Most clients want to limit changes during kitchen remodeling in Brighton, CO. This is often due to budget, but also the fear that the remodeling contractor will see it as an opportunity to ask for more money. No one wants remodeling costs to spiral out of control, but you also need to make sure your kitchen is capable of doing what you plan to demand from it. That includes electrical capabilities. Here are five reasons why you should include an electrical upgrade with kitchen remodeling:
- Things change: Appliances make different demands on your electrical system than they did even 10 years ago. If you live in an older home, chances are it is wired for the appliances that were designed for it at the time. It is not prepared for larger refrigerators, double ovens or even the number of electronic devices that are used in homes today. If you are updating your kitchen for the first time in 10 or even 20 years, you need to consider the electrical system. Older homes that have not been rewired for 40 or 50 years definitely need upgraded electrical infrastructure for the modern kitchen.
- More outlets: There were no microwave ovens in 1977, and you were definitely not charging iPhones in that decade either. Your current kitchen may not have enough outlets for all that is demanded of it. That includes countertop appliances, like toaster ovens and microwaves, but also outlets for charging your tablet as you make the recipe on it. You may also desire outlets in new spots, like that kitchen island you will gain once the remodel is finished.
- Electricity demands: It is not just about your oven or refrigerator anymore. It is your oven, stove, Instant Pot, tablet and any other devices that now operate in your kitchen. Energy demands are different, and if you added outlets, chances are there is more pressure on your electrical system, too. Besides upgrading the wiring, you will likely need a new fuse box and additional safety precautions. You do not need your new kitchen to become a new fire hazard, so it is a good idea to upgrade the electrical system along with your countertops and cabinets.
- Expanded lighting: Adding light sources is a common request in remodeling. Clients want overhead lighting, but they also want lighting under cabinets, over sinks and perhaps even in their doors and cupboards. Just as additional outlets require upgrades, so does lighting. It will change the wiring system and likely require adjustments to your fuse box, too. Light fixtures now demand less energy and do not produce the same amount of heat. However, they still need power, and that will be provided more efficiently with new electrical infrastructure.
- Cost savings: There are more options for cost savings now, especially when it comes to electricity. Lights with timers and motion sensing lights allow you to light your kitchen for less. To help these features work better, you likely have to adjust the layout, and that means changing the wiring in your kitchen to match the new lights.
Jim Cope Construction LLC is a remodeling contractor in Brighton, CO. If you are looking at kitchen remodeling or additions, contact us today to start the process and receive an estimate.