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Choosing the Right Contractor in Los Angeles

Are you thinking about making some home renovations? It is necessary to choose the right contractor for your home renovations. Choosing a professional and experienced contractor is the best option to avoid spending more money than needed. The most common renovations are bathroom remodels, roof repairs, siding renovations, among others. No matter which type of kitchen renovation you are planning to make, you need to choose the right contractor. 

You might have hired a contractor before or it might be the first time that you are making home renovations. No matter which one is your case, here are some things that you need to consider when you are looking for a home renovations contractor.

Make Sure you know what Renovations you want

You need to decide which renovations you want to make and how much you are planning to spend on them. If you know what needs to be done then it will be easier to hire the right contractor and give them instructions regarding the renovations. Look for designs and find out which materials can adapt to your pocket. This is important so you can have control over your home renovations. 

Ask Your Friends and Family for Referrals or Checkout Websites Online

Finding a good contractor is not so hard if you ask your friends and family for referrals. They might know someone who has done some great renovations for them. Checking websites and Facebook pages is another way to find several contractors. Verify if they have a strong online presence and check the comments of their previous customers. This will give you an idea about how well they work and if their previous customers recommend them. Make sure it is a licensed, certified and insured company that will provide you safety and an appropriate warranty for their services. There are also websites like Angie’s list for remodeling contractors that can help you to determine the cost of your project and find local contractors with reviews. 

Get Several Quotes from Los Angeles Kitchen Contractors

Don’t go with your first option or the cheapest one. It is better to compare several contractors before choosing one and make sure that you ask them all your doubts. You can ask them about the materials they use and if they hire subcontractors. Make sure you clarify all the details related to the home renovations you want to make and compare contractors. Some will provide you more benefits than others. It is best to find out as much information as possible to make the right decision. Talk to them face to face and don’t be afraid of expressing your ideas. A good contractor will hear you and give you proper recommendations. 

Take your time before you make your decision, there is no need to rush. Analyze your options and choose the right contractor for your home renovation needs. If you would like to know more about home renovations or hire a professional contractor in Los Angeles, please visit hhtps://www.bradcokitchen.com/. Find out all about the products and services they can offer you. 

Bradco Kitchens and Baths

5350 Venice Blvd. 1st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90019

(323) 936-3457

 

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Cabinet Refacing Los Angeles

If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking for a quick and easy way to get your cabinets looking as glamorous and appealing as possible. Well, congratulations… you’re in the right place. 

Despite your cabinets being practical and aesthetically suitable, know that it is possible to make it even more modern and attractive thanks to kitchen cabinet refacing.  Cabinet refacing is as fashionable as carrying out a complete renovation in your home, only that it requires fewer materials and comes at a lower cost.

With your current furnishings, refacing allows you to change the style of your cabinets. It is an affordable solution that will allow you to use the full potential of your creativity. Refacing is opposed to renovation, which involves much more important and expensive work, using new materials.  

How does cabinet refacing work? Different cabinet refacing techniques

Cabinet refacing involves the reuse of existing cabinets to give the cabinets a new look. Cabinet refacing is a quick and effective way to improve your cabinets’ look without having to change your entire cabinet structure. This process is environmentally friendly since manufacturing waste is reduced, as well as manufacturing materials. To sum up, refacing is the ideal solution to rejuvenate your cabinet while retaining its layout. You can follow the technique below to get an idea of the refacing process.

 

Before and after shots of cabinets refacing

 

1. Change the paint on the cabinet doors

The easiest refacing technique would be to freshen up the paint on your cabinets. Your color choice is very important, so go for modern and bright colors. A proper technique for painting wooden cabinets starts by removing the doors, then the hardware that composes them. You will also have to clean the surface of the doors with a cleaner-degreaser suitable for wood

You will have to lightly sand the doors as well as the boxes with sandpaper. Remember to remove the dust by sandblasting with a cloth or feather duster. For better durability, apply a coat of primer and let it dry for several hours according to the instructions on the product’s back. Lightly sand the primer coat to soften the surface.

