Kitchen Renovation in the Footprint You Already Have
When the sink, range and fridge already sit in sensible spots, there’s no reason to pay for moving them. A renovation replaces the surfaces and fixtures in place, and it usually wraps up in a fraction of the time a remodel takes.
Veteran BuiltCypress, Texas
Everything structural stays put: drain, gas line, circuits, walls. The work is the part you see. Cabinets get one of three treatments depending on the boxes. Paint them if the boxes and doors are solid, reface them with new doors and drawer fronts if the boxes are sound and only the style is dated, or replace them in the same layout if the boxes are particleboard swollen from an old leak. Then counters, backsplash, sink and faucet, lighting, and appliances in the existing openings.
Opening sizes are the detail that bites people. A new refrigerator is often deeper or taller than the one it replaces, so we measure the opening, the door swing and the path through the house before you buy. A slide-in range needs a different counter cutout than a freestanding one. An undermount sink needs a stone or solid-surface top, and a bigger sink bowl can mean a new base cabinet. Every appliance spec sheet gets checked against the cabinets before the counter fabricator templates.
The floor question comes up on almost every job. If the cabinets keep the same footprint, the existing floor can stay. If you also want new flooring, it goes in before replacement cabinets so they sit on it, or it runs up to the toe kick if the boxes stay. Houston kitchens take a beating from humidity and the occasional dishwasher leak, so we check under the sink for soft cabinet bottoms and old stains before agreeing to keep any box. If the cabinet boxes are sound, refacing or painting them and changing the hardware often does more for the room than anything else on the list.
Houston houses have their own habits. Slab foundations that move a little with the clay, plumbing under that slab, attics that hit 140 degrees in August, and humidity that punishes anything not sealed right. A good remodel plans around those, and many neighborhoods add an HOA review to the schedule.
If you keep wishing the sink faced the family room or the fridge weren’t in the walkway, renovating in place locks those problems in, so talk to us about a remodel.
When kitchen renovation makes sense
The honest version, including the cases where you should spend the money somewhere else.
- The kitchen works fine for how you cook and the problem is how it looks.
- The cabinet boxes are solid and you’d rather spend on counters and fixtures than on demolition.
- You want the kitchen updated in weeks, with the room usable for much of that time.
And when it does not
- If the base cabinet under the sink is swollen and moldy, refacing it is lipstick on a problem, and that box comes out.
- If the counters are fine and only the cabinet color bothers you, paint the cabinets and stop there.
How we run it
- I
Measure and decide
We check the cabinet boxes, measure appliance openings, and decide paint, reface or replace for each run.
- II
Order
Doors, counters, sink, faucet and appliances get ordered, and the counter templating date is set.
- III
Tear-out in place
Old counters and anything being replaced come out, plumbing and gas are capped, and the room is ready for new pieces.
- IV
Install and reconnect
Cabinets or new doors go on, counters and backsplash go in, appliances and plumbing reconnect, and we test it all with you.
What we ask before we price it
- Which rooms are involved, and do you want any walls or fixtures moved?
- How old is the house, and has it had water or foundation trouble?
- Will you be living in the house during the work?
- Does the HOA review interior or exterior changes?
- Is anyone in the house sensitive to dust or noise during the day?
Should I paint, reface or replace my cabinets?
Paint if the boxes and doors are solid wood or good plywood. Reface if the boxes are sound but the door style is dated. Replace if the boxes are swollen particleboard or sagging. We check each run.
Can I keep my old countertops and just change the cabinets?
Rarely. Granite and quartz tend to crack when lifted, and new cabinets seldom match the old heights perfectly. Plan on new counters if the cabinets are being replaced.
Will my new appliances fit?
Measure before you buy, because refrigerators especially have grown deeper. We check the openings, the door swing and the route through the house against the spec sheets.
How long does a kitchen renovation take?
Less time than a remodel, since nothing moves. The longest wait is usually counter fabrication after templating. You get a schedule along with the written scope.
Does a kitchen renovation need a permit?
Swapping cabinets and counters usually doesn’t. Adding or moving circuits, or changing the gas connection, usually does. We tell you which parts of your job need one.
Can we use the kitchen during the work?
For parts of it. While the counters are off and the sink is disconnected, no. Before and after that window, usually yes, with some dust.
Who you are hiring
We are a service-disabled veteran-owned company based in Cypress, verified by the Texas Veterans Commission. The person who writes your scope is the person you call if something is not right.
Google reviewers have given us 5.0 across 19 reviews, and the word that keeps coming up is honest. We would rather talk you out of a job than sell you one you do not need.
Military families and first responders take 10% off, and financing is available through Acorn Finance with a no-obligation prequalification. Ask about either when you call.