Kitchen Remodeling in Big Lake, MN

Room to Cook, Room to Move, Room to Store It All

NKBA planning guidelines set the working aisle at 42 inches for one cook and 48 inches where two people share the space, hold walkways at 36 inches, and keep no leg of the work triangle longer than 9 feet. Curtis C Contracting LLC builds kitchen remodeling projects around those numbers in Big Lake, MN, Elk River and Monticello, covering measured layout drawings, demolition, wall openings, cabinet and countertop installation, lighting circuits, appliance rough-ins, flooring, backsplash tile and final trim.


Sequencing decides how the finished room turns out: demolition, structural changes, rough-in by licensed electricians and licensed plumbers, inspection, drywall, then cabinets, counters, flooring and trim in that order. We hold Minnesota residential building contractor license BC808587, carry BBB A+ accreditation, pull the building permit ourselves and bring 30 years of hands-on carpentry and remodeling work to the schedule we hand you. Free quotes start with a walkthrough you can book through our contact page.

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Kitchens We Remodel From Floor to Finish

  • Kitchen Layout and Design Planning

    Measuring comes first: aisle widths, appliance door swings, window heights and the walking path between sink, range and refrigerator. We draw two or three workable arrangements, test each against a 42-inch aisle and 36-inch walkways, then price the one you choose.

  • Demolition and Structural Changes

    Removing a wall between kitchen and dining room starts with proving the load path, sizing a header on king and jack studs and shoring the ceiling while the beam goes in. Finishes come out to bare studs and clean subfloor.

  • Cabinet and Countertop Installation

    Boxes go in level and screwed to blocking before any top is templated, because stone will not follow a run that dips. Fabrication then takes 1 to 3 weeks off site, so the template date gets set the day cabinets land.

  • Lighting and Electrical Coordination

    Licensed electricians on our projects handle the circuits a kitchen needs: two 20-amp branch circuits serving countertop appliances, GFCI protection at every counter receptacle, and no point along the counter farther than 24 inches from an outlet. Undercabinet lighting gets planned beforehand.

  • Plumbing and Appliance Placement

    Appliance specifications drive the rough-in, so range, hood, dishwasher and refrigerator models are confirmed before licensed plumbers move a drain or supply line. Gas piping, a pot filler line, hood ducting and the refrigerator water feed all get located while walls stand open.

  • Flooring, Backsplash and Finish Work

    Tile, luxury vinyl plank or hardwood goes down in a planned order relative to the cabinets, with transitions detailed at doorways so no height change telegraphs underfoot. Backsplash, painted trim, toe kicks, hardware and touch-up close out the room.

Why Choose Us for Kitchen Remodeling

One Schedule Every Trade Works From

Every subcontractor works from the same calendar, so the electrician is not waiting on a wall that never moved and the tile setter is not standing in a room without cabinets. You hear about a date change the day it happens.

A Temporary Kitchen You Can Actually Use

Before demolition we relocate the refrigerator, set up a microwave and coffee station clear of the dust, and cap the old supply lines safely. Families stay home through most remodels rather than paying for weeks of restaurant meals and hotel nights.

Zip Walls and Floor Protection Beyond the Work Zone

Plastic barriers with zippered doors seal the room at every opening, and hardwood along the route to the door gets covered before the first cabinet comes out. Negative air pressure keeps drywall dust from settling through the rest of the house.

Appliance Specs Confirmed Before Cabinets Are Ordered

Manufacturer cut sheets get checked against the cabinet order, because a 30-inch slide-in range in a 29-3/4-inch opening stops a project cold. Model numbers, hood clearances and panel-ready dimensions are locked in writing before anything ships from the supplier.

Change Orders Priced Before the Work Starts

Nothing gets built off a verbal agreement. If you decide midstream to add a pantry, move a window or upgrade the hood, we write the scope, price it and get a signature first, so the closing invoice holds no surprises.

A Punch List You Sign Before We Leave

Walking the finished room together catches the drawer that rubs, the caulk line needing another pass and the outlet cover sitting proud of the backsplash. Items get corrected on one return visit, and the job closes when you say it does.

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Cooking Again in a Kitchen Built Around Your Habits

A kitchen earns its keep through the details you eventually stop noticing: a drawer that lands where your hand already is, an outlet where the mixer sits, light falling on the cutting board instead of your shoulders. Curtis C Contracting LLC manages kitchen remodeling in Big Lake, MN from the first measured drawing through demolition, structural changes, rough-in with licensed electricians and licensed plumbers, cabinet and countertop installation, flooring, backsplash and trim. Nothing here needs rushing at the planning stage, since layouts are far cheaper to change on paper than after the boxes arrive. Send your kitchen dimensions and a wish list through our contact page and request a free quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long does a kitchen remodel take?

    Most kitchens run 6 to 10 weeks on site once demolition starts, assuming cabinets were ordered early. Lead times drive the calendar more than labor does: semi-custom boxes often take 6 to 8 weeks to arrive, and countertops add 1 to 3 weeks.

  • Can you live in your house during a kitchen remodel?

    Yes, and most families do. Expect 2 to 4 weeks without a working sink or range, sealed dust barriers at every kitchen opening, and noise during demolition and rough-in. Curtis C. Contracting sets up a temporary kitchen on remodels in Big Lake, MN.

  • What is the order of operations for a kitchen remodel?

    Design and ordering come first, then demolition, framing changes, electrical and plumbing rough-in, inspection, drywall, paint, flooring, cabinets, countertop templating and installation, backsplash, appliances and trim. Skipping ahead in that list usually means tearing something out and redoing it twice.

  • Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen?

    Usually yes, as soon as the work touches wiring, plumbing or a wall. Cabinet and countertop swaps by themselves are often exempt. City permit review runs 10 to 15 business days here, so filing early protects the whole construction schedule.

  • What is the kitchen work triangle?

    The triangle connects sink, cooktop and refrigerator, the three points you move between most while cooking. Each leg should measure 4 to 9 feet, the three sides together should total 26 feet or less, and no traffic path should cut through it.

  • What is the most disruptive part of a kitchen remodel?

    Demolition and rough-in, the stretch when the room is open, the water is off and saws are running from morning onward. That phase typically lasts about a week; once drywall goes back up, noise and airborne dust drop off sharply.

  • What is the 60-30-10 rule in kitchen design?

    It splits color across the room: 60% goes to the dominant surface such as cabinets or walls, 30% to a secondary element like an island or the flooring, and 10% to accents in hardware, lighting and backsplash tile.

  • What should I do first when planning a kitchen remodel?

    Write down what fails in the kitchen you cook in now, measure the room corner to corner, and list the appliances you plan to keep. Curtis C. Contracting turns that list into drawings and a line-item scope in Big Lake, MN.