What Comes First in a Kitchen Remodel?

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Start With the Layout

A kitchen remodel can involve cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, appliances, plumbing, electrical work, backsplashes, paint, and dozens of smaller decisions. With so many moving pieces, homeowners often ask the same practical question:

What actually comes first?

The answer is not cabinets or countertops. A successful kitchen remodel starts with understanding the existing space, identifying what is not working, and establishing the new layout before choosing finishes.

For homeowners in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and throughout NEPA, this matters even more in older homes. Many kitchens in the area were built around layouts and appliances that reflect a different era. Walls may have been added or removed over time, plumbing may be in inconvenient locations, and electrical systems may need to accommodate today’s appliances.

The best remodels begin with the structure of the project—not the color of the backsplash.

Evaluate the Existing Kitchen First

Before anything is removed, take a careful look at the kitchen as it exists today.

What works? What consistently causes frustration? Which areas feel cramped? Where do people naturally stand, walk, prep food, and gather?

This initial evaluation should consider:

  • Existing cabinet and countertop locations

  • Appliance placement

  • Plumbing locations

  • Electrical outlets and circuits

  • Windows and doors

  • Ceiling height

  • Flooring transitions

  • Lighting

  • Storage limitations

  • Structural walls or other fixed elements

It is easy to focus on what you want to add. It is more useful to first identify what needs to change.

The Layout Comes Before the Finishes

A beautiful kitchen can still be frustrating if the layout does not work.

Before selecting cabinet colors or countertop materials, determine where the major components should go.

That typically includes the placement of:

  • Refrigerator

  • Range or cooktop

  • Sink

  • Dishwasher

  • Primary preparation areas

  • Storage

  • Main walkways

These elements influence how the kitchen functions every day.

A homeowner may love the look of a particular island, for example, but if the island makes the primary walkway too narrow or interferes with appliance doors, the visual improvement may come at the expense of usability.

Good kitchen design starts with movement.

Think About the Work Zones

The traditional “work triangle” between the refrigerator, sink, and cooking area can still be useful, but modern kitchens often operate more like a collection of work zones.

A kitchen might have separate areas for:

Food preparation: Counter space near the sink and refrigerator.

Cooking: Range, cookware storage, utensils, and landing space.

Cleanup: Sink, dishwasher, trash, and cleaning supplies.

Storage: Pantry, cabinets, refrigerator, and frequently used ingredients.

Gathering: Island seating, breakfast area, or an open space where people naturally congregate.

The goal is not to follow one rigid formula. It is to create a layout that matches how the household actually uses the kitchen.

Electrical Planning Should Happen Early Too

Modern kitchens place substantial demands on electrical systems.

Today’s kitchens may include:

  • Refrigerators

  • Dishwashers

  • Electric ranges

  • Microwaves

  • Garbage disposals

  • Coffee machines

  • Toasters

  • Small countertop appliances

  • Under-cabinet lighting

  • Charging stations

A remodel is an opportunity to address electrical needs before the walls and finishes are completed.

If electrical outlets, dedicated circuits, lighting, or appliance connections need to change, those decisions should be coordinated with the layout.

Otherwise, homeowners can end up with a beautiful new kitchen where the most convenient outlet is somehow six inches behind the coffee maker.

A Practical Kitchen Remodel Sequence

Every project is different, but a typical full kitchen remodel may generally progress from larger structural and functional decisions toward the smaller finish details.

Stage

Main Focus

Existing-space evaluation

Conditions, measurements, problems

Layout planning

Appliances, cabinets, work zones, circulation

Structural planning

Walls and other fixed conditions

Plumbing & electrical planning

Utilities and appliance requirements

Cabinet planning

Configuration, storage, style

Flooring coordination

Material and installation considerations

Cabinet installation

Establishes the primary built components

Countertop templating and installation

Final dimensions and surfaces

Backsplash

Coordinated with finished counters and cabinets

Final finishes

Hardware, paint, lighting details, accessories

The exact order can change depending on the materials and scope.

The important principle is consistent: solve the big functional questions before

Spending too much time on the small aesthetic ones.

What If You’re Keeping the Existing Cabinets?

Then the sequence can look very different.

A kitchen refresh may involve repainting or refacing cabinets, replacing countertops, updating a backsplash, changing flooring, and installing new appliances without completely rebuilding the layout.

In that situation, the first priority is determining which existing elements are worth keeping.

Ask:

  • Are the cabinet boxes structurally sound?
  • Does the current layout work?
  • Is there enough storage?
  • Are the appliances positioned appropriately?
  • Are the countertops functional?
  • Does the flooring need replacement?
  • Are plumbing and electrical locations adequate?

If the foundation of the kitchen works, there may be no reason to change everything.

What If You’re Keeping the Existing Cabinets?

Then the sequence can look very different.

A kitchen refresh may involve repainting or refacing cabinets, replacing countertops, updating a backsplash, changing flooring, and installing new appliances without completely rebuilding the layout.

In that situation, the first priority is determining which existing elements are worth keeping.

Ask:

  • Are the cabinet boxes structurally sound?

  • Does the current layout work?

  • Is there enough storage?

  • Are the appliances positioned appropriately?

  • Are the countertops functional?

  • Does the flooring need replacement?

  • Are plumbing and electrical locations adequate?

If the foundation of the kitchen works, there may be no reason to change everything.

Build the Kitchen From the Inside Out

A kitchen remodel is not really about replacing cabinets with newer cabinets.

It is about creating a room that functions better for the people who use it every day.

For homeowners in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and throughout NEPA, the first step should be understanding the existing space and deciding what the new kitchen needs to accomplish. From there, the layout can guide the structural, electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, countertop, flooring, and finish decisions.

Start with how the kitchen needs to work. Then design how you want it to look.

That approach creates a kitchen that is not only beautiful on day one, but genuinely enjoyable to live with years later.

 

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