A Kitchen Or Bathroom Remodel Is More Than Just Cabinets & Counters

If you’re working with Baltimore contractors to do some major work on your kitchen, your bathroom, or both, then this is one of the most significant undertakings you can do in home improvement. However, these are also the changes that make the most significant impact on the day-to-day experience and the property’s value.

That’s why when you’re planning this project, there are many things you need to consider as you discuss the job with your Baltimore contractors. You may be thinking immediately of what the new cabinets and counters look like, but here are a few other essential elements to factor into your budget.

Plumbing

Even if you’re not relocating sinks or adding in a new half-bath, the age of the existing plumbing is a factor that should always be looked at during renovation periods. Some homes now have original plumbing that is over 100 years old. Deciding to add new sinks, toilets or showers, while ignoring the fact that you may have “ancient” plumbing on the verge of breakdown means costly repairs later.

If walls and floors are going to be torn down anyway as part of a remodeling process, have your Baltimore contractors look into the plumbing to see if it’s too old and should be replaced or is recent enough that it can work for many more decades without issue.

Electricity

In the same way that plumbing can work for decades without needing replacement, the same is true for the electrical wiring in a home. Today’s average home of the 20s uses far more electricity—and electronic devices—than homes of previous decades. Kitchens use many more appliances, from air fryers to “instant pots.” Even bathrooms have many more electric and digital “smart” devices that need to draw power from an electrical current.

Some homes manage to get by on the older “knob and tube” wiring systems that were in use from the 1880s all the way to the 1930s in home construction. However, while rugged, these systems were never meant to bear the harsh demands of a 21st-century lifestyle and the many electronic devices required. If you don’t want issues with plugging one more device causing a blackout in the home and a trip to the fusebox, have your electrical wiring looked at. If it’s very old, get it replaced.

Always Look At The Fundamentals With Baltimore Contractors

Elements of the kitchen or bathroom, such as the plumbing and wiring, aren’t very visible or “sexy” in terms of trendy upgrades. However, like the foundation of a home, they are essential to the smooth, convenient functioning of a kitchen or bathroom despite never being seen once the work is done.

If you’re looking at a home that hasn’t had its plumbing or electrical wiring inspected in decades, talk to your Baltimore contractors about having them looked at. Any residence constructed before 1970 and still has many of its original features likely has an electrical system near the end of its life. Make sure your new kitchen and bathroom aren’t hamstrung by old infrastructure that can’t keep up with your lifestyle.