Who needs help with kitchen planning?

Top Three Questions

Why would I need a planning service?

Most homeowners who plan their own kitchens tend to replace their old cabinets with a similar layout, just because it is familiar and they conceive that changing things around will cost too much. Experience has shown us that many homeowners can have a much nicer and more functional kitchen, even their dream kitchen, by spending just a bit more for planning help.

Do I need to hire an interior design firm?

We don't think so. Our highly experienced kitchen planner knows kitchens, knows the trends and the market, is familiar with the brand you are choosing, and can design a great kitchen for you, one that suits your home, budget, tastes and lifestyle.

How much does professional planning cost?

Our expert and comprehensive planning service, including contractor consultation, costs $275, with $75 credited back on your installation. In comparison, you could pay $2,500 or more for interior design, or $500 to $750 or more for a kitchen plan from the big-box stores.

Call or for more information, a free quote or to schedule planning or installation services: (626) 203-1480

Having helped hundreds of homeowners remodel, install and finish new kitchens, we've identified the most basic, vital concerns a homeowner should address when planning a new kitchen. The issues are both technical (walls, floors, electrical, etc.) and creative. A professional plan takes all factors into account and results in the most attractive and functional kitchen possible within the budget and space available.

We've installed kitchens for interior designers and we respect their work. However, for the majority of homeowners, Ikea cabinets come with a promise of simplicity and affordability that rules out the relatively high fees for professional interior design, typically several thousand dollars. Big box stores typically charge $750 and up for kitchen planning. Ikea offers a planning service that does not address technical issues for about $500.

We believe that the best choice is a planning service that includes both technical and creative. Our planning service costs $275 (June 2008), and the customer gets $75 of this fee credited back on our installation services. As professional installers, we work to ensure that you love your new kitchen. Because we will be working with you, we don't want you to be faced with the stress and expense of planning errors. We want you to get all you can out of your cabinet investment. We have found that making professional planning easily affordable and including with it a technical overview, is the best service possible.

None of this is to say that homeowners cannot draft kitchen plans on their own. But many people need and ask for help with planning. Our experience with those who needed help has enabled us to learn what a thorough planning service needs to accomplish.

There are perhaps four main categories of homeowners who can benefit from expert help with planning:

  1. First, are homeowners who do not move forward on a vital or desired project because of uncertainties. Sometimes this is just a lack of measuring-expertise, sometimes it is confusion or difficulty with Ikea's planning software, sometimes it is really a technical issue with the house itself, as in category #2, below. But whenever there is uncertainty, self-planning might not adequately assure that a major purchase of cabinets will fit, or that the result will be beautiful and optimally functional.
  2. A second category are those with older homes, where the condition of walls, plumbing, venting and electrical needs to be evaluated as a part of the planning phase. For this group especially, the type of planning service we offer can save a lot of time, money and stress. Know before you go.
  3. A third group would be those with small kitchens who need to get the most function out of every inch. Small kitchens are often the hardest to plan and most likely to have planning errors turn into problems during installation.
  4. A fourth category might be those who know exactly what they want to achieve, and want to minimize risks and maximize efficiency. Expert help with planning is suggested.

For customers who have already drafted their plans, we can do a plan check. We can also provide a bid for installation based on your existing plan and purchase list alone. We provide fast, friendly service for every customer, for any phase of a project.

When we provide our planning service or a plan check, having done an on-site inspection, we are able to give detailed bids on any remodeling that might be needed, along with an installation bid. Remodeling work almost always has to be evaluated on-site in order to provide a helpful, honest bid.

The fourfold result we are going for with our planning service:

  1. Customer has a professional kitchen plan he/she is excited about. Plan is uploaded and accessible at Ikea
  2. Customer has had questions answered and feels confident to move forward
  3. Customer has a line-item bid on installation or remodeling services and knows their cost (labor)
  4. The plan provides a summary of materials that need to be purchased from the cabinet supplier, so the cost of these can be readily calculated and planned for.

Kitchen planning is both a technical and creative endeavor. We try to cover all bases with our planning service to make it truly helpful.

or call (626) 203-1480