Close to 8 million homeowners will choose to remodel their kitchens this year. Most homeowners are remodeling because they are looking to not only update their kitchen, but because they are looking for a kitchen that helps their household function better. We felt it was important to point out a few key things that will help you in getting the kitchen you want.

If you are looking for cabinets for your home, you’ve probably heard people talk about these terms, “Stock”, “Semi-Custom” and “Custom” cabinetry.  Although they are common terms in the cabinet industry, many do not understand the difference between them.  Many think they understand the difference, but are confused by what the different manufacturers try to say the definition is.

We’ll explain them for you clearly here so you can go into your new home or remodel with a true understanding and ability to get what you really want.

Here at Brakur we understand the demands and challenges that go with raising a family.  Many of our employees are parents as well.  So when it comes to designing a kitchen for a family we have some pretty good ideas of what you might be looking for.  We probably have even thought of things that you haven’t. We can help bring some sanity to your sometimes crazy lives.  With kids nothing is ever the same and things are constantly changing.  One thing we have found is making sure everything has a place can alleviate a lot of those hectic crazy days.

We have some tips that we think you will find helpful in planning your kitchen.  

Every homeowner comes to the point where they ask themselves, “Should I stay or should I move?”  Moving can be very costly and expensive, but then again so can remodeling.  How can the consumer know which is best?  Fortunately a recent Houzz study predicts it will be more beneficial to stay and remodel than it will be to move in 2014.  

More than 50 percent of those surveyed have chosen to increase the value of their home by remodeling in the next 1-2 years.  In fact more homeowners over the age of 35 are opting to stay long term.  This age group is less likely to face life-changing events that would cause them to move.  They have also found that they can’t replace what they have and it just doesn’t make good “common sense”.

While kitchen and bath remodels are more work than most of us like to admit, there is one thing we forget and that is the happiness and sense of contentment that comes when it is finished.

Those who take on the task of a kitchen remodel experience many unexpected positive outcomes. 

Suddenly they are faced with a new exciting kitchen that better meets the needs of their household, and it becomes a new hangout for those who come to visit.

As a bonus it becomes a refuge for family and friends, and everyone seems to be a lot happier because of the new environment in the home.

Many consumers wish they could buy cabinets directly from a manufacturer, instead of being forced to buy from a cabinet dealer. There are many reasons builders, contractors, and homeowners feel like they would do better by buying “direct”. In the typical market consumers may not have that option.

In the Chicagoland area consumers have a few choices.

Experience has shown us over and over that many people go into their new kitchen or remodel in the Chicagoland area with tunnel vision – mainly focused on their budget.

Many times this single focus leads to them to NOT look into options we KNOW they would want to do. Even to where they would give up something else in order to make the budget work. But the budget ends up ruling the day and they go down a limited road.

Kitchen and bath industry studies have shown that over 1/3 of homeowners, after their project is complete, wish they had done more and regret that they didn’t. Whether it’s better quality cabinets, more organization and accessories inside of them, or a higher grade of countertops, whatever. It’s a sad feeling to have after spending a chunk of your life for something you and your family should enjoy for years.

It’s not difficult to keep up with what the trends are in kitchens. There are typically many annual studies that boil it down for us to help us stay up to speed.

The reason you will want to keep up with them if you’re thinking about remodeling is that you’ll want to know what’s HOT and what’s NOT. ESPECIALLY if you’re remodeling to sell at some point in the near future. 

Here we give you the highlights and more...

Have you had multiple thoughts or discussions about whether or not you should do a kitchen remodel in the Chicagoland area? If the answer is yes, have you had the thought of when you should do it?

There are many reasons today is the best time, but on top of those reasons is the fact that time is running out on most of the incentives that make it such a great time to remodel.

From market dynamics like the economic downturn and low interest rates making remodeling less expensive, to manufacturer incentives that will not last much longer, to the fact that cabinet companies are beginning to get MUCH busier, everything points to an urgency to remodel now. The "best time" won't last much longer.