Questions for your Kitchen Remodel and Design.
When thinking about remodeling your kitchen or creating a new kitchen for your new home, we know you have questions. We have assembled our answers to the most common questions we hear. As always, we are available anytime to answer any question you may have, and we are ready to help you get started. Read on, then give us a call. You’ll be glad you did.
General Questions for a New Construction or Remodel Kitchen Project:
A Luxury Kitchen remodel is different than a simple pull and replace or a like for like swap with cabinets from a big box store. A Luxury Kitchen is personal – it is designed to fit what Luxury means to you. Luxury remodels include:
- Custom Design – A design tailored specifically to you, by our licensed and registered design team.
- Premium materials – Will last, look, and perform far better than builders-grade materials most homes in Oklahoma City are built with.
- Exceptional craftsmanship – Our project managers and carpenters are long-term employees with experience and education.
- The Remodel Experience – With 25 years in operation we have developed a tightly managed process system to ensure you receive what we design together.
Yes. Custom should be our middle name. Each kitchen is designed specifically for each client and space, incorporating our full custom cabinetry, rearraigned kitchen layouts, with a focus on every minute detail. Nothing is off-the-shelf or builders grade.
We most often design our projects in-house, with Brenda and Megan, licensed and registered as designers with the state of Oklahoma, supported by Cheyenne and Maureen, our CAD and operations experts. We can work with your architect should you already have one on board, but by far the vast majority of our clients work directly with us to fulfill the design. In our 25 years, we have opened walls and moved plumbing in the vast majority of our projects, so we are comfortable with the heavy lifting required for an intense remodel.
You’ve probably seen the ads for the One Day Bath or fast turn around remodels. High-end remodeling is more involved than those. Rather than precut and premade components, the major elements we will use in your home are custom designed, and custom built, for your space. Our cabinets are made to order (in the USA), then professionally finished before being brought into your home. Countertops are custom cut on a waterjet machine from raw slabs – then edged to fit precisely as we specify. Tiles are individually cut and fit to precision. No cookie-cutter systems here!
It is best is to bring the design team in at the very beginning. Architects look at home design in terms of egress, loads, site lines (sometimes…), while our design team thinks – you just pulled in the driveway with a car load of groceries, and company arrives in two hours. How is my kitchen going to function?
We find that more often than not, the home buyer starts down the road of construction, but begins to get dismayed at some of the builders’ decisions or choices. We have completed numerous new home kitchens, baths, and other rooms in the OKC area in this scenario and are well versed at working with the builder. In fact, we find that we make their job easier, as we not only provide the kitchen or bath design and layout, but we also spec appliance utility locations and requirements. If hired to do so, we also provide room lighting design and all material selections for the space. In order to maximize economy of scale, we let his installers set the tiles or other elements, since this person will be doing all of the other spaces in the home, while we prefer to install our cabinetry as they are more specialized than builders grade cabinets.
Regardless of stage of construction, our design team helps reduce frustration, while keeping the project moving to a successful outcome.
In OKC, the vast majority of homes are spec homes, with the kitchen design very basic and repeated. A Design – Build firm like us, creating a new home kitchen, will be tailoring the design to fit you and your family personally. You will use this space every day – let us make it fit, and improve, your lifestyle.
Design Build brings everything that will happen on the job under the control of one company and one person. This creates a much smoother process without any confusion between different parties. The build team builds what the designer created. Everyone knows the capabilities, and expectations, of the other parties. One phone call for anything needed.
We provide Design Build services throughout the state of Oklahoma. While the majority of our projects are turn-key, where we control and execute every step that will occur in the project, for distant jobs we often will provide the design, oversee other trades local to you, then install our cabinetry at the appropriate time.
Budget and Financial Considerations for a Kitchen Remodel:
Luxury kitchen remodel projects typically range from $120,000 to $200,000 according to The Journal of Light Construction Cost Versus Value Report. This is dependent on size, scope, materials, and structural changes. After an initial consultation, we provide an anticipated range aligned with your project.