Creating a color contrast can dramatically change your cabinets’ look, inexpensively and in a short time. This is a great idea for those who don’t like large projects and have limited resources. 

2. Replacing the bottom of the Shelves or Cabinets

If you are tired of opening your cabinets and finding yourself faced with a bland, dull cabinet color, the solution might be to transform the cabinets’ interior. You can do this by using various colors and patterns. So you can choose between a patterned wallpaper or an attractive coat of paint.

3. Refacing by applying a new look to the doors

The success of residential renovations brings new products to the market. If you are looking to easily change cabinets’ look without repainting them, let alone replacing them, then a good solution would be to use films designed specifically for this purpose. Barn wood, brushed aluminum, or black carbon look will surely find a film to your liking. The application is very simple and fast.

4. Change cabinets for shelves

 

Replacing cabinets with shelves is great for ventilating your cabinet and making it appear more spacious, especially if it is narrow. There is no need to replace all your cabinets because two pairs of shelves can be enough to ventilate the room while highlighting your dishes.

Applying this technique will be necessary to remove the cabinets concerned and disassemble them to keep only the shelves. Remember to repaint the wall behind the cabinet and fill in any holes before installing your new shelves.

5. Remove cabinet doors

 

The latest trend in cabinet refacing is open shelves. By removing the doors of your cabinets, your dishes will be visible. This generally makes it easier for you to reach and grab items from the cabinets. Removing your cabinet’s doors will improve the outlook of your cabinet, making it much more attractive.

Kitchen cabinet refacing is a good option for inexpensive cabinet rejuvenation, but then again, you have to love DIY jobs. If not, you’ll be happy to hear that there are professionals out there offering this type of service, with fees that are less expensive than a full kitchen remodel.

6. Change the central part of the cabinets

Many cabinet doors have a central portion, often left the same color or appearance as the rest of the door. However, it is a good idea to apply wallpaper to this section for those who want to revamp their old cabinet doors. It is recommended to choose one with a detailed and colorful pattern to create a striking contrast with the rest of the door.

Things to consider before choosing cabinet coverings for refacing

 

One of the most demanding environments in the home is the kitchen; heat and steam from food can be key factors when choosing a material for your cabinet refacing. However, other items are worth checking out before opting for one of them.

Cleaning

Steam generally carry grease throughout the room, including the walls. Mainly those closest to the heat or kitchen area. General cleaning should be done frequently to keep it spotless. Therefore, the best material for that area will be the one that is easiest to clean.


Resistance

The materials you choose must also be resistant to high temperatures if it is near the kitchen and to the environment’s humidity. Secondly, the materials must be resistant to the products that we use to clean. Choosing a material with high water resistance is an added advantage as it helps to improve the durability of the cabinet

Surface Area

It is important to know the cabinets’ surface area that must be covered with the coating to calculate the cost of the different materials. This will help you do proper planning regarding the time and cost for your cabinets’ total refacing.

Installation

 

If you are going to put a coating on the kitchen cabinets, you need a professional. Especially when a previous coating must be removed, taking out the previous coating on your own may cause unrepairable damage to your cabinet structure. Installation may also require your furniture to be moved around a lot, which also damages your cabinet structure or kitchen floor.

Style

 

Among the list of requirements that we have to analyze before buying Cabinet coverings is style. The walls should follow the same style guidelines as the custom kitchen cabinets and the flooring. Everything must be harmonious and functional within this environment that will be the most visited by family members.

Color

A key element of the style is the color of the walls. Since with light colors, you can achieve a visual effect of spaciousness and luminosity. The final touch of style, without a doubt, will be given by the furniture with its color, texture, and finish.

Cabinet Styles

Cabinets are a necessity in any home as they are crucial to your organization, but that’s not all they do. Cabinets have a way of sealing the décor of your kitchen and other areas in your home. So, instead of sticking to the conventional and boring cabinet styles you see around, there are more for you. Various cabinet styles can give your kitchen a new look while merging with your home’s interior styling.

