Written by Rebekah Zaveloff, Creative Director, KitchenLab Interiors and Imparfait Design Studio

When you’re planning a kitchen remodel, an important early step is to determine your project’s scope of work. Read more to find out what a kitchen remodel “scope of work” means and how you can decide what yours will be, and then find the right pros for your project.

What is Scope of Work?

Scope of work is the term used to describe the basic parameters of a project. You decide the scope of work based on your budget and wish list, among other things. A designer, architect or contractor you like and trust can help you develop your scope of work and be realistic about what you can achieve within your budget. Keep in mind there’s usually not one right answer, so getting a few opinions is a good idea. Is it a gut job - replacing everything to the studs? Or a remodel, leaving the walls intact and replacing cabinetry and other finishes? Are you replacing or adding can lights?

Considerations for Your Kitchen Remodel or Renovation

Are you remodeling your kitchen within the existing footprint, adding square footage to it or moving it entirely?

Do you want to relocate the sink or range, which would mean moving the plumbing or gas lines?
Will the flooring have to be replaced, patched, refnished?
Are you planning on opening up the kitchen to another room? If this affects a load-bearing wall, it might require structural work and additional costs.
With new construction, you might have heard prices referred to as the cost per square foot, but this formula rarely works with remodeling. Every home has unique conditions due to age, construction type (masonry versus frame, for example) and layout.
Getting detailed pricing information upfront will help you meet your budget.

Determining Your Kitchen Remodel Scope of Work

1. Set a rough budget for the project. Consider if the project will involve related projects like new windows or painting the whole house.

2. Get a sense of what things cost ahead of time to avoid sticker shock. Go appliance shopping first and price out a high and low package so you can get your head around what chunk this will take out of the overall budget.

2. Create a wish list of everything you want. Include new appliances, cabinets, countertops, tile, flooring, lighting and so on. The more detailed you are, the better off you’ll be when talking to professionals. Do you want professional-grade appliances or is the next level down OK? If you have a $60,000 budget and you want a built-in refrigerator and a 36-inch professional-grade range, staying within your budget will be tough.

3. Create ideabooks showing your vision. This can help a professional get an idea of the level of expectation and finish detail required in your project. It’s challenging to communicate needs clearly, especially about visual things like finishes. Showing professionals photos of kitchen designs you like can help them see what you like and prompt them to ask the right questions.

Find Professionals for Your Project

1. Research designers, architects and contractors. Look at Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz for inspiration and then narrow down professionals by their location. Make sure you like what you see in the work examples of these professionals. There are a few different directions you can go for a kitchen remodel or renovation - a kitchen designer, a kitchen remodeler, a design-build firm, an interior designer or a general contractor will each meet different needs in different ways. See how they describe their work and look at their portfolios to see if their aesthetic matches your own. Read the reviews on their profiles to see what past clients say about their work. Then contact pros you like and set up phone interviews and see if they’ll meet in person. While some architects do kitchens, an architect isn’t required for all kitchen remodels or renovations - even if permits are required, check with your local municipality.

2. Check references and ask about fees. Some homeowners start by hiring a contractor, and others start with a designer or architect and use contractors referred by those professionals, while others hire design-build firms that do it all. You aren’t comparing apples to apples here, so it will take some time to figure out who is the right fit.

3. Meet the pros at your home or virtually. Start seeing who you like, who asks the right questions, who is willing to give you some rough numbers, and what he or she needs to do so. Some firms don’t work this way — they might have showrooms and want you to meet them on their turf. Pros who offer video consultations through Houzz may list this service on their Houzz profile, and you can schedule a meeting with them directly from their Houzz profile or directory listing.

4. Tip: Many contractors want a full drawing set before they’ll give estimates for a project. Others will be willing to do a walk-through and give you some rough numbers, nothing line-itemed or detailed. I recommend doing this with an experienced contractor. A novice may underestimate or overshoot the budget by a wide range. Ideally, having some basic space, electrical, mechanical and lighting plans will help a contractor get you a more accurate estimate. If you find someone to ballpark or give rough numbers, it’s on the first phase of pricing. You’ll want to re-estimate based on detailed, finished plans before signing a contract. Otherwise, you run the risk of having to get change orders down the road, which can be pricey.