Mid-Range kitchen remodels average $40,000 to $90,000, again according to the Cost Versus Value Report. These usually involve replacing everything in the room with no structural changes.
The largest portion of the budget typically go to:
- Custom cabinetry and millwork
- Premium appliances
- Quartzite or higher-level stone counter materials
- Skilled labor and craftsmanship
After the design, these elements are what you see, touch, and work with every day.
Yes—when executed thoughtfully. High-quality materials, timeless design, and professional installation consistently appeal to buyers and protect long-term value.
Great question that we hear often. Remodeling always costs more than Building New, when comparing a similar level of product and features. Remodeling requires that we go backwards, tearing everything out before going forwards. This can also mean opening the concrete to relocate plumbing or other utilities. New construction starts with a clean slate – only going forward. The counter to this is that when remodeling, most people are doing one room at a time. So in terms of money spent, remodeling is usually less cost all at once than buying new or building.
With the majority of our clients that remodel, they do so because they love the location, the home, or the memories. They also know that moving generally costs more than remodeling one room. Not to mention the lack of construction quality in most of todays’ new homes. We find that when someone seeks quality, and wants a new home, they usually decide the best choice is to build custom. And Custom homes add up fast.
Kitchen Remodel Design Topics:
Absolutely. Layering materials—wood, stone, metal—adds depth and refinement. The key is balance and placement. We love incorporating a custom bronze or brass metallic venthood over a stainless range with black fixtures. The results can be stunning.
We work with leading luxury brands such as Thermador, Sub-Zero, Wolf, Miele Monogram, and others, based on cooking style, aesthetics, and performance expectations. We are also fans of Induction Cooking. If you have not used one, we would be delighted to show you what they can do.
Both are excellent options. Integrated appliances create a seamless, architectural look, while statement ranges or hoods can serve as focal points. Each client is different and we will work through this decision with you during the design process.
Yes, when clients understand their character. Marble offers unmatched beauty and develops a beautiful patina over time. We can discuss what to expect and how to maintain marble and recommend alternatives if improved durability is a priority.
The question for which countertop material comes down to aesthetics and function.
- Aesthetics. You will look at it daily, so choose wisely. If you love the look of natural elements, then granite or quartzite might be your selection. Both are natural stones, with quartzite often containing more aggressive veining or crystals. This also leads to quartzite costing two to three times as much – or more – as granite.
- Function. Granite is porous and has cracks and fissures that can allow stains to penetrate. Quartz, being man-made, has almost zero pores. The resin they use to fabricate the stone acts like a sealer preventing stains in most instances. Likewise, quartz is usually stronger, again due to the resin. When using quartz in a kitchen design, we are able to span greater distances or develop deeper overhangs in seating areas. But, as stated above, you have to look at it, and while it gets close to looking like natural stone – they are not completely there yet.
For homes built in the ’80’s and ’90’s, I think most Edmond builders went to the same school of kitchen design. They all put that angled high bar behind the kitchen sink. Brenda sees it so often she gave it a name: the “Edmond Swing”! In kitchen design today, we find that most of our clients like to serve in the kitchen when having a larger group over – and the island or peninsula is the perfect staging location. Therefore – we like them to be flat. No high bar. If you are worried about not being able to hide the clutter, we have other ways of dealing with that. Specialized interior storage systems and other features will keep your work area clean and tidy.
Short answer: Fully Custom Cabinets. No Premade or stock, off the shelf. All built to our exact specifications with every element considered. As to cabinet construction, we design and build kitchens and baths with every kind – Frameless, Full Overlay, Inset, Floating, Curved, Traditional. Everything, except Golden Oak…. :)
Absolutely not. Any door style can be used with a frameless cabinet. Slab provides a modern feel, but we have done these throughout OKC and Edmond with Raised panel doors, Shaker doors, Glass doors, No doors, etc..
