May 2024 – Welltest Specialists

Kitchen Remodeling Tacoma WA can provide a fresh new look to the room. It can also add functionality that fits your needs better.

Assemble a list of contractors to interview, based on referrals from satisfied friends and family and online reviews. Ask each contractor to provide a quote for your project.

Cabinetry is a big component of kitchen remodeling and can have a significant impact on both the look and function of your home. From a simple painted wood finish to luxurious custom-built options, your choices are virtually limitless. It is important to work with a professional kitchen designer or home remodel contractor in order to receive the best possible design and installation results. A good designer will be able to help you navigate the many decisions that need to be made, as well as point out pros and cons of various cabinet styles.

A full-scale kitchen cabinet makeover is expensive, so if your existing cabinets are still functional and in relatively good condition, consider keeping them as opposed to investing in a complete replacement. However, if you plan on implementing an open-concept layout, or making any other major changes, it may be necessary to upgrade your cabinetry.

If you have plenty of storage space, consider a wall of built-in cupboards instead of upper cabinets. This creates a more open and airy feel in the room. It also allows you to display pretty window treatments or an heirloom china collection.

Narrow drawer cabinets are useful near appliances and work centers. Deeper cabinetry with shelves can be used for pantry items or even a beverage bar. And if you have that dead corner of your kitchen that’s always neglected, a pie-corner base cabinet or old-fashioned Lazy Susan can easily bring stored items within reach.

If you’re deciding on an extensive cabinet renovation, it’s often a good idea to use your PODS container as temporary storage for materials, tools and displaced kitchenware until the remodel is finished. This will keep your space organized and your sanity intact throughout the process.

Countertops

Countertops are one of the most important elements of a kitchen. Upgrading them allows homeowners to add a splash of style, but it also gives them a chance to improve the functionality of their kitchens. Upgrading countertops to better accommodate a family’s needs or a homeowner’s cooking habits can save time and effort in the long run. Additionally, a countertop remodel can add resale value to the home if it is done well.

There are a wide variety of materials to choose from when choosing new countertops, including natural and engineered stone, laminate, quartz and marble. Natural stone options offer a touch of luxury and can be customized to fit a homeowner’s aesthetic. Engineered stone, like quartz, is an affordable option that is heat-resistant and durable. Marble offers elegance to any kitchen, and can be matched with a variety of other styles.

A backsplash is an optional feature that can be installed behind a kitchen countertop to protect it from water, grease and other substances that may damage the walls. Backsplashes are available in a variety of materials, from ceramic tile to a plastic-coated surface.

When installing a backsplash, it is a good idea to set aside at least 20% of your total remodeling budget for unexpected expenses. Renovation projects rarely go exactly as planned, and unforeseen expenses can quickly escalate your project’s costs. The extra money will help cover the cost of things such as replacing tiles, running water or electricity lines to a new area, or re-working the floor plan.

Appliances

As kitchens are made to be used, the right appliances will elevate both function and style. Replacing old appliances with modern versions is a cost-effective way to improve the look and efficiency of your home’s culinary hub. Plus, new appliances often feature smart functionality that makes cooking and cleaning easier—and they’re likely more energy-efficient than older models.

The key to a successful kitchen remodel is planning for every detail. Start by identifying your biggest flaws, like lack of storage space or out-of-date appliances, and determine what improvements you can make. This will help you establish a budget and a timeline for the project.

If your goal is to upgrade the overall condition, appearance and functionality of your kitchen without increasing its size, you’ll want to consider a full kitchen renovation. A renovation includes tasks like refinishing or replacing floors, painting walls and upgrading lighting. It also involves relocating or adding features like a kitchen island or custom cabinets.

A full kitchen remodel can include structural changes to the actual layout of the space, and may involve tearing down walls and upgrading plumbing or electrical systems. This is a larger and more expensive option that can require the expertise of design and construction professionals.

When choosing your appliances, consider factors like energy efficiency, quality and brand reputation. You’ll also want to choose products that are sustainable and built to last. Alma Homes designers “love incorporating built-ins into our cabinets, such as drawer dividers for cutlery and spice, or a mixer riser to make it easier to take out the heavy stand mixer.” When selecting accessories like sink strainers or dishwasher racks, explore options that are both stylish and functional, like stainless steel and bamboo designs that add interest without compromising on durability.

Flooring

Kitchen floors work overtime enduring spills, stains, and lots of foot traffic. For this reason, durable materials that are water resistant and easy to clean are key. Tile, vinyl and linoleum are all great choices for the kitchen. Depending on your design and style preferences, you can even get fun patterns and colors for a more stylish touch.

Generally, it’s best to install flooring before cabinets, as the cabinetry will cover up the majority of the floor area. However, the order of installation depends on your preference and the type of flooring you choose.

