You’ve cooked delicious recipes, entertained family and friends, and made the most of the available space, but now, you’re itching for an opportunity to renovate and create a kitchen you’ll love. The kitchen is the heart of your home, so it must work hard and look good. The options for redoing the kitchen are endless, and so are the costs. Nevertheless, kitchen renovations fall into three generally accepted tiers, namely:
- Refresh: It’s primarily cosmetic, meaning the kitchen’s layout and other significant elements remain intact. A refresh can be a fresh coat of paint, new cabinet hardware, or replacing home appliances. These small changes have a big impact over time.
- Remodel: A kitchen remodel involves different degrees of meddling. You can keep the general layout, but you might need to relocate the fixtures and appliances without tearing down or moving the walls. Everything will be new, with a few exceptions.
- Reimagine: It’s the most important and impactful change you can make. Reimagine the cooking space with groundbreaking materials and design philosophies that reflect your personal identity. In other words, do a gut renovation.
It’s paramount to get a good understanding of what each category entails so that you can communicate to designers and contractors what you really want. Budgeting can be intimidating because the kitchen is among the most expensive remodels, even if it’s the most rewarding, and can include multiple elements, such as:
Planning & Design
Create a space where you can catch up on the day’s events over a cup of coffee or serve celebratory drinks and quick nibbles. Take into account the kitchen’s size and the position of the doors/windows/sockets, prioritize worktop space, ensure you can move around freely, and include big, deep drawers for pans and appliances. It’s a chance to make your personality shine through. Get expert advice from planning consultants and design professionals. When your vision board becomes a reality, the pricing will be updated based on changes in the project’s scope.
Demolition & Site Preparation
Demolition can provide several advantages, such as improved functionality, enhanced aesthetics, and increased property value, so eliminate the existing kitchen fixtures, appliances, and cabinets. You can also remove walls or partitions. Using plastic is a safe bet to prevent dust, and paper must be placed on the floors that need to be protected. The failure or success of the renovation project depends on site preparation, so remove any debris, old floors, and wall finishes. If you have a tough time getting rid of the stuff, call a friend or two.
Electrical Work
It might be necessary to install new electrical wiring, outlets, and fixtures to meet the demands of the new kitchen design. You need a minimum of seven circuits, one for each appliance with a motor, to distribute the load and prevent damage to your devices and the electrical system. You can wire a microwave and a garbage disposal, but it’s best to use two. An electrician will ensure the system is up to code and meets all safety standards, and most are pretty diligent, so you have guarantee the wiring will be properly grounded and insulated.
Plumbing
Plumbing delivers clean water for consumption and sanitation purposes, not to mention it’s accountable for draining wastewater from the dishwasher and garbage disposal. If it’s not in excellent shape, you could end up with a flooded kitchen. Install sinks, faucets, and garbage disposal. Equally, think about relocating the water lines a couple of inches, provided you have a professional to assist you; get a quote and an estimate. The design of the relocated alignment shouldn’t disturb the blocking/thrust restraints on the existing pipelines that are in service.
Cabinetry
Base and upper backing allows for easy installation and eliminates the need to paint the walls inside and behind the cabinets. A transformation doesn’t necessarily translate into a dramatic drain on your bank account, so it’s wise to discuss cheap kitchens before even thinking about unrolling the blueprints. Modifications or special carcass material can be added when the need arises. The material for the standard cabinet is hardwood, normally oak, cherry, maple, birch, and, in a few cases, walnut. There are numerous door styles, but the labor costs add up quickly.
Flooring
Your kitchen gets messy the second you walk into it. Since the floor can get grimy really fast, it’s vital to select flooring that is easy to clean and maintain, such as tile, hardwood, laminate, concrete, and vinyl. An underlayment isn’t always necessary but can help with various issues, including sound control. Once it’s installed, the new flooring can be cut and laid.
Appliances
Selecting kitchen appliances can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what features to look out for. Several factors contribute to the higher cost, including the premium design, specialized installation, and limited production, so if you need several appliances at once, it’s recommended to invest in a package. It will give you much-needed peace of mind. Examples of must-have kitchen appliances include an oven and cooktop, a fume extraction hood, a chest freezer, a dishwasher, and a microwave.
Painting And Finishing
Kitchen painting is affordable and equally transformative, bringing the whole remodel together. When picking paint colors, consider how you most often use the kitchen, understand how natural/artificial light might impact the hues, and bear in mind the finish, as most tones look richer and deeper with a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. Installing under-cabinet lighting can boost the look and functionality of your kitchen.
Miscellaneous Costs
Nothing is more disruptive in a family’s lifestyle than a kitchen renovation, so even the simple task of making a cup of tea becomes a major undertaking. Most experts will agree that unexpected things come up, such as changes in project scope, resource shortages, or unforeseen delays. While you can do your best to anticipate costs, all you’ll manage to do is set an impossibly high bar. Examples of miscellaneous costs include waste management, electrical issues, a necessary permit, and tradespeople travel costs.
The end result depends on the attention to detail you put into the kitchen renovation project, so the most important piece of advice we can give you is to take your time.
