Host: Joining us this morning from Edge Construction is Mike. Mike, how are you doing this week? Mike: I’m great, Sean. Host: How was your Thanksgiving? Mike: It was delicious. We had turkey, but we also had brisket. We know a lot of farmers, and my wife helps coordinate buying beef, so we had a couple of briskets left. A friend smoked them for us, and it was fantastic. Host: That is the way to do it. Are you a brisket fan? Mike: Absolutely. Host: Who did the cooking at your house? Mike: I stay away. I love eating it, but I don’t even have the skills to carve a turkey without making a mess. Host: I’m right there with you. This week we’re talking about how to start your remodel and what that process looks like. With the holidays, I keep thinking about entertaining and those tiny kitchens people try to function in. Kitchens are one of those spaces where a good remodel can make a huge difference, can’t it? Mike: It really can. Kitchens are one of the biggest investments in a home, and so much of the overall feel of the house depends on how well that space works. It also affects the common spaces, the areas your friends and family actually see and use. The kitchen, family room, and great room all need to feel cohesive. Host: And this time of year probably gets people thinking about that. Maybe the kids have moved out, maybe grandkids are coming over now, and suddenly the space just does not work anymore. Mike: Exactly. There are a lot of reasons people remodel, especially kitchens. Sometimes they are simply worn out. You paint the cabinets, replace a fixture or countertop, and eventually you reach the point where you just cannot squeeze any more life out of it. But a lot of remodeling also happens because people are finally at a stage in life where they can have the things they really want. They want a kitchen that works hard, but also feels great for entertaining and everyday living. Host: I think a lot of people reach that point where they are done compromising. They raised kids, made do with outdated counters or a closed-off layout, and now they are ready to create the space they really want. Mike: We hear that all the time. When your kids are young, your priorities are different. You are just getting through the day. Later, whether it is still kids or now grandkids, people want to check all the boxes if they are going to go through a remodel. Host: You mentioned Martha Stewart advice about painting cabinets to get a few more years out of them. What do those projects usually look like down the road? Mike: It can buy you some time, but eventually it catches up with you. We joke that some flippers “Martha Stewart” things just enough to make them look better for a sale. They hide sagging doors, worn hardware, or other issues behind a coat of paint. That is where homeowners need to be careful, especially first-time buyers who may think the kitchen looks fine at first glance. Host: So there is a difference between covering something up and actually restoring it the right way. Mike: Definitely. There is a time and place for refinishing. If the cabinets are well made, the layout still works, and you just do not like the finish, a professional spray process can make them look like new. We had a project where the cabinets were excellent quality, just an ugly color. We reworked a few things, refinished them properly, and the kitchen looked brand new when we were done. In that case, it would have been wasteful to tear them out. Host: We also talked about people reaching a stage where they want a kitchen that supports something they love doing, whether that is baking, cooking, or entertaining. Mike: Those are really fun projects. We have worked for chefs and serious home cooks, and they are very specific about what they want. It still has to look beautiful, but now there is a real functional reason behind the design. They need prep space, landing zones, durable materials, and layouts that actually support the way they cook. Host: I loved that phrase, landing zones. That is one of those things most homeowners probably do not think about until someone says it out loud. Mike: Right. People need places to actually work in the kitchen, not just a short path between the stove and the fridge. You want counter space near the pantry, near the refrigerator, and near the cooking areas so the kitchen works naturally. That makes the space better for everyone, not just serious cooks. Host: And kitchens have become gathering spaces too. We have gotten better about accepting that people are going to hang out in the kitchen whether we plan for it or not. Mike: Absolutely. At some point kitchens stopped being tucked into a back corner of the house and started becoming central to how people live. We began opening them up, adding islands, and connecting them to the rest of the home. In older houses, that often means rethinking everything because those homes were not originally designed that way. Host: And that is where design really matters. Mike: It does. Today, with CAD and rendering tools, you can look at a home from above, move things around, and start solving problems that are not obvious when you are just standing in the room. Sometimes the answer is opening things up, but not always. You still need to define spaces and make them feel comfortable. A little separation can actually make a room feel better. Host: We also talked about surfaces, because people who cook a lot usually have strong opinions there too. Mike: They do. They want durable surfaces, and quartz has really taken off because it is beautiful, durable, and available in so many styles now. But if you are going to invest in great countertops, the kitchen still needs a good design. Otherwise, you are putting something expensive into a space that still does not really work. Host: And sometimes people try to update in pieces. Mike: We do smaller updates too—countertops, sinks, backsplashes, electrical upgrades—but only when the kitchen itself is still worth investing in. If the cabinets are rough or the design has major problems, we are going to say so. We do not want people piling good money onto bad. Host: One of the biggest challenges for homeowners now seems to be choice. There are so many finishes, products, and materials out there that it would be easy to get overwhelmed. Mike: That is where good designers really help. They pick up on your style, your taste, and how you live, then start narrowing the options before you even get to the showroom. Instead of looking at hundreds of tile or countertop options, they can bring it down to a manageable handful that fits your house, your budget, and your style. Host: And that keeps people from getting stuck in analysis paralysis. Mike: Exactly. A designer should make the process less overwhelming. Big box stores already narrow choices for you, but you are still looking at a limited set of products that show up everywhere. A good designer helps you create something that feels like yours. Host: And on your side, it sounds like all those options also change how you prepare for projects. Mike: They do. We stage materials much more carefully now than we used to because lead times are longer and products are more specialized. Cabinets, tile, grout, and other materials all need to be organized and ready before the project starts. That level of preparation matters more than ever.