For people that love going extra in their home décor, choosing the right cabinet style can be problematic. In this post, you can choose one that perfectly suits your home décor. Check this out!

What are the possible Cabinet styles available?

There are a few cabinet styles available on the market, and in this post, you have access to a few of them.

Here are some of the different cabinet styles:

Shaker cabinet style

This cabinet style dates back to the 18th century, and it is regarded today as one of the placements in modern or contemporary kitchen designs, despite their traditional origin. The Shakers are American framed known for their simplicity but attractive form. They are known for the following features:

  • A recessed panel door.
  • Basic hardware.
  • Light components.

They have minimal adornments, and they are majorly built with smoothened hardwood surfaces. However, you may find others that have been crafted with veneer paneled doors. To seal the frame, they have light stains and natural finishes. This is because they are originally intended to be as simple as they can be.

The shakers’ cabinet styles are also famous for their wooden handles or knobs. Some shaker styled cabinets may be painted with a distressed finish, giving it a distinct finishing. With the shakers, you can rarely find the main frame, it is always fixed into a walled frame.

Flat style cabinets

Just like the name suggests, these styles have one goal in mind, stay flat at the end of the day. They are made to be easily convertible and can be constructed in various ways. However, one significant fact is that they don’t have frames and are majorly concrete slabs.

They can be made from various components, and they are:

  • Solid hardwoods: The hardwood cabinets are more durable than others, and the solid boards can be attached using glue. You would find this more often in homes than other types of flat style cabinets.
  • Grade-A Plywood: This grade is regarded as the finish-grade, as they are high-quality materials. They are applied over less expensive softer woods and ply of pine. Still, the edges of these slabs are plated with a hardwood veneer tape.
  • Medium-density fiberboard: This is a standard material that, when used on your flat styled cabinets, would require painting. But, you can also cover the core layers with a thermofoil or a plastic laminate.

Traditionally styled cabinets

The traditionally styled cabinets are almost as old as the idea of cabinets itself. In this cabinet style, you have more detailing and framing as part of its style.  The panel doors are raised, and some have beads on the board of their design.

The traditional cabinets feature more in color variations. They could be either hue, clean whites and creams, tans, and even an extensive range of wood hues. The doors are mostly inset recessed, and you would easily see the frame around the doors. The doors in themselves are designed to integrate with the structure to produce the desired design.

Rustic country style cabinets

The focus of the rustic country style cabinets is to re-enact a renaissance look pleasingly. You could go for it if you intend to have a design that would compliment an already themed apartment. Just like the name, it brings a rusty but aesthetically pleasing look to your kitchen area.

The rustic country style cabinets are also distinct in the material used in making them. They are designed with quality but raw woods with particular focus on the wood’s grain. That is what produces the country’s look in the cabinet.

With this cabinet style, you would be getting a distressed look with a lack of emphasis on the detailing. This is most common in authentic rural houses and cabin getaways. However, a literal version of this style could also make it to modern-day kitchens and more places. It all depends on what you intend to achieve with the cabinet style.

Inset cabinet style

The inset cabinet style is characterized by an inset door, placed directly into the cabinet frame just like the conventional cabinet doors. Every door in the inset cabinet style is designed with remarkable precision. This is to ensure that the wooden doors are appropriately seated in the cabinet frame, thereby allowing a seamless movement while in use.

The inset cabinet style and its drawers are one of the most priced cabinets on the market. However, they give a classy look in return, which can last for several years without wearing out. With the insets, you can easily be personalized to manufacture your custom cabinets. These custom cabinets could have either a beaded or non-beaded inset for aesthetics.

With the beaded inset cabinet style, the design is made to fit and give an edgy detailing. However, this style always requires revealed hinges compared to other conventional styles.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Cabinet Style

When choosing a cabinet style for your kitchen or any area in your home, there are a few things you should consider.

