In anticipation of wanting to integrate solar or geothermal systems at one point, we're considering the space limitations of our utility room. This launched me into a Spring Cleaning exercise that had us go through our storage areas recessed in various crawlspaces. I wanted to know how much we could fit into the available space, once I had purged. And, this lead to the Domino Effect: where you can't move this until you move that. You can't do this, without thinking of that.
This also lead to reconfirming my 'Storage Principle" that if all our stuff can't fit into the specific storage allocated for it, then we have to get rid of some. That's easy for some people, but I come from a family that kept everything because you never know when you might need it. (Fortunately a lawn sale fundraiser is coming up that is just the motivator I need to wrap up the spring cleaning soon).
Our utility room not only houses our boiler, hot water heating system and freezer but also serves as a food pantry, as well as a "recylcing storage centre. This is where hand-me-downs are stored waiting to be used or passed on for reuse; it includes craft items and landfill toys for school use, appliances and other stuff for Goodwill and other charities; old batteries and other stuff for special disposal.
The pantry and recycling centre would likely have to be relocated if we were to add any new heating and energy systems. The recycling stuff would be moved to the laundry room and adjacent crawl spaces. The pantry items would have to find room in the kitchen, where there is currently a shortage of storage space.
So, considering our intent to install radiant heat in the kitchen room and back office (pending an estimate), and our need to improve the kitchen working space and storage space, we're forced to open the kitchen-reno can of worms.
The many challenges lie in how to make the needed changes with due consideration to eco footprint, environmental sensitivies, future sustainability and budget, i.e.:
How to plan and navigate the kitchen reno without it evolving into a nightmare and/or using up an unreasonable portion of our home retrofitting budget (which we haven't even been able to determined yet).
How to best to narrow our options and stick to our eco objectives, while being seduced by all those lovely kitchen designs and materials.
How to get it done relatively quickly, so it won't make us crazy or, worse yet, make us sick given our family's collective sensitivities to dust and mold, wood and whatnot.
Determining what to take on ourselves and what to leave to the professionals.
How to get estimates from suppliers who are late getting back to us, so we can put together a budget. They're all so crazy busy now.