Remodel & Renovation

Answer from Richard S. at the Shelby Township Wittock location: There are so many great ways to open up a kitchen but before you commit to movable pantry shelves, ceiling height cabinets or a large open kitchen floor plan, you may want to consider some of the trade-offs that come with ‘opening up’ your kitchen. For example, open shelving is great for your best dishes and stemware, but not so great for concealing everyday items. Asking a good kitchen designer about what trends fit your objectives – and your lifestyle – may help you avoid costly mistakes, and depending on your goals, help you stay within your budget.

Answer from Richard S. at the Shelby Township Wittock location: Kitchens are notoriously one of the hardest rooms to remodel because of all the decisions that need to be made along the way. That said, the first thing you need to do before anything else is ask yourself what you want this remodel to achieve?

Questions like: what features is my current kitchen missing? What doesn’t work (or what does) in the current layout? Do I need more cabinet space? Or less? These are just a few questions that will help you better understand the scope of your project.

Answer from Jourdan M. from the Birmingham Wittock Kitchen and Bath location: Remodeling a kitchen is a BIG project, and while you might be very handy, it is important to leave the “heavy lifting” to a professional.

Doing some of the demo on your own can be cathartic and effective, but if you aren’t a finish carpenter, maybe help in other ways: select products that you like, assist in the layout, and be on hand to help direct. You want your investment to be WORTH it.

Answer from Tracy G. from Wittock Kitchen and Bath in Shelby Township: The best advice I can give someone starting a new project is to not start any tear-out or demolition until you have all your material at the site. This holds true for scheduling your tradesman too. While we can usually give accurate lead-times on when material will come in; vendors can change those lead-times without any notification. So, to err on the side of caution; waiting for material to be in hand is the only foolproof way to stop any needless delays, and expenses, on your project.

Answer from Kristina D. from Wittock Kitchen and Bath in Shelby Township: Porcelain steel is a thinner material that can flex over time and because it can buckle/wear quicker than other materials, it’s often used when customers/builders look for an inexpensive material choice.

Cast iron is a great material that wears very well, especially when purchased from Kohler due to their 8-layer glazing process, but it’s very heavy. Acrylic is awesome too because it can be professionally repaired in the home, it’s easier to install because it’s a lighter material, and can be cleaned with anything non-abrasive or non-corrosive.

MainStreet Design Build is a full-service, luxury design and build firm that caters to homeowners in Oakland County. They’re ideal for customers who value a high level of comfort and trust in knowing that their home remodeling project will be done RIGHT.
For over 20 years, we have been creating award-winning home additions, kitchens and bathrooms in the communities of Birmingham, Bloomfield, Royal Oak, Pleasant Ridge, Troy and other select areas of metro Detroit. With an in-house design team, staff of carpenters and a deep bench of skilled tradesmen, MainStreet Design Build offers residential clients the personal care, accountability, timeless design and exacting attention to detail that transforms remodeling ideas and dreams into precious living spaces.

At MainStreet, we set priorities and expectations early and then take responsibility for ensuring that everything is done right. We define what is “right” by championing process improvement efforts that ensure quality during all phases of the design/build process. In a high-quality environment, everyone is responsible for quality. At MainStreet, everyone (office staff, field personnel, trade partners and management) is physically and emotionally invested in working towards theoretical ‘zero defect’ design and construction.