Northern Virginians forced to spend a lot of time at home over the last two years, have been doing massive renovations. Take a look around South Run Oaks, Barrington or Crosspointe on any given morning and you will see vehicles and delivery trucks belonging to painters, appliance stores, flooring, and general contractors. Here are some suggestions on how to get started on your kitchen makeover. 

Renovating your kitchen is a major endeavor but the rewards, in the end, will be well worth it both for your family and your home's resale value. 

During your initial consultation, your contractor should start with these questions:

• Is this your forever home (at least for the near future)? 
• Do you plan to move within 3-5 years? 
• Are you planning to list your home within a year? 

The answers to these questions will set the stage for the renovation project in the following ways. If this is your forever home, it makes sense to design it specific to you and your family’s needs and style and to splurge on what is important to make the space function best for your family. This will be where other questions branch off from such as are there small children in the home? How many years of school-aged children will use this kitchen? Pets?

If you will move in the next 3-5 years, then it is best to stay neutral and leave as much of the original footprint as possible unless changing the footprint ads value to your home. Using in-stock cabinets rather than custom or semi-custom will save you while still bringing your home up to date. You can choose a budget and family-friendly countertops, tile for backsplash, and flooring. Chances are, the next family to live in your home will not have the same style as you so best to stick to neutral and classic. For example, while it may make sense to have a second sink or butler's pantry for you, the next family may not have a need for it. You do not want to spend more money on your kitchen renovation finishes than is typical for your neighborhood either.



If you plan to list your home within the year, you should consider what we like to call a soft renovation rather than a full kitchen renovation. This could include, swapping out fixtures, fresh paint, lighting upgrades, and possibly new appliances. If the existing kitchen is original to your home, you may wish to replace the cabinets with in-stock cabinetry in a neutral color. An effective way to gauge what other homes in your area have for kitchens and bathrooms is to ask your neighbors, scan the current listings in your neighborhood or even attend open houses in your area. Upgrades and freshening up might be all you need to prepare your home for sale.

Each project is unique and there are further topics to delve into before the design and scope of work are final. Answering the above questions is the best place to start.

Michelle is managing partner of SFCC Premier Silver Member M+M Contracting Solutions. She can be contacted at (703) 569-3589 or mandmcontractingsolutions@gmail.com.