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They say the most important room in a house is the kitchen. It's where families gather to socialize while dinner is being made. It's where the host chats with the guests as hors d'oeuvres are being prepped. It's the new living room for most homes.

But the average age of U.S. homes is over 30 years old. And back before the 80's, the kitchen wasn't so "central" to American life. And many of those kitchens are small.

Very small.

Kitchens of a few hundred square feet are common everywhere. It wasn't until the late eighties and early nineties that kitchens (and homes) started to get much larger.

Are you stuck with a small kitchen? There are ways to help remodel a small kitchen to make it seem bigger, but you can only slap so much paint on a pig before you realize it's still going to be a pig. You might want to consider a kitchen addition project.

When most people think of a home addition, they think of adding a second story, a bedroom, or a another bathroom. But kitchen additions are growing in popularity. Homeowners want the extra room they see on the TV shows and in the magazines. They want more counter space, more storage space, more eating area, and more room to entertain. And more than one amateur chef out there would like more and larger state-of-the art appliances in their kitchens.

First Step - Kitchen Addition Design
So, if you're considering a kitchen expansion project, you'll need to first start by planning.

Write down the pros and cons of adding on to your existing kitchen. Write down your specific needs - why you need more space, what you want included in your kitchen renovation, what your budget will be, etc. The more you know, the more you can discuss with your kitchen addition contractor. Great planning means there will be fewer surprises and you'll be happy with the finished project.

Decide how you want to expand the kitchen. Most kitchens are located at the back of a house. This means you'll more than likely be expanding into your backyard or side yard. Do you have the room? What will be in your way? Do you know where your property stops and where your neighbor's begins?

Write out these things and talk to a home addition contractor so you know what can or can't be done.

Second Step - Your Kitchen Addition Project
If you're going to try to live in your home during the kitchen expansion process, be prepared for inconvenience. You should move all your appliances to another room to set up, like a dining room. You won't have a sink, but you'll have your fridge and microwave for meals.

Expect a mess. Opening up your kitchen and expanding it out into your yard will cause dust, debris, new materials and old waste to pile up in and around your house.

To save some money, you might consider doing a lot of the demolition yourself. Just don't knock down any supporting walls, especially if you're expanding out. You can remove drywall, old cabinets, countertops, flooring and any fixtures in the room. Save what you'll use in your new kitchen. You can request a dumpster be sent to your home to throw all the remodeling waste in.

Third Step - Enjoy Your Larger Kitchen!
After your kitchen contractor is done with adding on to your new kitchen, go over everything to make sure you're satisfied with the work. Take before and after pictures and test all the fixtures and appliances to make sure they work before you make that final payment.

If you want to start a kitchen addition project, make sure to get multiple quotes. Talk to more than one home addition company to ensure you're getting the best price. You can be skeptical on the lowest bid - sometimes they have to cut too many corners to complete the job at a certain cost. Don't accept any bid from a contractor that doesn't come to your house to see the scope of the project.

To find quality kitchen addition pros in your area, submit a request to ConstructionDeal.com. We'll get you 4 quotes in the same day. There's no cost and no obligation to hire anyone. It's a fast, free way to find kitchen addition specialists.

Labels: Kitchen Addition, Kitchen Expansion