Here are some of the things you should consider:

General outlook:

The first thing is how your home looks originally. If you already have a country styled home, it would be fitting to choose a cabinet style like the Rustic styled. Here at Bradco Kitchen and Baths, we can have them installed in your home with ease.

Budget:

Your budget is also crucial to your purchase. We would suggest that you don’t go overboard and stick to just how much you could afford without breaking the banks.

Still, you may think others need to get a quality cabinet style that should cost all your money. But at Bradco Kitchen & Baths, you can find the perfect cabinets under your preferred style at an affordable price.

Durability:

How well a cabinet style lasts is determined by the components it is made of. Your hardwood cabinets are known to withstand moisture and the elements a lot more than other ones. You may also find the painted designs resistant against water and moisture.

As top-line manufacturers in the US and overseas, Bradcokitchen, manufactures environmentally friendly kitchen cabinets in a wide variety of styles, colors and woods. Our products are made with the finest of quality materials designed to offer our customers a vast selection of cabinet styles to individualize your kitchen remodeling experience. You can get any of these cabinet styles by logging on to www.bradcokitchen.com to start your journey into your eco friendly kitchen cabinet styles.

Things to Consider When Remodeling a Kitchen

You don’t have to be stuck with that old kitchen layout. There are newer designs out there for you to choose from. However, I understand that getting your kitchen remodeled may be a hassle if you don’t know how to go about the whole procedure.

In this post, I would be giving you a few tips to help you get the job done. Check this out!

How Frequent to Remodel a Kitchen?

The kitchen is one of the most visited places in our homes, and should constantly be remodeled every ten to fifteen years. As a homeowner, it is estimated you visit the kitchen at least two to three times a day.

During the course of these visits, you get to use the components of the kitchen. Like everything else, they tend to wear out from overuse. At the end of ten years, moving into the fifteenth year of service, changing most components is necessary. Note, even when left on their own, some kitchen components get old and require replacements.

It is at this point that you would require a full-blown remodeling. Note, before this time. You may have had to change out a few other things.

What do I consider when remodeling a Kitchen?

Now that your kitchen is set for remodeling, there are a few things that you should consider. They will help you ensure that the process is seamless and achieve the ultimate goal.

Here are a few of the tips:

Tip 1: Watch out for traffic.

When it comes to traffic, you need to consider your children and any pets you may have. As we all know, kids and pets are everywhere and at counters. So, take out anything they may easily break or trip over in the course of their daily activities.

Before you begin installing any new designs, you need to consider the amount of traffic your kitchen pulls. Your end goal is to have a workable place to make meals for your family. So, if any of your accessories would obstruct that comfort, then it shouldn’t be there.

Tip 2: Consider the corners.

Next on the list of things to consider is the door corners in your kitchen. They are very essential to optimize the placement of your kitchen furniture. It is well known that furniture such as kitchen cabinets have doors that extend during use.

When remodeling and rearranging your kitchen, you should shift out the cabinets away from the door corners. If you want them still close enough, you should get one with doors that wouldn’t obstruct the kitchen doors from closing.

Generally, I would suggest that you avoided the kitchen door corners.

Tip 3: Get the electrical working right.

Are you getting your electrical work done either by you or a professional? Then there are basic requirements you should follow. These electrical requirements ensure you have all you need to power your appliances and light up the area.

Some of these electrical requirements are:

  • Installing a minimum of two 20-amp power outlets or circuits.
  • Powering the lights with at least 20-amp electrical circuits.
  • Installing various countertop outlets not more than 24 inches from the last one.
  • Installing a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection for all your countertop circuits.

Tip 4: Create a plan and adhere to it.

When it comes to remodeling a kitchen, it takes precision for you to get it right. You wouldn’t want to rip out your whole kitchen and turn the entire area chaotic. If you do that, then it would be a whole lot harder to get by.

Always create a sketch and stick with it. Start from one corner of the old kitchen to another when you start remodeling.

