Kitchen remodeling on Kearney acreages

Living outside the city limits does not mean Kearney's rules stop at your driveway. The City's permit FAQ says it has a two-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction and that it governs zoning, land development and building construction within that area. So if you are in that ring and asking whether you need a building permit, the likely answer is yes, and the likely office is Kearney Building Services.

The City publishes a boundary map through its website, and the office can check your address at (308) 233-3236. Further out, ask Buffalo County what applies. Settle this first, since it affects both the schedule and the price.

This number takes calls from Kearney zip codes 68845, 68847, 68848 and 68849. If your mail goes through a neighboring town's post office, it is not covered at this time.

A farm or acreage kitchen does more than cook dinner. It may feed a harvest crew, process garden produce or sit next to a mudroom full of work clothes. Think through those days as well as the everyday ones.

The back door decides a lot. Boots, coats and tools come through it all winter. A real mudroom with a floor drain or a tiled bench saves the kitchen. On the flat, open ground around Kearney, the door also needs to hold back a good deal of wind and blown dust.

Plan for food storage. A deep pantry and a good spot for a second refrigerator or chest freezer are more use here than in town, especially if you buy in bulk or put up your own produce.

Keep the view. The window over the sink may be the best thing in the room. Resist any plan that gives it up for upper cabinets.

Mind the wind and the cold. Farmhouses with little insulation in their walls lose heat quickly. Any exterior-wall plumbing needs real protection against frost. Opening walls during a remodel is a chance to insulate them properly.