For example, if you choose to use hardwood flooring, installing the base cabinets first allows you to save money on your flooring by using cheaper plywood risers to keep your kitchen’s footprint consistent with the rest of the house. Alternatively, if you install the flooring after the cabinets, your floors will have to be cut and fitted around your cabinets’ layout, which can make future renovations more difficult.

The final decision comes down to your timeline and budget. Most homeowners prefer to complete the remodel in stages to minimize downtime and disruptions. Ideally, you should set aside about 20% of your budget for unplanned expenses that will inevitably arise throughout the remodeling process.

These expenses may include unexpected repairs, missing or damaged parts, and miscalculations in measurements and materials. You can also use credit to pay for part of your kitchen remodel if you are confident that you can pay off the balance in a reasonable time frame without depleting your savings or draining your emergency fund. If you do use credit, be sure to have a repayment plan in place to avoid paying interest and penalties.

Lighting

Lighting is an often-overlooked element of kitchen remodeling, but it can make or break the overall look and functionality of a kitchen. Pendant lights and wall-mounted sconces are easy ways to introduce focal points to your space, while recessed LED downlights provide ambient lighting and a warm under-cabinet glow. Mix and match different types of fixtures to create a layered lighting design, and install dimmers to set the mood. Bulb color temperature also affects light color, with warm white creating a cozy feel and cool white providing a brighter, more energizing atmosphere.

A major kitchen remodel is typically more extensive than a simple repaint or refinish and may involve replacing all the major surfaces like flooring, countertops, sinks and custom cabinets as well as adding new features such as an island or additional cabinetry. The scope of work might also include major appliances that are replaced with energy-efficient models, and structural changes such as a reconfiguration of the floor plan or relocation of windows and doors may be required.

Unlike the more cosmetic updates, major renovations can require significant demolition and construction, so it’s important to hire a reputable contractor with experience in kitchen remodeling. If you’re moving walls to expand or shrink the footprint of your kitchen, it may be necessary to replace existing electrical, plumbing and gas lines. In addition, if you’re replacing old single-pane windows with new ones, a contractor should add insulation to the ceiling and walls to improve energy efficiency. Spray foam insulation is typically the best option, but it’s more expensive than fiberglass batt or stone wool. The extra labor costs associated with a full remodel can quickly add up.

Military Humvee, or HMMWV as the US Army calls them, were originally meant to be jack-of-all-trades light tactical vehicles. They still remain extremely popular and remarkably versatile.

Even though the Army is starting to field the new Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), many Humvees are being sold for scrap. But thanks to online heavy-equipment auction site IronPlanet, some are finding new lives. Click the Street Legal Exports to know more.

The military Humvee, full name the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or HMMWV, first appeared on the battlefield in 1984. It quickly became a popular means of transporting soldiers, as it allowed them to carry more equipment and weapons than jeeps could. In addition, the HMMWV was capable of traversing rough terrain. This was a significant advancement over the M151 Jeeps that were in service at the time, which were often limited by their small wheels and short wheelbase.

The Army envisioned the HMMWV as a jack-of-all-trades light tactical vehicle that could perform the role of several different trucks. The new model used a civilian-style frame with a modular design, so it was easy to equip it for various duties.

Soldiers grew fond of the Humvee, and it didn’t take long before they started calling it the ‘Hummer’. This nickname was a result of the vehicle’s imposing size, which made it look like a huge, road-legal SUV. It also had a loud engine and other features that resembled the Hummer brand of consumer cars.

During the first Gulf War, the Humvee proved its worth on the open battlefield, where it was used to transport soldiers and gear. However, once the war entered urban areas, the vehicle faced a different threat. It was a prime target for roadside bombs, which turned the aluminum body into little more than a rolling coffin.

By the time the war in Iraq began, the Humvee was showing signs of wear and tear. In addition, it was ill-equipped to deal with the insurgency and its unique tactics.

In an attempt to address these issues, the military started replacing its Humvees with heavier and better armored vehicles, such as the JLTV. But manufacturer AM General argues that these new models aren’t as effective as the old Humvees. The reason, according to AM General is that the Humvee’s architecture makes it vulnerable to certain threats. For instance, the Humvee doesn’t have a protective cage that shields its passengers from the shock of an explosion. Instead, the impact passes directly through the vehicle’s body. This makes it vulnerable to improvised explosive devices and other roadside attacks that the newer vehicles are designed to counter.

Prototypes

The Humvee is one of the most recognizable military vehicles in history, and it has served as the face of power projection for the Army and US Marine Corps. The vehicles are incredibly versatile, and they have been used in a number of different roles throughout the years. In fact, they have largely replaced the original jeep and other military trucks in many applications. In order to remain relevant in the modern era, the military had to make some changes to its trucks. The result is a vehicle that can perform more tasks than ever before.