Tip 4: Stay Ventilated.

Ventilation in the kitchen is very important. There is constant steam from your food that, in turn, creates heat in the kitchen. Consequentially, the place becomes saturated and uncomfortable for anyone in there.

I would suggest that you get the kitchen cross-ventilated if it already wasn’t before you began remodeling. This would let the fumes out and keep the air fresh at all times while you cook or go about your regular kitchen activities.

Tip 5: Be practical with your flooring.

If you intend switching up the type of flooring already installed in your old kitchen, then be cautious. It is relatively easy to create a trip hazard when you don’t get something that works with all that goes on in the kitchen.

It is easy to trap a few of your appliances when adding a new layer of flooring. Things like your dishwasher and cabinets are majorly susceptible to these kinds of traps. So, check that your installation goes under your kitchen appliances and doesn’t obstruct their functions.

Tip 6: Lighting is also crucial.

Cooking in a dark kitchen is no fun at all. A little bit of ambiance light gives it that touch of perfection that you aim to achieve. With the right amount of light in the common areas, your kitchen is almost done with remodeling.

Apart from having your kitchen looking good, light helps you avoid accidents while cooking. They let you see what you’re cooking and how to place your tableware and accessories at night. So, when remodeling, always check out for the right amount of lights in the kitchen.

Note, it is better to have more lights than less. An extra tip would be to also let as much natural light into the area.

Tip 7: Choose the Right Color

The first question you should ask when coloring up your newly modeled kitchen is the size of the kitchen. When you have a small or medium-sized kitchen, painting it with dark colors would make it look smaller. With bright colors, the whole area would look more prominent.

Note, these color policies don’t just apply to your kitchen walls. It would be best if you also chose lighter shades for your cabinets and frames.

The Best Choice For Your Kitchen Remodeling

Getting your kitchen remodeled can be made easy with the right steps. You can get more out of your kitchen space and enjoy the whole cooking experience with the right contractors from Los Angeles, CA and surrounding areas. This is a contractor you can rely on to get your old kitchen looking brand new.

The Best Green Cabinetry Options for an Eco-Friendly Kitchen Design

Remodeling your kitchen is full of important decisions, and not just color and style. For many people, making ecologically responsible choices is just as important as form and function. Green cabinetry is a big part of an eco-friendly kitchen design. It’s easy to decide that you want your kitchen to be made in eco-friendly way, but many homeowners are surprised to discover just how many types of green cabinetry options there are. There are cabinets made from reclaimed wood, cabinets made from fast-regrowing wood or from wood that is guaranteed to be replanted through forestry conservation. There is also pressed-wood cabinetry that has no formaldehyde preservative, and paint or varnish that is low in VOC (volatile organic compounds).

Let’s dive into your options for green cabinetry when designing an eco-friendly kitchen.

1) Salvaged and Reclaimed Wood Cabinetry

One of the biggest concerns with green cabinetry is conserving natural resources and reducing forest cutting. A great way to do this is to prioritize cabinets made from salvaged and reclaimed wood. This means that the wood was used for something else first, but that was taken apart, cut, and rebuilt into cabinets. Often, this reclaimed wood comes from buildings that have become structurally unsafe or no longer in use, like old barns. The wood that is still in great condition is then taken away and repurposed into all sorts of things.

Salvaged and reclaimed wood makes great floors, has been built into furniture, and is often used for green cabinetry. Reclaimed wood cabinets involve no new trees being cut and come with a wonderful history that you can often learn about and enjoy welcoming into your home.

2) FSC and ESP Certified Cabinetry

Cabinetry certified by environmental groups is another way to go. The most common certifications are FSC and ESP. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. They only certify wood and cabinet manufacturers if the wood has been harvested in a responsible and sustainable manner. This usually means dedicated replanting and working to preserve the ecosystems that are affected by cutting. ESP stands for Environmental Stewardship Program (not psychics) and holds similar principles of preservation and ecological responsibility.

