A KD might have the design sense, but isn't others qualified to help you remodel your house, mainly because the first thing you have to figure out is whether you have structural/engineering issues doing what you propose.

This post was edited by sjhockeyfan on Sun, Aug 31, 14 at 11:39

''Flow'' is the magic word here. Yes, you need to consult an architect. Who will consult with a structural engineer and a KD to get you the best integration of space as a whole for your home. Money spent on design work will save you money and gve you better results. It also won't be nearly as expensive as you think it will. Especially when compared to piecemeal mistakes that get done when there is no master plan in place.

Get that master plan in place, and do the project in phases if you have to in order to get the end result that you needith the funds that you have available. Like, do the HVAC and electrical changes that will need to happen to go to open concept. Then let the budget recover. Then take the wall down and just rework the existing cabinets with some paint as a placeholder. Then do the flooing redo. Then the new cabinets. Many things can be accomplished with an extended timeline and a master plan!

Just don't let an architect design your kitchen as most don't have kitchen design sense. Learned this the hard way.

As Tre says, it depends. There are KDs who can and will that also know when and who to consult. At least a third of my work is like this, no big deal

Many KDs won't want to bother though, box store is not likely the ideal place to look.
Ask assorted pros (GC, KD, Arch) till one fits, it makes sense and looks to meet budget.

Tell them budget up front or you'll be wasting your and everyone else's time. If your budget is at the upper end of box store prices there should be options.
A bottom end budget means you'll have to find a cooperative contractor and live with fewer variations and less visual aids.

Here is my current floorplan. The wall between the kitchen and family room will come down partially along with the wall connecting the foyer and living room,

The picture didnt attach.

Looking at your plan I'd say you want either the right architect (one who does kitchens well) or a thorough KD. If a GC look for a design/build sort.

If 3D visuals are important for you then check what they use for software and how capable they are with it. Look at examples of work done.

In any case someone who visits the home early on, measures the relevant spaces AND important furniture, who will listen and present a couple of options. You will have compromises to be make, IMO there is not a simple straight solution jumping out. (or you can play with the folks here on the forum)

Chances are high the wall between the FR and kitchen is bearing, at some point an engineer is likely to be needed if taking much of it down.

HVAC, electric and plumbing need to be evaluated on site.

Would not take down the wall between he kitchen and entry. Thre's nothig worse than entering a house that dumps you right in the middle of the messiest part of any home. Entryways are important transition spaces. I'd actually try to make yours larger and better defined for more utility.

ditto

My layout is similar to yours. I did not use an architect, a KD, or a GC. I did have an engineer come in to determine what was needed to remove the wall between the kitchen and living space (we needed to add a beam) and provide the details required by the city. But I was able to "visualize" what I wanted done, so I didn't need anyone to help me in that respect. It sounds like you need a KD (or someone who can otherwise help you visualize what you want) to help you get started.

DH says the wall is not load bearing and I don't think I want to remove the entire wall, maybe just the part toward the foyer. The wall next to the foyer wall has a table and does not go immediately into the kitchen, so it would be more of a dining area.

bumping this up

For this particular project...I would probably hire both. I think you would benefit from an architect taking a good look at the house and possibly recommending some other potential changes, as well.

Are you going to take over any of the area (for the kitchen space) to the left of the kitchen? Do you plan to move the laundry closer to the bedrooms? Maybe make the master bath a little larger? Do you want a powder room and/or mudroom between the garage and kitchen? Do you have access to the outside in this area, besides through the garage?

If you are happy with all other aspects of your home (for now and in the future) then you probably can get by with a good KD and possibly an engineer.

It's a really nice floor plan...very typical of ranch homes and it gives you a lot of options! These homes are so full of possibilities and they look like they'd be fun to remodel.

Sorry, but I can't remember if you already said if you have kids at home? Is it just the two of you? If you don't need three bedrooms, maybe something like this? Just a quick idea...but it makes the third bedroom a den option, that can also serve as a larger dining room with bay window and built-in seat/hutch on the far wall.

This leaves space for a bigger kitchen overlooking the living room, with a small banquette in the corner. This may be completely wrong for your needs (and too expensive) but just a possibility...

most kitchen LOs by architects are terrible! a good # by KDs are also (not the gw KDs). The plan you posted just shows 1 huge room as kitchen. writing on it is too small to read tho (so maybe it says DR somewhere).

If the R side of that room is the DR, then an opening off of the entry isn't such a bad idea. opening to FR is a good idea. I'd start with a gc (check his license with the state licensing office).

As for a KD, unless you have no idea what you want (colors, cabs, counter etc), you could post a more defined LO (larger and with measurements) of your kitchen for those here to help you.