Painted cabinets are clean but harder to touch up if scratched by dogs or kids. Stained cabinets provide warmth and character, while being easier to maintain. Think about how your family uses your cabinetry, coupled with the design aesthetics you are seeking to help decide. We will review this with you during our design phase as well.
Yes. With proper design techniques, a modern kitchen can be created that will blend with the traditional home and not look out of place. We have our ways…!
Timeline & Process for a New or Remodeled Kitchen:
From design to completion, most kitchen remodel projects take 3–9 months. Custom cabinetry and specialty materials often require extended lead time. Our process management system ensures that your project continues to move with minimal disruptions or delays. Some clients love the design process – they want to go to the slab yards to explore (I see them as art!), while others just want to see the selections and approve.
Major selections—cabinetry, appliances, stone—are finalized and ordered early to avoid delays and ensure the project can continue without disruption once we start.
Our process system is designed around delivering quality. We maintain long-term relationships with employees and sub-contractors. We expect everyone on your project to take the high road in all decisions. We control everything that will happen in your kitchen – we do not let the electrician decide where ceiling lights go – or the plumber to decide which side the disposer will be installed – this is all in our plans. Likewise for every single element and detail. Our projects demand exacting standards at every stage.
Your Security and Protection of Your Home During the Remodel:
Remodeling is messy. When we are remodeling one room, that room is typically not by the front door. During demolition, our guys will be carrying broken countertops, dripping faucets, and crumbling tiles through your house to the dumpster parked out front. For this reason, we protect not only the area we are working in, but the entire path from there to the exit door. If you have wood floors or other delicate surfaces that we will be walking on, we will lay down brand new disposable drop cloths, then place sheets of Masonite on top to protect your floor from drops. We set up our air scrubbers to filter the air, and when needed, we will install our tube fan system to evacuate fumes or dust from the home. Plastic walls with zipper doors and blue tacky mats will make E.T. feel right at home!
In 25 years, we have had a handful of clients that moved out or went to their summer home or lake house during the remodel. Most of our clients live in the home while we are working on it. Know that all of our employees are long-term, as are our contractor team. We have been using the same father and sons electricians for over 16 years; the same countertop firm for 18. We take your security very seriously and will not put you in harms way. Our guys will clean up the area every night and make it as safe as possible should the grandchildren pop by.
Not at all. Over the last 25 years, we have had the keys to the homes of the former OKC City Manager and TV News anchors. While now days more people work from home, the vast majority of our projects have been performed while homeowners were at work or away on vacation. We are safe inside your home. When we see you at Target or the restaurant, we can look you in the eye knowing we did a great job.
Living Through the Remodel:
Most often our clients stay in the home. We plan carefully to minimize disruption and can discuss temporary kitchen solutions if needed.
Living with no kitchen gets old, fast. Among the many tips we will provide, one of the easiest is to prepare extra meals in advance. For the two to three weeks before we start, when you are cooking dinner, make a double portion. After supper, store the extra in single meal serving size vacuum bags. (If you don’t have one, a vacuum sealer unit runs under $100.) Label well – date and contents – and store in the freezer. You and your family will love having home cooked meals, even with no kitchen.
First is Location. We have set temporary kitchens in living rooms, dining rooms. hallways, and even the garage.
Then, Storage. We will relocate your existing refrigerator into the temporary kitchen do you can continue to use it as long as needed.
Next – Cooking devices. If we are replacing your microwave, we can take your old one and set it up in the temporary kitchen. Clients tell us they miss morning eggs the most, so if you are interested, we can provide our portable induction cooktop for cooking anything in a pan. Other countertop tools that make a kitchen remodel more enjoyable: Toaster, Toaster oven, Blender, Snacks, and bottled waters or drinks.
Lastly – Cleaning. A small sink area for cleaning allows for the use of more tableware and pots/pans. If a sink is not available to be used in or near a temporary kitchen, then disposable dishes becomes practical. Good paper plates, plasticware, and even Silo cups – with a sharpie for names. And of course a decent size trash can, preferable with a lid.
