Kitchen Remodel First vs. Leaving it For Last

When doing a whole home remodel or a multi-room renovation, there are some stages of the process that need to follow a specific order. For instance, electrical work should be done before repainting the walls or the ceiling. Regarding flooring, all floor tiles must be uninstalled before levelling, and prep work for retiling can commence.

But regarding renovating specific rooms, there are no set rules. Some homeowners believe a kitchen remodel takes priority over a bathroom remodel. Others are fine remodeling their living room or home office before even touching the kitchen.

So when should you remodel your kitchen?

That depends on a couple of factors.

Option 1: The Kitchen Comes First

Three reasons why you should do the kitchen remodel first.

The Heart of the Home

For many homeowners, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a home—if not the most important. It’s where the whole family gathers to enjoy a home-cooked meal or a casual after-school snack. It’s where friends sit down to exchange good-natured gossip over cold drinks or else spend an afternoon catching up while eating chips and salsa.

The kitchen is warm, inviting, and for many people? It’s integral to tying the house together.

If you agree wholeheartedly, and you believe a house isn’t a home without a kitchen, then you should definitely remodel your kitchen first. You can easily set up an alternative kitchen while waiting, but the sooner you finish the kitchen remodel, the more settled you’ll feel.

It’s always best to finish the most important rooms first, as anxiety won’t do you any favors during a home renovation project.

The Most Visible Room

The kitchen happens to be one of the more prominent rooms, which is why people tend to prioritize kitchen remodels over other types of improvement projects. Despite different homes having different layouts, the kitchen is usually the first room visitors see or the one they stay in the most.

Suffice to say, there’s a lot riding on how your kitchen looks (and performs).

If you get a lot of visitors or you’re the host of most casual, last-minute visits, remodeling the kitchen before everything else is the best move to make.

Scope-Wise, it’s the Most Challenging

Remodeling a home is never easy, but a kitchen remodel is usually on a whole different spectrum. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to remodeling your kitchen, especially if you’re planning to replace large appliances (like refrigerators, stove ranges, dishwashers, and so on) or install new counters.

Some professionals recommend tackling the kitchen first for this very reason. Tackle the more difficult rooms first, so that the remodeling process gets easier (and, ideally, less stressful).

Option 2. Save the Best for Last

Two reasons why you can—actually, should—leave your kitchen for last:

It Ties Your Home Together

As we mentioned earlier, many homeowners consider the kitchen to be the most visible, most prominent room in their home. Because of this, a lot of thought is put into its appearance.

Home improvement websites and magazines are constantly featuring trendy, stylish kitchens as inspiration for their readers. Homeowners freely share their kitchen remodeling ideas on public forums since they know other homeowners will appreciate it.

Related Content: Kitchen Remodel Ideas That’ll Stand the Test of Time

There’s a whole community behind styling, improving, and personalizing this one room because so many people see it as the centerpiece of their home.

For this very reason, it might be best to leave your kitchen for last. Because so much is riding on its appearance, you want a kitchen that ties your home together. And for that to happen, you need to make sure that its visual elements complement the visual elements of other rooms also. Practically speaking, this will be easier to accomplish if the other rooms and elements have been completed beforehand.

It Isn’t As Inconvenient as Other Rooms

The inconvenience we’re talking about here refers to the disadvantage of setting up a temporary kitchen replacement. When your kitchen is being remodeled, you’ll have to set up a temporary room where you can cook and prepare food. As long as you have some way to store the food (like a refrigerator or an icebox) and a flat surface with which to prep and cook the food, you’re all set.

This can easily be done in the dining room or a spare bedroom.

However, other rooms aren’t as easy. Take the bathroom, for instance, or your bedroom. If your spare bathroom only has a toilet and sink in it, you’ll have to find some way to take a shower. With renovations underway, it won’t be comfortable to sleep on a couch or a downstairs guest bedroom—never mind preparing for work or school in the morning.

For this reason, some homeowners prefer leaving the kitchen remodel for last. This way, they can focus on getting the bedroom or bathroom remodel done as quickly as possible (without compromising quality, of course).

As with many elements of a home remodel, the “right” answer depends on your personal situation. A kitchen remodel is a worthwhile investment—and a hefty one. If you want to get your money’s worth out of it, you need to assess your situation and then make a choice based on your own needs.