4 things to remember for your next kitchen renovation

The kitchen, as the saying goes, is the ‘heart of the home’. When renovating, It’s important to do it right the first time since remodelling your kitchen is a huge job. The remodelling process can be overwhelming for those who have never done a kitchen renovation before. While finding inspiration online and gathering information, everything can seem exciting at first, but its important to keep in mind the challenges you may come across. If done correctly, a modern kitchen renovation can be one of the most valuable things you can do for your house to increase the value of your property.

The following are some of the factors you should consider before beginning a kitchen remodel.

1. Adequate Planning

When it comes to a kitchen renovation, you probably have plenty of ideas. It’s important during this time to take a step back and consider what’s really necessary to improve your kitchen. Make a list of tools and appliances that will help create a more practical space. Then make a note of what you'd like to do to change its appearance, such as a new coat of colour, new backsplash tiles, or new cabinets. 

Consider which style you want to achieve in your kitchen. Do you want it to have a contemporary, minimalist, or vintage feel to it? What colours do you want your walls to be? In your kitchen, do you want a dining table or an island? Do you think there should be more natural light in your kitchen or are you happy with what you have? Do you need more meal prep space? To create a plan, bring all of your ideas together onto one mood board to stay organised and ensure everything works well aesthetically and functionally. 

2. Budget is Important

It's important to stay on budget whether you're making minor adjustments or completely redesigning and remodelling your kitchen. Kitchen renovations will cost anywhere from $5,000 to $45,000 or more depending on what you are taking on. To know how much your kitchen renovation costs, read our kitchen renovation cost guide. It's easy to go crazy and overspend while brainstorming ideas. Working within a budget aids decision-making, not only in terms of material costs but also when considering the varying labour costs involved, ranging from plumbing to waterproofing and speciality trades. 

The cost would be determined by the kind of makeover you choose for your kitchen. Another important thing to think of is the complexity of the kitchen renovation. If you want to improve the appearance of your kitchen by adding new features (such as changing the floor tiles or installing a benchtop rather than repainting the walls or replacing appliances), you'll need a bigger budget. Be sure you have enough space in your budget for unexpected issues. 

3. Utilise Your Space Properly

This one is for you if you have a small kitchen or a lot of appliances and kitchen items to store. In many kitchens, there is a lot of wasted or unused space. The trick is to make your drawers the right size for what you'll need them to hold, such as the bin, containers, and big pots and pans. Open shelving can serve as a showcase as well as a convenient location for things you use regularly. Install shelving up the walls, attach hooks to the backs of doors, and hang utensils from a long rail above your benchtop to maximise storage space in a small kitchen.

To save costs, hold on to the majority of your existing appliances and kitchen utensils and splurge on the ones you really need. If you're happy with the doors but want to make a little change, you could replace the door handles with something different for a quick and simple upgrade. Updating your hardware can give an old piece of furniture a whole new dimension.

4. Take Your Time

Before starting your renovation project, discuss your budget and design ideas in depth with an expert, allowing your kitchen renovation to reflect your exact vision. If you're receiving quotes from a few different companies, make sure they're all comparable. For example, a builder may provide the cheapest quote but might not provide a full turn-key service if you want your tiles changed or walls repainted. Also, remember to not be tempted by quick timeframes. If someone is promising you they will get a complex remodel done in a week, be wary. Take your time to find the right people for the project to ensure the job is done well. A reputable tradie will always provide you with detailed kitchen renovation quotes.

All you need are some ground rules to get you started to make sure that your kitchen renovation doesn’t get too overwhelming and out of hand. However, don’t forget to have a contingency budget in case of unexpected circumstances to save stress further down the track!

Further Reading

• 5 Substantial Costs to Consider When Buying an Established Home
• Why Do You Need an Open Kitchen?
• 4 Ideas to Bring Life Back Into Your Kitchen
• How Long Does a Kitchen Renovation Take?