Why Edmond Kitchen and Bath llc:
When you hire Edmond Kitchen and Bath LLC, you get more than just a remodel. It starts with professional, licensed designers, supported by degreed CAD specialists to develop the Plans and Renders. Next we provide logistical support to acquire, track, receive, and inspect everything that will be installed in your project. Our Project Planner will assemble your kitchen or bath project and provide every minute detail for our build team to follow. Before handing off, your project is reviewed by our entire team – and all that’s before we start in your home. Just before we begin, your project is reviewed and detailed with your assigned Project Manager who will be in charge of developing what we have designed with you. He will oversee the carpentry, tradespeople from Plumbers, Electricians and Countertops – everything that will be used to bring the vision to life.
We are proud of our country, state, and city, and do everything we can to support and source products as close to home as possible. We will always source Made in the USA first before looking elsewhere for specific items. If we use a local showroom to bring product to you, we will buy that product from that showroom to support them and make sure they are there in the future when we need their support.
We value long-term relationships and are very loyal to those that take care of us. Rather than representing multiple cabinet lines or a new line every year, we have a long standing relationship with Bentwood Kitchens in Dallas. While their main focus is full custom cabinetry, we also use their select frameless line – Harmoni. As one of the premier cabinet lines in the USA, they provide the support, service, and creativity that we require for our clients. All hand made in the USA.
Having been in business now for over 25 years, right here in the OKC area, I can tell you horror stories about other contractors and the messes they left behind. Heck – just Google “Contractor scams customers in OKC” and you will find multiple! We are just the opposite – in fact, we have rescued numerous homeowners from these other contractors over the years. We live in this community and have been here for nearly 30 years. Our kids have grown up here, went to school and college here. Almost every time we eat out or go to the grocery store, we bump into a previous customer. If you speak with any of them, they will tell you the same thing – we treat them like family. We have rescued numerous clients over the years from other bad contractors. So many in fact, we added the link to our resources tab to run background checks and lien checks before hiring a company! With our showroom, you know where to find us and rest assured we will be there if you need us.
We are humbled and proud of the fact that the majority of the people that will be working in and on your project have been with us for 15 years or more. Megan and Scott joined us in the early 2000’s. We have used the same Electrician for 16 years, while our countertop provider is going on 18 years. Oliver, our tile setter, has been working on our projects for over 16 years now. Each of these people know the high level of execution we hold to, and we are very comfortable knowing they are the ones in your home fulfilling the tasks.
Next Steps:
Any way you prefer! We do like to discuss your project by phone to make sure we are the right place. Google likes to think we sell faucets….we still receive the occasional call from someone looking for plumbing fixtures. Give us a call, send an email or Facebook/Instagram message. We will get back to you and set a time to visit for our introductory meeting. If you have a preferred day or time to get together, just let us know.
We like to begin with an introductory meeting in our showroom to give you a chance to interview us. Ask any and all questions or concerns. We will discuss your lifestyle, design preferences, functional needs, and other topics. Brenda and Megan will provide design ideas for you to consider and estimated budgets for your project. We will also share with you our process system and highlight past projects that are similar in nature to yours.
We encourage you to interview several companies to find the one that best fits your family and project. We hope you decide to go with us, in which case we start with a design retainer to begin working for you. With this, we will visit your home and take full design measurements. We will examine how you use your kitchen and explore options and alternatives. Brenda and Megan then turn the notes over to our CAD team, Maureen and Cheyenne, to enter your kitchen into our CAD system. Next, there will be a series of meetings where we will discuss cabinet styles, appliances, layout, and overall kitchen design.
After Maureen or Cheyenne have everything in our CAD system, Brenda and Megan will work through the remodel and set up a presentation meeting with you. During this meeting they will present one or more options for the new kitchen, and show options that you may want to consider. Budgets will be addressed as well as timelines.
Once you are ready to proceed, we finalize the design and the budget. We take a down payment and order the cabinetry and all other materials. Covid taught us well – don’t wait till we need it, buy it now because we may never receive it and need to make alternate selections….