If the wall you want to modify is not load bearing, then I don't think you need an architect or engineer. You should have an experienced contractor, though. Someone who can answer all the questions you and your husband come up with after educating yourselves through the internet. You may want to start with the gw home remodeling forum.

As far as design, the advice here from gwebbersis a better starting (maybe even ending) point than KD (from my recent 6 months of experiences).

We started our whole house renovation with an architect firm. We had a bad experience. I felt like an idiot because my dad warned us to not hire an architect (he worked in commercial construction for 40 years), but I wanted to do it the "right way."

My advice is to first consult a structural engineer to make sure you know what you're dealing with. Our's in Portland, Oregon was $60 for one hour on site. Money well spent. Armed with the structural knowledge, work out the floor plan on graph paper and with the awesome folks here on GW or Houzz or whatever we're calling it now :-) Once you know what you want, hire a draftsperson or designer to put together your autocad drawings (ours actually is an instructor for the interior design program at the community college and she did a great job.)

Once you have drawings, you're able to clearly communicate with contractors regarding the scope of work. (You'll also use these drawings to get your permits.) It took me a few awkward consults to realize that engineer and contractor types do not respond well to a woman just standing in a space and making hand gestures and asking their opinion on "can I do this or that?" They just want to know what you want them to do and they'll tell you how much it will cost to make it happen.

Here's a closer look. The area to the right, where you come into the kitchen is a mudroom. We thought about moving that door, right now it is so tight where my stove is..there is no counter to the left of the stove. I have a table in front of the bay window, that is the only dining space. I never thought about turning the one bedroom into a dining room, but I would have only a 2 BR house then. I really just want to open the space up, when we have people over everyone is either crammed in the kitchen or in the LR, there is no "flow"

If you put french doors between the foyer and new dining room (former 3rd bedroom) you can make it into a den in the future. Your home doesn't seem to have a basement, so I'm guessing it's probably going to be a great home for retired couple or small family.

A den can always be converted back into a bedroom (or add an armoire) but why keep a bedroom as a bedroom....if you don't need it? A dining room, den, family/TV room....lots of options and it would leave you the space for a lovely, large kitchen OPEN to the living room and bringing in those views and light. Just an idea :)

Working with your current plan, what if you move the range 'up' a bit and the sink over...with a larger window? Take out the peninsula and add a rolling cart rather than an island...something about 2' x 4'. Just large enough for prep, but not blocking your walkways.

The bay window is great for a small table and with the opening between this space and the living area...and the half wall by the oven, you should have a much better flow!

I can't read your dimensions clearly, but I think you need some wall b/w the kitchen and LR for your appliances.

Here's an idea.

I hadn't really thought about 2 openings. We were thinking of closing up the existing opening for the frig and a cabinet or two and opening up the existing wall, but don't know about opening up the entire wall and part of the foyer.

I like a lot of what Lavender is suggesting. However, I think one larger opening will make things flow better and feel more airy.

What are these things that I have numbered 1-6? I can't read the original plan.

1 is a laundry closet, 2 is an office/den, 3 is a small utility closet(used to have our water heater in it until we moved that to our crawl space, 4 is a small half bath of off the mudroom, 5 is a mudroom w a coat rack and bench, 6 is a coat closet beside the fireplace

Thank you! And what are the lengths of the four lines I've just drawn in (the purple line, the blue line, the yellow line, and the green line)?

Also:

1) Do you use the office/den? Or perhaps is one of the bedrooms unused and could be the office/den instead?

2) Where do you enter the house usually? I assume through the garage?

Hello, sorry for the delay...

purple-11'10-this is part of the foyer with a small 30 in opening into the kitchen/dining area, we had thought about taking part or all of this down or making the opening 42 inches, right now it I can walk thru without having to turn the laundry basket long ways.

yellow-13'9-that is with moving the wall out from where it is now. It is about 12 ft now.

blue-21-3"-this is the one that divides the FM & kitchen making the flow awkward

Green-26'

We do use the office/den and we mostly come in through the garage door. The problem is that I want to open the wall, but I need part of it for cabinets and appliances & from part of the kitchen is basically a walkway. I liked funkycamper's idea and that's what I think my only option is. I would love an island, but don't know if I have the room. I am sick of the peninsula. I have been so frustrated that it is so hard to visualize anything.

I really like this, but don' know if I have the room for an island

bump

I think an architect is a great idea in many cases but if you are just looking to redo your kitchen, you need a kitchen pro. Some will design and sell you the cabinets and provide a list of contractors, others are a full design build firms and provide installation. I think a professional is crucial in a good kitchen design because there is so much that goes in it and that is what differentiates these companies from Home Depot, where cabinets might be OK but the service and the design expertise are absent. Please visit our showroom if you are still in need of a professional by your side. We do include design fees in your final cabinet purchase price and we are a full design build firm.