Kitchen Renovation: What Should You Consider First?

Is a Kitchen Renovation a Good Idea?

The decision to renovate your kitchen is one of the largest purchase decisions you will make in your life. It probably only comes second to buying a house or new car. With the real estate market currently being a “buyers” market, and the costs of shifting house being excessive, a kitchen renovation  is the easy way to add value and improve the look and lifestyle of your house.

Designing and installing your new kitchen is a lot of fun and is very exciting, but there is a lot of work involved to get your dream kitchen to come to life. There are a lot of popular television shows that portray kitchen renovations as a simple process that any would-be “DIYer” or renovator will be able to do. What we do not see behind the scenes is all of the assistants and trades getting the job across the line. From your initial ideas, to your design or having a designer work with you, to installing and organising trades around the installation to the finished product, each step needs to be planned and set out to work efficiently.

To help, some of the things that you need to consider when renovating your kitchen include:

1. Do you want to update your colours and style only and not change the layout of your existing kitchen?
   

   This would save replacing flooring, and is generally the most cost effective option. Plumbing and electrical points do not need to be shifted so there would be no structural work required, such as removing walls. The new kitchen will simply fit the current “footprint” that was left by the old.

2. Or, do you want to change the layout of your kitchen by removing walls and shifting plumbing and electrical access?
   

   This is an extensive renovation and generally requires a number of trades including but not limited to plumbers, electricians, flooring trades, builders, carpenters, plasterers, brickies, tilers and painters. Not only do you need to ensure the tradespeople have the correct licenses and certificates, but you need to coordinate the renovation timeline to ensure that your trades are on site when they are needed to avoid delays. You may also require engineering certification if you are removing any walls or changing any structural elements of your home as part of the kitchen renovation.

3. Who’s cooking dinner?

   Quite often, kitchen renovations can take a number of weeks from the time you remove the old kitchen until your new kitchen is complete. It’s a good idea to have some pre-cooked meals in the freezer, be prepared for lots of barbecues or treat yourself and dine out!

4. What’s your wishlist?

   Have a think about what you like about your current kitchen, what you dislike and what your non-negotiable items are. This will help with the design and planning phase to ensure that you’re going to have a beautifully functional kitchen, without breaking the bank.

5. Speaking of bank…

   Be realistic about your budget. It’s estimated that about 5% of the total value of your home should go into your kitchen. Whilst cheap, DIY options may be appealing to your savings account, it can have a detrimental effect in the long run. Speak to professionals about cost effective options that can save you money, without decreasing the value of your home.

Having said all this, the advantages and benefits of renovating your outdated and inefficient kitchen layout are massive and can completely transform the overall look and feel of your entire house. By planning out the renovation process carefully and dealing with industry experts, you can avoid a kitchen renovation nightmare and enjoy a brand new, beautifully functional kitchen for years to come.