but they should have been fixed before you moved in, unless disclosed by your realtor to you.

In Orange County, people tend to be eccentric. Many of people's eccentricities permeate their homes, in the form of bad mistakes. These mistakes are usually because of a customized function of a space that was poorly planned. You can do better in remodeling if you remodel with others in mind. It is a nice idea to think that your family will own your home for the next 10 generations, but even so, your children, and certainly your grandchildren will want to fix the place up a little during their lifetimes. So make it easy on the next generation of people who live in your home, while making those customized spatial decisions. We'll conclude this talk about budget, inconveniences of remodeling, and things to do in Orange County to better aid you preventing mistakes.

What's Really Hot in the Kitchen

Multi faceted cultures fusing together into one is what makes any home hot. It’s the American way, and in Orange County it is a part of the lifestyle.

In keeping with the blended cool, Orange County Kitchen Cabinets is taking on the subject of what makes cabinetry cool. You might think the finish and the color are most important, and though its true these contribute to the hipness of ones cabinetry, they are not the all important things to consider.

Design? You might very well think…design is what makes anything cool, and design is a very general way of saying “every descriptive trait about the cabinets makes them desirable”. This is true, but there is an all-important factor, a point of purpose if you will, to choosing your cabinets, and that is, and must be functional storage space.

In considering the perfect cabinetry for a given space, the question of what the space will be used for is most important. You need not have family functional cabinetry in a single bedroom loft. This would defeat the purpose of cabinet space. You see cabinet space is the one thing that cannot take up too much room. The more cabinet space the more functional that space becomes. Ahh haaaa, but the more functional space, the more that space can contain. Even if you are completely anti-minimalist in home design, more space can only help you improve your collection of do dads and antiques. Orange County has a huge array of shoppes and clubs for collectors. Ask any collector what they can use more of in their collection, and the answer (if their collection is worthy to be called a collection) is invariably space. Functionality helps you store whatever you need to store in very creative ways. And creative cabinetry is by definition cool.

The culture of your home has to be in the variety of ways you define yourself. Nowhere is that more evident then in your organizational skills. Where do you put your pictures? Vs. Where do you store your baseball cards? Vs. Where can you stash away Rover’s medicine? Your home is a melting pod, and your cabinets, with a little forethought, can be the cultural candle that sheds light onto who you really are.

To Reface or Start Anew

Dear KT,

I live in beautiful Orange County California and I am in the most of trying to make an important decistion... Should I reface my Orange COunty Kitchen Cabinets or should I just just start from scratch?

Sincerly,

Orange County Cabinets

Dear Orange County Cabinets,

I do not have a sure way of knowing what will work best for your kitchen, but here are things to consider when answering this difficult question:

Is all cabinet's hardware in working order?

Do you have enough shelve space?

Is the Door style and color up-to-date?

Do you have enough counter space?

Are your counter tops easily kept clean?

Are your counter tops damaged by the wear and tear of daily use?

If you answered no more then you answered yes, then it might behoove you to spend a little more money and get new cabinets installed.

Sincerly,

KT

OC kitchen remodeling dream project

Kitchen Remodeling budget tips, with an Orange County twist.

You've dreamed of ripping out your small cabinets and replacing them with custom kitchen cabinets and upgrading from laminate countertops to granite countertops. The only problem is figuring out how you will finance your kitchen remodeling dream project. Like most homeowners, finding ways to finance a kitchen remodeling is often half the battle of actually getting there. Unlike many homeowners, in Orange County, remodeling more closely resembles the mindset of Donna Karan, than it does Bob Villa. Selecting materials, products and colors is the fun part; the hard part comes in finding the money to finance all those kitchen remodeling upgrades.

Of course, one way to finance your kitchen remodeling project is to attempt the do it yourself way. With the number of home improvement and do it yourself books and television programs available today, more people are attempting kitchen remodeling projects than ever before. There can definitely be a financial advantage to taking on some of the small kitchen remodeling projects yourself. Just be sure you know the limits on your kitchen remodeling skills and when to call in the professionals. The "OC" at least in terms or resale value, is very unforgiving when buyers come looking for a turn key home.

If you lack a large stash of cash in your savings account to fund your next kitchen remodeling project, you'll need to finance it through a borrowing method. A number of home improvement stores now offer financing plans and credit cards, but savvy homeowners know that putting their kitchen remodeling on a credit card can actually be more disastrous than advantageous. Think of the Expo Design Center.

The best way to finance your kitchen remodeling project, if you are not able to pay cash, is to take out a home improvement loan. This is an advantageous route for a number of reasons. First, the interest rate you pay on a home improvement loan for the purpose of kitchen remodeling is going to be drastically lower than the interest rate on a credit card. In the end, this means that you'll pay less for your kitchen remodeling project with a home improvement loan than with a credit card. Second, it's quite likely that you may be able to deduct the interest you pay on your kitchen remodeling loan on your taxes. Finally, obtaining a home improvement loan or an equity line of credit gives you more flexibility with your kitchen remodeling plans, because while some kitchen remodeling contractors won't accept credit cards; everyone accepts cash.

