Kitchen Design: Who Does What
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John Horner Photography and Runcible Studios architecture/interior design
The idea of remodeling your kitchen can be exciting and fun to contemplate. Making it happen can be a challenge to consider all the options available, understand steps involved, and make informed decisions. Members of Boston Building Resources have some distinct advantages in undertaking a kitchen renovation. In this four-part article, we will take a look at those, as well as the roles of the various professionals who may be part of the project, and review steps in the process of kitchen renovation from planning to completion.
BBR kitchen design services
Kitchen design at Boston Building Resources is a benefit of membership in our consumer co-op, which is oriented toward service rather than profit. The high-quality cabinetry and personalized design service at BBR compare to those at kitchen boutiques, but for a lot less money. Members appreciate the individual attention they receive as well as staff members’ extensive technical knowledge and many years of experience.
BBR kitchen design is available to members only and focuses on cabinetry, countertops, and plumbing. Three hours of in-store kitchen design service is included as a benefit of membership. In many instances, three hours is sufficient time to design a layout plan with perspective drawings and prepare a preliminary estimate for cabinet costs. In-home visits to discuss the project and for technical assistance to measure space are charged at $75 per hour. Additional design time is billed at an hourly rate of $75 and requires a minimum five-hour fee of $375.
Dimensioned drawings, which are required for building, are delivered only after a deposit is received for cabinet purchase. Funds received for additional design time will be applied toward cabinet purchase; however, these funds are nonrefundable if a customer decides to not move forward with the cabinetry order. Flooring, walls, paint, and tile are handled between the client and the contractor renovating the kitchen.
All cabinets are custom made and require six to eleven weeks to construct from the time the design is finalized and the order is placed. BBR sells mid- to high-end cabinets. They are not the least expensive cabinets, which homeowners may find in big-box stores, because the co-op doesn’t believe they are a good value or have a long life. The manufacturers that the kitchen designers work with provide good quality, a fair price, good customer service, and reliable lead times, all of which will help a homeowner’s order and installation go smoothly.
For a better understanding of kitchen design, BBR advises homeowners to take one or more workshops related to kitchen design, remodeling, or working with a contractor.
Roles in kitchen renovation
Hundreds of decisions are made over the course of a remodeling project, so it is important to understand from the beginning who will be the decision maker. This may be the homeowner, the contractor, or the architect if one has been hired. The decision maker needs to attend all meetings and be included in all email correspondence. In all instances, the kitchen designer makes recommendations, but does not make decisions.
Kitchen designer
The designer will focus on layout and function of actual cabinetry, countertop, and plumbing fixtures, not the layout or structure of a building. BBR kitchen designers do not provide recommendations for products we do not offer, as they do not work with these suppliers. They can offer samples of cabinetry finishes to help a homeowner select flooring, wall material/color, tile, and appliances, but BBR does not offer independent interior design services.
General contractor
The general contractor, or GC, is the project manager who hires, schedules, and oversees all tradespeople or subcontractors working on a kitchen renovation. This is the person responsible for the successful execution of the project. They will work with the kitchen designer to make sure cabinetry fits into space and installation of materials is correctly done. If an architect is involved, they will work with the architect to use proper materials if required. Fred Carr of Carr Carpentry recommends that homeowners “choose a well-rounded contractor with a diversity of skills, that is, one with the ability to do all aspects of construction, even if your job only involves a specific component. This will ensure that they are able to anticipate how to build jobs to ensure, for example, that the plumber has enough room to do what they need to do, etc. A contractor skilled in all areas, from frame to finish, electricity and plumbing, even if they do not perform these on their own, will be able to plan more efficient jobs ensuring any subcontractors needed are brought in when needed to ensure a continuous and smooth flowing job site, thus minimizing the amount of time your home is under construction.”
The homeowner can be the general contractor for a kitchen design project, but this happens rarely. Most professionals recommend against it unless a homeowner has the requisite level of knowledge, time, skills, and resources. As Fred points out, “All aspects of a job need to work in unison and take place in a specific order and be of equivalent quality. Hiring a single contractor to serve as GC avoids problems as they are responsible for the entire job.”
Licensed architect
An architect may be required by the city or town to prepare plans if walls need to be removed or an addition is being constructed. According to Bill Boehm of Boehm Architecture, an architect is not required for a straightforward remodel or kitchen upgrade. However, if a project involves structural changes, a different configuration, or changes to the exterior walls, then an architect may be needed. The Massachusetts state building code doesn’t require an architect, but any town permitting officer has the right to ask for an engineer or an architect to stamp drawings. When Bill works with a homeowner and a BBR kitchen designer, he will design the kitchen down to the location of cabinets and turn over kitchen cabinetry specifics to the designer. The homeowner will meet with the designer with the architect’s plans. Afterward, the kitchen designer will talk with the architect to give feedback about the plans and suggestions for possible changes and fine tuning.
Next installment: Working with a kitchen designer
—Kathy Brown