According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2025 Cost vs. Value report (2026 has not yet been published), a kitchen remodel can net roughly a 38%-53% return on investment. While we work on all types of home remodeling projects, with over 50 years of remodeling homes in the Seattle area, we can honestly say kitchen remodels are one of our favorite projects to tackle. Few spaces are used as much as kitchens as they are the hub of the home, so crafting the right kitchen design is important.

Budget

Often one of the more difficult discussions regarding a remodel, it is also one of the most important. We work to be transparent with our clients in all aspects, including anticipated costs. Our fixed-cost contracts help us and the client to anticipate expected costs upfront so that there are no surprises during the course of the project (unless there’s a change in scope) and helps to keep selections and timelines on track.

Size & Footprint

One of our initial questions is whether you want to remain within the existing footprint of your kitchen, or if you intend to expand it. Many of our clients opt for an expanded kitchen by utilizing space from a nearby closet or by being open to reworking pantry storage. We always want to discuss these ideas early in the remodeling process, as moving appliances and other major components around usually adds cost for electrical and plumbing.

Vision

Sometimes the hardest part of a kitchen remodel is how to help the client identify what they want. We want to know how you use the space today, what works well and if there are pain points to how it functions. If money were no object, what would you add or how would you change it? These are all helpful ways to develop a kitchen design that encompasses daily needs and future wish list items while keeping your investment range in mind.

Style

We use our initial design meetings to get the broad strokes of a project and then if a client has trouble communicating what they like, we will often send them to Houzz to identify images of spaces that speak to them. Those selected images will then be used to detect themes a client prefers as a kick-off point for design discussions. It’s important that the overall home design blends together so that it won’t look like it’s been incrementally updated, especially if we’re just working on one room in your home.

Material Preferences

Selections of tile, countertops, appliances, and paint don’t have to be overwhelming. At the beginning of a project, we will discuss your maintenance threshold and help guide you towards materials that fit your preferences and lifestyle. After appliances and material preferences have been determined, we start the process of sourcing those materials in advance of the project’s start to avoid any supply chain issues.

What to Expect

We also talk with clients about their living plans during a remodel. Some opt to relocate during construction for ease and limited disruption, or we can make suggestions for creating an alternative kitchen so that cooking can still happen in a limited capacity. One of the benefits of using a full-service design build firm like ours is that we genuinely care about our clients, so we always do our best to keep the jobsite clean and to minimize disruptions as much as possible. You’ll receive a dedicated job site manager as your point of contact during the project, and our owner will visit the site weekly to make sure there are no issues. We also use Buildertrend, an online project management software, where you can see your calendar 24/7, view your selections, and communicate with our team.