How to Achieve a Stress-free Kitchen Renovation
Make your kitchen the space you want it to be with these tips to guide you smoothly through your project
For many of us, the kitchen is the hub of the home, the place where we spend most of our time. If that’s not the case and you’d like it to be, but you don’t quite like your kitchen enough, why not think about transforming it? After all, if you end up spending the majority of your time in there, it will be well worth it. Here are some simple tips to get you on your way.
Research a range of kitchens
The choice of where to source your kitchen is a very personal one, and a big decision for your home. Assemble an ideabook of your favourite kitchens, and ask for advice from friends and relatives who’ve had work done.
Meet a few potential kitchen designers or design and fit companies, and trust your instincts – the company you click with will most likely be the best fit for you.
More: How a Kitchen Designer Can Keep Your Project On Schedule and On Budget
The choice of where to source your kitchen is a very personal one, and a big decision for your home. Assemble an ideabook of your favourite kitchens, and ask for advice from friends and relatives who’ve had work done.
Meet a few potential kitchen designers or design and fit companies, and trust your instincts – the company you click with will most likely be the best fit for you.
More: How a Kitchen Designer Can Keep Your Project On Schedule and On Budget
Get the design right
Discuss your ideal kitchen with your chosen kitchen company or designer. Give them your plans and allow them to make suggestions, even if you already have an idea of what you want. They’ll most likely have been in the business for a while, so may have some clever ideas you hadn’t considered.
Don’t be afraid to challenge their suggestions, though. Remember, only you know the nuances of your home and preferences. Your designer will probably welcome this input, and enjoy the challenge of finding a solution that works.
Discuss your ideal kitchen with your chosen kitchen company or designer. Give them your plans and allow them to make suggestions, even if you already have an idea of what you want. They’ll most likely have been in the business for a while, so may have some clever ideas you hadn’t considered.
Don’t be afraid to challenge their suggestions, though. Remember, only you know the nuances of your home and preferences. Your designer will probably welcome this input, and enjoy the challenge of finding a solution that works.
Cost it out
Ask your kitchen designer to cost your design. Request a detailed breakdown, so you can see which items will cost the most. This will enable you to see where you might need to trim.
Remember, there might be extra costs for removing any machinery, adding electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring and painting. Your designer should list all of these on a spreadsheet and get quotes for everything, including materials, depending on the arrangement you’ve made for managing the project as a whole (see more on this in the next section).
It’s worth asking your designer if they use Houzz Pro, as this will make it easier for them to share every detail with you via a client dashboard.
Ask your kitchen designer to cost your design. Request a detailed breakdown, so you can see which items will cost the most. This will enable you to see where you might need to trim.
Remember, there might be extra costs for removing any machinery, adding electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring and painting. Your designer should list all of these on a spreadsheet and get quotes for everything, including materials, depending on the arrangement you’ve made for managing the project as a whole (see more on this in the next section).
It’s worth asking your designer if they use Houzz Pro, as this will make it easier for them to share every detail with you via a client dashboard.
Agree a schedule
Your kitchen designer should be able to manage the project, but if you’re managing it yourself, you’ll need to set the schedule for the works. How long will each trade take? Which trades can be overlapped? Are there any items that need time for delivery? Add all of these to a spreadsheet with dates of completion, and agree it with everyone involved.
Talk to all your suppliers and tradespeople to ensure you know how the project will run. Agree all dates by email or text, so you have written confirmation. Alternatively, hire a project manager to deal with all the details of the renovation for you.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Project Manager for Your Renovation?
Your kitchen designer should be able to manage the project, but if you’re managing it yourself, you’ll need to set the schedule for the works. How long will each trade take? Which trades can be overlapped? Are there any items that need time for delivery? Add all of these to a spreadsheet with dates of completion, and agree it with everyone involved.
Talk to all your suppliers and tradespeople to ensure you know how the project will run. Agree all dates by email or text, so you have written confirmation. Alternatively, hire a project manager to deal with all the details of the renovation for you.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Project Manager for Your Renovation?
Stay on the job
If you’re managing the project, once it begins, be sure to engage with all the tradespeople and suppliers. Communication is the key to a smooth-running project.
If anyone’s late or there’s an issue on site, let all the relevant tradespeople know – they will appreciate someone looking after the project. If they arrive on the agreed date and nothing is ready or the site is disorganised, they might be too busy to reschedule.
If you’re managing the project, once it begins, be sure to engage with all the tradespeople and suppliers. Communication is the key to a smooth-running project.
If anyone’s late or there’s an issue on site, let all the relevant tradespeople know – they will appreciate someone looking after the project. If they arrive on the agreed date and nothing is ready or the site is disorganised, they might be too busy to reschedule.
Protect everything
As most of the products being fitted will be part of the finished scheme, make sure your contractors are protecting surfaces while the work progresses. Of particular importance are floors, tiles, windows and worktops. Covering items in dust covers or some old bed sheets will do the job nicely.
As most of the products being fitted will be part of the finished scheme, make sure your contractors are protecting surfaces while the work progresses. Of particular importance are floors, tiles, windows and worktops. Covering items in dust covers or some old bed sheets will do the job nicely.
Embrace lists
As you approach the end of your renovation, you’ll find most things are complete, but a lot of small jobs are still left to be finished. Ask your designer to make a list of all of these, with the name of the relevant tradesperson next to each item, and group all of them together by name.
When you or your designer ring each tradesperson, you’ll have a full list of remaining items, so you can agree a date for completion of everything in one go.
As you approach the end of your renovation, you’ll find most things are complete, but a lot of small jobs are still left to be finished. Ask your designer to make a list of all of these, with the name of the relevant tradesperson next to each item, and group all of them together by name.
When you or your designer ring each tradesperson, you’ll have a full list of remaining items, so you can agree a date for completion of everything in one go.
Test fittings and appliances
Check to make sure everything is working properly before you end the project. Inspect the oven, taps, hob, fridge, bins, cabinet carcasses, doors, lights, sockets, extractor, boiler, dishwasher and washing machine to ensure they all work properly. File the instructions and warranty documents for each somewhere safe.
Check to make sure everything is working properly before you end the project. Inspect the oven, taps, hob, fridge, bins, cabinet carcasses, doors, lights, sockets, extractor, boiler, dishwasher and washing machine to ensure they all work properly. File the instructions and warranty documents for each somewhere safe.
Relax and enjoy
Take a break and enjoy what you’ve created. Have some family or friends over to celebrate. You’ve made it!
Tell us…
Do you have any advice for someone embarking on a kitchen renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Take a break and enjoy what you’ve created. Have some family or friends over to celebrate. You’ve made it!
Tell us…
Do you have any advice for someone embarking on a kitchen renovation? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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The first thing you need to do is measure your current kitchen and dining space. Use metric measurements (metres) and include all doors, windows, fixed furniture, fuse boxes and the like.
If you’re not adept at using a tape measure, leave this to your kitchen designer – it’s important to get it right. “Measure twice, cut once” is the golden rule, and that might often mean getting a second opinion from whoever will be designing or fitting your kitchen.
Find reviewed kitchen designers in your area on Houzz.