Just remember that when a resident of Orange County, simply adding a coat of paint to a 60 year old kitchen will not get the job done.

Dream Kitchen Orange County Style

So many times we here at Orange County Kitchen Cabinets are asked questions about our personal favorite products to create our dream kitchen. These questions lead us to write some suggestions, not about cabinetry but about what to fill those cabinets with. Here are some of our favorite ideas:

1. Board games: The kitchen is more of a family room than a family room is, so make it fun and inviting with games.

2.. Family Photos: While cooking in you kitchen its always nice to see warm friendly faces and places that help remind you why to add that extra ingredient of love. Here in Orange County that can mean pictures of celebrities or just pictures of friends visiting the Mall at Orange. Just frame up those pictures and hang them on the inside of the cabinet door.

3. Records, Tapes, CD’s and other collectibles: You may not know where or how to organize those old CD’s or LP’s, but keeping them in the kitchen along with a means to play them is a great way to save space in other areas of your home and have some great music to play while you’re cooking..

4. For a very delightful touch you can create a candle cabinet in which you store all of your favorite scented candles and give yourself an indulgent aromatherapy treatment that is truly inspiring for the baker in you.

It is always a good idea to flaunt your individualism. If you think of something new or have done something different in order to spice up your kitchen cabinets, don’t be shy about posting it here. We’re always interested in your opinion.

Lyn

Rancho santa margarita asks: New cabinet budget

Before you buy your new kitchen or bathroom cabinets, there are several important things to consider.

"Cabinet buying considerations should include setting your budget, measuring your space, choosing your style, selecting the quality level, construction and finish," said a local designer.

Although stock cabinetry is considered the most affordable, this is not a reflection of quality as much as it is of selection. Stock cabinetry is a good choice for those willing to choose from a smaller range of options to devote more of their kitchen budget to other elements.

Stock cabinets for the average-sized L-shaped kitchen will generally cost from $10,000 to $15,000, including installation. Semi-custom is good if you want more input but can work within fairly standard space and design parameters.

Custom cabinets are the most versatile, and can cost twice what you would pay for stock goods. Semi-custom cabinets in the average kitchen cost about $12,000 to $16,000, including installation.

"Cost is largely the product of materials, finish and labor," Hartline said. "Before you buy, make sure that you consider investing in quality, at a reasonable price, delivered on time. With the greatest degree of flexibility and customization comes the greatest cost. Custom cabinets range from $16,000 to $22,000 or more, including installation."

Hartline said that in the average $25,000 custom kitchen remodeling, cabinets consume 40 percent of the budget, or $10,000-plus (more for semi-custom and custom cabinets). For large Orange County homes, expect that range to be about $32,000 and $15,000 respectively.

"No single item in a new kitchen costs as much as the cabinetry or contributes as much to the overall look. Shop for quality, a blend of style and strength, and you will find a cabinet that stands the test of time,” he said.

kingston style maple cabinets

I bought a condo in Orange county 3 years ago. Many of my investor friends have told me that the best way to make money when I sale is to remodel the kitchen. I needed to decide what type of cabinets would work best to maximize the feel of my 250 square foot kitchen. I achieved this through the purchase of what I like to call my "Orange County Cabinets." I chose white Kingston style cabinets with a soft glaze finish. These cabinets were solid maple with decorative molding. I have many windows in my kitchen and the color white optimized the size of my kitchen making it look much larger then 250 square feet. I choose silver bamboo knobs which I think gave it a tropical feel. I am so happy with my kitchen! I can't wait to see how much it will increase the amount I can sale my condo.


- From Kristen

Ask Lyn: Orange County Kitchen Remodel

Dear Lyn,

I am a resident of Orange County considering remodeling my home for future resale. I wondered what improvements I should make to benefit the new home owners, and give myself the best return upon resale.

Sincerely,
Ms. Profitable Turnover

Dear Ms. P.T.,

One of the greatest things about living in Orange County is its terrific blend of tradition and modernization. You must capitalize off of these two very ideal and economical traits. First thing to do, based on your neighborhood in Orange County is visit your neighbors. See what improvements they have made or would like to make. Talk to the people who live near the property, and find out what they value most about their homes. Of course you should also include the things that drew you to your home.

Next use your research and look through the Orange County Register or other local newspapers for bargains on big ticket items like dishwashers, washer and dryers, gardeners, or landscape artists and even contractors to aid you in rejuvenating your home. You may also look into energy efficient products; specifically for central air/heating.

If you are single, and selling to a family, adding on rooms can help, but be wary about going into debt over adding on rooms. Don'’t do it if you don'’t absolutely have to.

Some other very simple and easy ideas for updating an older looking home is with a fresh coat of paint, adding accent walls, "sconces", making sure the home is thoroughly cleaned. Many people may not recommend it but I believe that if you'’ve lived in a home for more then 5 years, you should replace the carpet before resale. A clean carpet and newly painted walls on the inside are like breathing a breathe of fresh air into the home. On the outside sniff around, make sure there are no overwhelming odors before entering the home. Any worn wall paper or chipped paint should be reapplied. If its feasible to do adding a few potted plants or trees can make the area more appealing, and overcome a neighborhood stench. Visit your local Orange County nursery for more information about that. Whether you are in Huntington Beach or the city of Orange, the options for great improvement are countless.

