How a Professional Design Package can help you get a Kitchen Remodel Loan

In this article:

• A professional kitchen design is critical to getting accurate contractor quotes.
• You need accurate quotes to set a budget for your kitchen remodel.
• You need a budget to request a kitchen remodel loan.

Financing Your Kitchen Remodel: Get a Professional Design First

Most people can’t afford to cover the cost of a total kitchen remodel without relying on some type of loan or credit – even an affordable IKEA kitchen remodel. However, before you go to the bank, you must know how much the project will cost.

You don’t want to borrow more than necessary and take on a higher monthly payment, and you don’t want to scramble or cut corners towards the end of the project because you didn’t borrow enough. Put loan officers—and your wallet—at ease by getting a professional design before you solicit quotes from contractors.

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The Importance of Getting a Design Before Quotes

The steps to getting a kitchen remodel loan are:

• Know what you want.
• Get quotes.
• Add wiggle room to your budget for incidentals.
• Contact a loan officer.

Unfortunately, many homeowners get stuck on step one. That’s where companies like Inspired Kitchen Design come in. We help you determine the pain points of your current kitchen, devise design solutions, and lay out a detailed plan for you, the builder, and the bank.

If you put the horse before the cart (or, in this case, get the quote before the design), the journey to your kitchen loan will be long and stressful.

Why Proper Kitchen Design Matters: Avoiding Contractor Pitfalls and Delays

Unless you find a company that does it all (design and build), contractors don’t want to hear about your problems. They just want to see your plan and execute the design

Approach a contractor and say, “I want better storage above my fridge,” or “I don’t like my blind corner cabinets” or “I’m not sure how to organize my pantry” and you’ll get a design referral, contractor-grade solution, or no solution at all.

Even if the contractor can design your kitchen, they will only do it if they’re getting paid, and they can only know that once you’re done collecting quotes and have signed a contract.

The contractor will have to return later to see a design and put together a proper quote, and you’ve both wasted an afternoon.

Pitfalls of All-in-One Kitchen Remodeling Services

One-stop shopping is ideal, but in this case, you may find yourself caught in a complex working relationship. Contacting a company that designs and builds presents a few challenges

• First, an in-house designer doesn’t work for you; they work for the builder. This creates a conflict of interest in the event of an error during the kitchen remodeling process.
• Second, it’s difficult (and in some instances contractually impossible) to separate the builder and designer. If you don’t like the design, you’re out the design fee, and the builder is in an awkward position. If you want the design, you can count on being pressured to use the builder.
• Third, most builders won’t source from IKEA, which ensures your project will be more expensive than necessary.

Why a Professional Kitchen Design Surpasses IKEA’s Online Planner

The IKEA online planner may give you an idea of how much the supplies for an IKEA kitchen remodel will cost. However, it leaves out multiple factors. For example, the online planner doesn’t account for any plumbing or electrical that may need to be moved or restructuring of the space. It’s unable to account for unique design elements, like window seats or fireplaces.

A professional designer will offer a complete design package with the price and shopping list, like the IKEA online planner, but with other essential elements. These include a floor plan tailored to suit your unique space, elevation drawings, IKEA hack details, lighting plans, 3D renderings, and everything a contractor needs to determine an accurate quote.

How Inspired Kitchen Design Streamlines the Process for Homeowners and Loan Officers

The designers at Inspired Kitchen Design are experts in the kitchen design industry. We specialize in IKEA kitchens and know alternative storage and aesthetic solutions that work with IKEA products. We work for our customers, not a parent company, so our top priority is ensuring our kitchen design ticks all the boxes on your kitchen remodel checklist.

With our professional and thorough kitchen design packages, you’ll be able to solicit contractor quotes quickly and easily without confusion or miscommunication.

When you can approach a loan officer with multiple project quotes based on a single design, you’ll inspire the confidence you need to get a kitchen remodel loan. You can show lenders exactly how the money will be used.

(Just be sure to add about ten percent for unexpected expenses and material price fluctuation.)

Key Takeaway: Securing Your Kitchen Remodel Loan

Getting a kitchen remodel loan requires providing lenders with a detailed project quote. IKD design packages include a supply list, price list, and detailed drawings, leaving no room for confusion or interpretation when getting quotes from local contractors. Show you’ve done your homework, and you’re sure to hear yes from lenders.