Kitchen Remodeling in Highland Heights, Ohio

Highland Heights homes sit on wide lots, so the kitchens are usually a fair size. The problem is how they are divided. A wall between the kitchen and the family room is the single most common thing we take out, and the second is a peninsula that blocks the path from the garage door to the sink.

In the ranches and split levels around Miner Road and Millridge Road, a soffit often runs above the wall cabinets. Storage stops well short of the ceiling because of it. Taking that soffit out usually gains a full row of cabinets without touching the footprint of the room.

The newer colonials on the cul-de-sacs off Bishop Road have the opposite issue. The kitchen is open enough, but the island is undersized for the space around it and the pantry is one shallow closet doing too much work.

We measure before we draw anything. The plan comes from the room you have, not from a template that gets reused down the street.

Storage comes first. Deep drawers replace the base cabinets nobody can reach into, and the blind corner gets a proper pull out instead of a dead void behind the door.

Flow comes second. In a lot of Highland Heights kitchens the walk from the refrigerator to the sink crosses whoever is standing at the range. Moving one appliance and widening one walkway usually settles it, and that costs less than knocking out a wall.

Then there is the door from the garage. In these homes it opens straight into the kitchen or a short hall, so coats and bags land on the counter. Hooks, a bench and closed cabinets at that door keep the kitchen clear.

Resale is worth a mention too. Buyers looking in the Mayfield school district compare kitchens closely, and a dated layout reads worse than a dated finish.

Start with a measured drawing. Any work that moves plumbing, electrical or a wall needs a permit from the City of Highland Heights, and we tell you upfront what your job will need before anything begins.

Think about where you will cook while the kitchen is apart. Most homeowners set up a temporary counter with a microwave in the basement or the garage. That is far easier to arrange before demolition than during it.

The order of decisions matters. Layout first, then cabinets, then countertops, then backsplash and hardware. Picking a countertop before the layout is settled is how plans get redrawn.

Bring photos and a note of what you want to keep. Plenty of Highland Heights kitchens have a window in a good spot or a floor in solid shape, and there is no reason to spend on replacing either.