The first prototypes were built by FMC, and they were sent to the Army’s Land Warfare Laboratory for testing in 1971. They received positive reviews and prompted ten more prototypes to be built. These new versions featured a more powerful engine that was based on the small block 5.2-liter Chrysler V8. The improved engine was able to produce 197bhp compared to the big block that was used in the earlier version.

These prototypes were also built with a new transmission, and the drivetrain was improved as well. The newer versions were also a bit larger and had better armor protection. However, they still had a number of issues that the military wanted to fix. For example, they could not withstand roadside bombs very well. The new version of the Humvee was designed with stronger armor to prevent these types of attacks. The new model was also squatter and had a better chance of resisting tipping over in extreme off-road conditions.

In 2022, the Army began a process to replace its existing Humvee vehicles. They started a competition that would require vendors to build prototypes for evaluation. They would then present a Capabilities Development Document to the Army Requirements Oversight Council. If the requirements were approved, then the competitors would have to deliver production-representative vehicles for runoff testing and a potential production contract.

In the meantime, the Army is using several different vehicles to test for a replacement for its existing fleet. The 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and 14th Engineer Battalion are putting the prototypes through their paces at Fort Lewis. Once the testing is complete, the Army will select a contractor to build its first unit of issue vehicles.

Variations

In the decades since its creation, the Humvee has spawned a variety of variants that have specialized in everything from cargo transport to low-altitude air defense. But no matter their differences, these military Humvees share the same chassis and drive train, meaning that any upgrade to a vehicle’s body or equipment is possible without having to rebuild the whole car.

The original Humvee was a major upgrade from the quarter-ton jeeps that had populated the U.S. Armed Forces until the 1960s. It could travel over rugged terrain with ease, and it was powerful enough to carry a 105mm howitzer on top of its roof, along with a tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless guided (TOW) anti-tank missile.

To meet the needs of modern warfare, the Army created a number of new military Humvee versions, including ambulances and troop transport vehicles. Some of these Humvees also included a turret-mounted machine gun or grenade launcher.

But it wasn’t until the Iraq War that the Humvee proved its true mettle. Insurgents had figured out that the soft-skinned trucks were a great target for roadside bombs, and crews in the region began to die at an alarming rate. Unlike their armored allies in Afghanistan, who rolled around with plywood and cannibalized armour, these trucks weren’t able to deflect the force of an explosion against their alloy skin.

AM General finally came up with a solution to the problem in 2006, and the first Humvees were delivered to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division in January of 2017. The JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) is a more advanced version of the Humvee that has a hard-armored body to protect troops against roadside bombs and small arms fire.

But even with this protection, the new Humvees aren’t as heavy as their ancestors. The latest ones can carry 14,000 pounds; that’s about as much as a fully loaded civilian Hummer weighs with no passengers or cargo (curb weight). The lighter vehicle will allow soldiers to take on more dangerous missions, but it’s not as robust against explosive devices.

Modernization

Since the military switched to the Humvee in 1983, it’s been deployed around the world on hundreds of missions. A search on DVIDS, the military’s media archive, turns up images and video of these workhorses everywhere from the United States to Japan, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea and Australia.

Even though the Army began replacing some of its fleet with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) in 2018, Humvees are still expected to be in service well into 2050. Several of the JLTV’s advantages over the Humvee include better armor; a V-shaped, mine-resistant hull; locking differentials and a 400-horsepower diesel engine that leaves the Humvee in the dust.

Despite these improvements, military officials are working on an ambitious program to upgrade the HMMWV fleet with a series of improvements that range from crew protection to vehicle survivability. Officials are aiming for a full rollout in 2023, which could cost up to $6 billion.

The military also keeps modifying and upgrading the Humvee’s basic chassis. For example, the Expanded Capacity Vehicle, or ECV, is a new type of chassis that provides more cargo capacity than a standard Humvee. It has a larger body that can accommodate a full load of supplies and weapons. It can carry 2,500 pounds more than a standard model.

A new variant allows the army to equip a Humvee with a 105mm howitzer and digital fire control system, which turns the vehicle into a gun truck. It can fire and move in about 30 seconds. This allows soldiers to get closer to the enemy and provide better fire support in urban combat areas.

Another cool modification involves turning the Humvee into a firefighting platform. The Adaptive Fire Control Vehicle (AFCV) features a large, forward-mounted turret with a 105mm howitzer and fire-control system that can shoot through buildings. It can also be manned by up to six soldiers and can travel to an area of fire and return with ammunition.

The AFCV is part of the Army’s effort to improve asymmetric warfare tactics, which are designed to disrupt an enemy’s ability to organize and conduct attacks. Besides the turret, the AFCV includes a fire suppression system and a thermal imaging camera to detect enemy activity.

How Kitchen Remodeling Can Enhance the Look and Function of Your Home