Certifications from either the FSC or the ESP show that the wood your cabinets are made from is new, but harvested carefully with ample replanting to conserve the environments from which the wood was harvested. Other certifications to look for are CARB Compliancy, EPP Designation, and LEED Accreditation.

3) Toxin-Free Cabinetry

Formaldehyde-Free

The next thing to consider is pressed particle board cabinets. Many cabinets are not made out of solid wood, but pressed composite wood held together with a glue adhesive. The trouble is that many adhesives contain added formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. These cabinets are bad for the environment because they can ‘out-gas’ toxins and are potentially bad for your family as well. If you decide to go with pressed composite cabinetry, look for options that advertise as formaldehyde-free.

Low-VOC Content

You may also want to think about the toxicity of the paint and varnish you choose. Liquid pigment is notorious for including toxic solvents to transfer the pigment and many include something called VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds. These are ingredients that are bad for humans, animals, and some plants. Breathing VOCs as paint dries or over time in your home can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, difficulty breathing, nausea, and some VOCs cause cancer. Look for water-based paints and varnishes that advertise low VOCs. It is not necessary for brands to reveal their VOC count but some make it clear that they have reduced their VOCs.

4) Fast-Regrowing Wood Cabinetry

Another way to make ecologically responsible cabinetry choices is to look for fast-growing wood types. Replanting is wonderful, but many trees take as much as 50 years to fully replace themselves after cutting and replanting. There are certain types of wood that make great cabinets and can replace themselves incredibly quickly for a tree’s lifecycle.

Bamboo Cabinets

The classic fast-growing wood is bamboo. Bamboo replaces itself in a few very short years. Bamboo stalks (for construction) are ready to be harvested between 4 and 10 years after planting which is incredibly rapid compared to trees. Bamboo also spreads incredibly quickly, filling any planted field edge-to-edge with new stalks within a year or two after planting clustered stalks initially.

This means that bamboo is incredibly eco-friendly for natural wood cabinets because no eco-system needs to be damaged to grow, cut, and regrow bamboo for construction.

Lyptus Cabinets

Lyptus is a genetically modified type of eucalyptus tree that was designed specifically to address the deforestation and replanting issues. Lyptus, a hardwood, takes about 15 years to mature between cuttings, which is about a quarter the maturation time for a hardwood. Lyptus is easily stained but naturally has a rosy hue with a wide range of light to dark natural color, making it a lovely alternative to cherry or mahogany.

The coolest thing about lyptus? It regrows from the remains of a previously cut lyptus tree. This means that cleared fields of the modified lyptus tree can be harvested over and over again, making it very eco-friendly.

 

5) What to Watch Out For

Finally, there are a few details you might want to keep in mind in addition to materials and certifications. Consider the distance that your cabinet wood has traveled, as trucking ads to emissions and wood harvested closer to you will have a lower overall carbon footprint.

Avoid exotic woods for a number of reasons. First, they are often rare and slow-growing types of tree that are not easy to harvest ecologically. Second, they often come from very far away, adding to their carbon footprint with transport.

Generally, look for products that include a minimal amount of glue to minimize the unlisted VOCs in your whole cabinetry construction. Look for solid panel cabinets and those that prioritize smart use of nails and fasteners over glue.

 

Green Cabinetry with Bradco Kitchens and Baths

If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen, the best way to make your design eco-friendly is to work with the right custom remodeling team. Here at Bradco, we prioritize green cabinets. Bradco cabinets are manufactured locally to reduce the carbon footprint so that every aspect of your project can be ecologically responsible. No matter what look, style, or design you’re going for, we can help you make the most eco-friendly choices to best suit your design.

We would love to help you build a truly ecologically responsible kitchen that is both beautiful and green, no matter what color you choose to finish with. Let us build you a beautiful kitchen that you can feel good about. Contact us today to begin a consultation on your dream kitchen and we’ll talk about both your vision and your eco-friendly choices in green cabinetry and efficient fixtures.

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