Kitchen Remodeling in Georgia

Kitchen remodeling ranges from new cabinet doors, counters and a backsplash in the same layout to a gutted room with walls moved, plumbing relocated and new circuits run. Whatever the scale, the same planning questions come up. This page walks through them for homeowners in metro Atlanta and links to our kitchen page for each city.

Layout comes before finishes

Start with how you use the room: where groceries are unloaded, where prep happens, how many people cook at once and where everyone else gathers. Those habits decide the positions of the sink, range and refrigerator, the walkway widths and whether an island fits or just gets in the way.

Keeping the sink and range where they are saves plumbing and gas work. Moving them is often possible, but it adds cost and may affect the floor, walls and permits. Removing a wall to open the kitchen to a living area calls for checking whether the wall carries load and what runs inside it.

Cabinets, countertops and appliances

Cabinets set much of the budget and the look. Boxes are usually plywood or particleboard, doors can be painted or stained, and drawers in base cabinets often hold more usable storage than doors with shelves. Appliances should be chosen before cabinets are ordered, because their published dimensions and clearances set the openings.

Quartz, granite and other stone tops are fabricated from a template measured on site after the base cabinets are installed and leveled. The sink, faucet and cooktop are picked before templating so the cutouts match. Laminate and butcher block are other options with different care needs.

Lighting, power and ventilation

Good kitchens layer light: general ceiling fixtures, under-cabinet task lighting over the counters, and pendants over an island. Countertop outlets near water need ground-fault protection, and large appliances often require their own circuits, which may mean work at the electrical panel. A range hood ducted to the outside removes smoke, grease and moisture far better than a recirculating model.

The usual order of work

Design and selections are finished first, and items with long lead times, such as cabinets and some appliances, are ordered early. Then come demolition, any framing changes, rough plumbing and electrical with inspections where a permit applies, drywall, and flooring if it runs under the cabinets. Cabinets go in next, followed by countertop templating and installation, the backsplash, fixtures, appliances, paint and trim.

What a written estimate should cover

A clear estimate lists demolition, cabinet line and finish, countertop material and edge, backsplash area, plumbing and electrical changes, lighting, flooring, ventilation, paint and disposal. Items not chosen yet appear as allowances with a stated amount. It should also explain who supplies the appliances, who installs them and how hidden problems found during demolition, such as damaged subfloor, are handled. Changes are written up with their cost before the work is done.

Permits for kitchen projects

Moving plumbing, adding circuits, changing gas lines or removing walls is the kind of work that may need a permit and inspections, while swapping cabinets and counters in place often does not. Requirements are local, so check with your city or county building department. For backsplash and floor choices, our tile installation page covers layout and grout.

Kitchen remodeling by city

Choose your city for a page about kitchen remodeling there, including the local permit office where we have it.

Frequently asked questions about kitchen remodeling

Should I pick appliances before ordering cabinets?

Yes. Each appliance comes with published dimensions, cutout sizes and clearance requirements, and the cabinet openings are built around those numbers. A refrigerator that is slightly deeper or a range with a different width than planned can mean reordering cabinets or living with an awkward gap. Having model numbers settled before the cabinet order avoids that problem.

Do new countertops require new cabinets?

Not always. If the existing cabinets are sound, level and laid out the way you want, new counters can go on top of them. Stone and quartz are heavy, though, so the boxes need to be solid, and the old top has to come off without damaging them. If you plan to replace the cabinets within a few years, it usually makes sense to do both at once.

Is a ducted range hood worth it over a recirculating one?

For most kitchens, yes. A ducted hood carries smoke, grease, odors and moisture outside, while a recirculating hood filters some grease and odor and blows the air back into the room. Ducting requires a route through a wall or the roof, which is easiest to build during a remodel when walls and ceilings are open.

Start planning your kitchen

Call 404-409-4448 to tell us about your kitchen, what works and what does not. We can arrange a visit to measure, talk through layout and materials and prepare a written estimate.