8 Vital Tips for Kitchen Renovation

So, you’ve decided that it’s time for a kitchen renovation. This kind of project is genuinely worth it but can become quite expensive and time-consuming if not planned properly. When attempting a kitchen renovation, you need to do it the right way.

Being experienced in this field, we’ve put together what we regard as 8 vital tips for kitchen renovation which will help make the process as swift and painless as possible.

Budget

Before you plan anything, you’ll need to decide on a budget – what you can and cannot afford. This can be determined by the state of the market vs. what you can afford. Even a simple paint-and-hardware upgrade can set you back quite a bit, never mind installing pricey countertops or high-end shopfitting like countertops, cupboards and cabinets.

The best way to achieve this is through putting together a DIY pricelist. In most instances, you can send an Excel spreadsheet of all the items you’re thinking of installing and send it through to the suppliers who’ll put together a free quote.

Avoid an overhaul

The kitchen you’re going to be working on is most likely built in a certain architectural style. Our advice is to work with this style and avoid trying to completely change every aspect of the kitchen.

You don’t want to be wasting time and money on the wrong things. Often, all a kitchen needs are a few subtle changes.

Put together a plan

When attempting a kitchen renovation meticulously planning out the whole operation is the most important step. By putting together a plan, you create clearer picture of what you want to achieve.

You should spend more time on the plan than the actual build. If you’ve planned right, implementing it should be the easy part.

If you’re inexperienced when it comes to the physical part of a kitchen renovation and are looking for kitchen renovators in the Surrey area, we’ll execute a quick yet thorough build according to your plan.

Don’t change the plumbing

Adding to the above, it’s best to work with what you already have, and when it comes to the plumbing and gas lines/electricity, it should be no different. We recommend keeping any connections, be it for water, electricity or gas, exactly where they are.

This is particularly important when it comes to renovating an old home’s kitchen. Unless you’re going to completely replace all the piping, don’t try to relocate it. In the old days, they used copper plumbing and nowadays PEX or PVC is used for wall plumbing. There’s a big difference.

Is it reusable?

When remodelling a kitchen, you’ve got to truly inspect the cabinets that are already installed. As sad as it is, things aren’t built like they used to, even the material used nowadays are worlds apart from what we use today.

Cabinets are the most expensive part of a renovation so find out what kind of wood was used. You’ll probably find its of great quality. So why not incorporate what you already have into your build? Depending on the condition of your cabinets, you can easily give them a makeover by doing the following:

• Adding brand new doors and drawer fronts to the cabinets
• Re-laminating fronts and sides of the cabinets
• Repainting the cabinets

We recommend a professional for this though, as respraying paint onto wood is a specialised task.

New Hardware

Once you’ve assessed and refurbished the cabinets, then we recommend adding an extra touch of class by purchasing and installing new hardware. Simple things like the cabinet door knobs or pulls can make the world of difference.

Another great tip is to replace all hinges with brand new ones, it’s a simple change and will be the final trick to making those old cabinets look modern and unused.

Replace countertops

When working with an old kitchen, sometimes all the difference can be made with brand new, modern countertops.

We recommend going with granite, if the budget allows. If you’re doing it yourself, make sure to get the precise measurements, taking into consideration uneven walls.

If granite is a little out of budget, then why not go for tile or laminate? They have a similar look and are much cheaper than granite. Available in a wide array of colours, tile can be adapted to any home and offers the same function and sturdiness.

Purchase new appliances

Once you’ve implemented your kitchen renovation, why not add to its fresh look by purchasing new appliances?  This too is a great and practical way of making a kitchen look and feel brand new.

Your stove is the focal point, or centrepiece of the kitchen so set aside some of your budget for getting a really appealing one and couple it with a range hood for ventilation. You’ll have heads turning for sure!

So there you have it, our 8 vital tips to for kitchen renovation. Do it right. Your kitchen is the heart and soul of your home, after all.

If you’re looking for a company that does the whole renovation from start to finish, get in touch with us for a free, no obligation quote. Together, we will help you plan your kitchen, then design and build it for you.