The best improvement recommendations will always be evident in the heart of the homes owner. Since that is you Ms. P.T., ask yourself, What can I do to make this space more functional, livable, and comfortable? Soundproofing? Heated floors? Adding a deck or patio? These are all terrific ideas as well, and though they are a bit costly, you should be able to reap the returns upon resale. Excellent question, Ms. Profitable Turnover. Let me know how things go with the sale of your property. I’ll be looking ot hear from you.

Sincerely,
Lyn

Website Review: Kitchen Tune-Up

Update 5/2007: Kitchen Tune Up has a new tune. The website has a new look and also added video of their Rachel Ray appearance. Way to go Kitchen Tune-Up.

As I was browsing across the web today I decided to take a look at various websites that offer kitchen cabinets to Orange County residents. So I decided to start by using good old google and typing "Orange County Kitchen Cabinets". The first site I came across was this search engine optimization page created by the OC Register, for a company named Kitchen Tune-Up, out of Lake Forrest, CA. Kitchen-TuneUp is a franchise seller of cabinet refacing.


Kitchen TuneUp says that, "We have provided outstanding service over the past five (5) years for cabinet refacing and wood restoration in our local communities. We have been recognized for our customer service and wood restoration."

This is great but as a customer, the first thing I notice is a company's website. If the site is good, I will give the company a try by researching their pricing. Now as for this site, the home page contains broken links. Beautiful, high quality, high impact design is critical to gaining the trust of your viewers. If your site appears "low-budget" or only marginally professional, it can hurt the chances of gaining a link and, more importantly, the chances of engendering trust in your visitors. The first impression of a website by a user occurs in less than 7 seconds. That's all the time you have to convey the importance and authority of your company through the site's design.



As an online consumer, the last thing I want to see is broken links. For this reason I will refrain from giving this site a grade and hope that in the future they will get their act together.

Orange County Real Estate Investor Question

Quick question for the property flippers and real estate investors in Orange County, California:
When remodeling a home for a quick sale or preparing for a prosperous flipping opportunity, should you go with new kitchen cabinets and granite? Or should you simply reface the cabinets and clean the exisitng counter top made of tile? The answer is easy: Always, always, always leave your property in better shape than when you got it.

Budget Concerns:

There are plenty of good cabinet companies in and around Orange County. Especially on State College Boulevard off of the 91, you can find a wealth of remodeling supply companies. Shop around and comparision shop. I assure you that you can always find a good deal, so dont go for the first company you come across. Stick to your budget and express your budget when going into a store, but remember many salesmen want you to be the first to name a price so that they can know where the starting point is. Tip: Salesmen hear your budget and think floor, when you say your budget you mean ceiling. So be careful what you say in advance.

With that in mind, it is often, especially in Orange County smarter and cheaper to buy new cabinets than to pay for a refacing job. Besides with the median price home starting near 600k, no one wants to pay that kind of money to get cabinets that are older than your average American Idols.

Orange County Kitchen Cabinets Introduction

Orange County Kitchen Cabinets

As Orange County is unlike any other place in the world it is only fitting that they have a style all their own.

Whether one considers the gorgeous beaches of Seal, Hunington or Laguna Beach or the all too recognizable Disneyland, Downtown Disney or California Adventure Orange County has an identity all too itself.


For this reason I am creating this blog that is dedicated to kitchen and bathroom remodeling with an emphasis on kitchen cabinets, granite, tile and bathroom remodeling. I hope you are inspired from the ideas and articles that I will be posting in the future. Feel free to comment as you please.

As a real estate investor it is very important to be able to recognize and provide the people with what they want. Pop quiz, in Orange County to people prefer granite or tile? Travertine or Marble? Kraftmaid Cabinets or custom made Cabinets? The choices are infinite.
I hope that some of the graphics I post will inspire you and give you a feel for what is in style when it comes to Orange County Kitchen Cabinets and Granite.

All about OrangeCountyCabinets.net

OrangeCountyCabinets.net

When you think of sexy and the internet, kitchen cabinets are probably at the bottom of the list. However to the good people of Orange County, the difference between granite and marble countertops is about as big as the difference between Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream. Whether you are a car guy, or a master chef in training, in life there are things that you just "get". For us, kitchen cabinets is one of those things. Here are the FAQ's you need to know about this site.

1. What is the goal of OrangeCountyCabinets .net? Our goal is to spot trends, review websites, answer user questions and most importantly give real estate investors the heads up of what makes a regular kitchen a great kitchen in Orange County, California.

2. Who writes for this site? The articles found here are made from Southern California people that love to talk about kitchen cabinets, granite counter tops, hardwood floors and all things in between.

3. Who sponsors this site? We have no sponsors, advertisers or affiliations with any company located in Orange County selling any products that we mention on this site. So go ahead and dig, you wont find and "Home Depot" gift cards in our pockets. Hey some things in life are just that good.