Kitchen, Bathroom and Whole-Home Remodeling

Remodeling projects we take on

Top Quality Home Improvement handles remodels of every size in Knoxville and the surrounding counties, from refreshing one bathroom to reworking several rooms at once.

Kitchen remodeling

Kitchens range from a cosmetic update, with painted or refaced cabinets, new counters and a backsplash, to a full gut with a new layout. Typical work includes custom cabinetry installation, countertop coordination, tile backsplashes, new flooring, lighting upgrades and trim. Opening a wall between the kitchen and living area is a common request; whether it is practical depends on whether that wall is load-bearing and what runs inside it. Our kitchen renovation tips cover the planning questions worth answering early.

Bathroom remodeling

Bathrooms pack a lot into a small room: waterproofing, ventilation, tile, plumbing fixtures and lighting. We handle tub-to-shower conversions, walk-in showers, new vanities, tile floors and surrounds, and complete gut renovations down to the studs. The parts you never see after the job is done, like a properly waterproofed shower and a vent fan that actually exhausts outside, matter as much as the tile you pick.

Basements, additions and whole-home renovations

Finishing a basement turns storage space into a family room, office or guest suite. The work typically includes framing exterior walls off the foundation, insulation, drywall, a ceiling plan that works around ductwork and beams, lighting and flooring suited to concrete. The first question is always whether the space stays dry through a wet season, because no finish survives a basement that takes on water.

Additions and whole-home renovations involve structural framing, rooflines, matching new work to the existing house and coordination with specialty trades, so they get the most detailed planning of any project we do.

Exterior updates

Remodeling does not stop at the walls. Exterior work can include new trim, porch updates, decks and pergolas, and fencing that ties the outside of the house to the improvements inside.

Signs it is time to remodel rather than patch

Repairs make sense when the room works and something is simply worn or broken. A remodel is worth considering when:

• The layout fights you every day, such as a kitchen with no workable counter space or a bathroom door that hits the vanity
• Several things are failing at once: cabinets, counters, flooring and fixtures all near the end of their useful life
• You see signs of hidden water damage, like a soft floor around the toilet or loose tile in the shower
• Your household has changed and the house needs to work differently, for aging in place, a home office or more bedrooms

How a remodel unfolds

Every project is different, but the order of the trades rarely changes. Knowing the sequence helps you understand what is happening and why some steps cannot be rushed.

1. Planning and selections. Layout, materials, fixtures and finishes are settled as early as possible. Changing decisions mid-project is the most common reason remodels drift off schedule.
2. Protection and demolition. Floors and adjacent rooms are protected, then the old finishes come out. This is when hidden problems, such as old water damage or outdated wiring, are most likely to surface, and we talk with you before changing the plan.
3. Framing and rough-ins. New walls, blocking for cabinets and grab bars, and the rough plumbing, electrical and ductwork go in. Where licensed plumbers or electricians are required, we coordinate them, and any required inspections happen before walls are closed.
4. Insulation and drywall. Walls are insulated, then hung, taped and finished.
5. Finishes. Cabinets, counters, tile, flooring, paint, trim, fixtures and lighting are installed in an order that protects each finished surface from the next trade.
6. Final walk-through. We go through the space with you, note anything that needs attention, and take care of it.

Decisions that shape your remodel

Layout versus finishes

Keeping the existing footprint and upgrading the finishes is the more straightforward path. Moving walls, plumbing or gas lines opens up more possibilities but brings more trades and more work behind the walls into the project.

Where to put the money

Spend on the things you touch every day and the things that are hard to change later: cabinet construction, waterproofing, good ventilation and the subfloor under tile. Accessories and paint colors are easy to update down the road.

Living through the project

Think ahead about how your household will function. For a kitchen, that may mean a microwave, coffee maker and fridge set up in another room. For your only full bathroom, it means planning around the days the shower is out of service.

Choosing who does the work

A remodel is a working relationship, not a single transaction. You should know who is in charge, what is in the scope, and how changes are handled. Our article on choosing a bathroom remodeling contractor lists the questions to ask any company you are considering, including us. With Top Quality Home Improvement, one team manages the project from interior demolition through new flooring and final trim, so you have one point of contact the whole way.

Start with a free consultation

Owner Adam Galante and our team have over 20 years of experience remodeling homes in Knox, Anderson, Blount and Union counties. We will walk through your space, listen to what you want, explain what the project involves, and leave a written estimate with honest, upfront pricing. Book a remodeling consultation or tell us about your project and we will follow up.