Of all the many projects that can take place in a home, resdesigns and renovations done on kitchens are arguably the most comprehensive. Large-scale projects in bedrooms, lounges, and even the bathroom, all seem somewhat minor by comparison due to the planning, materials required, and logistics required to renovate kitchens.
Not that we are diminishing in any way the hard work and effort it would take to renovate any of those other rooms, but we hope you will agree, given the importance of a kitchen in a home and the work required to renovate one, we can give the title of “Most Comprehensive”, to kitchen renovations.
As such, it will not be surprising to you that a kitchen renovation project for homeowners requires a significant investment of their time and thoughts. As for the financial investment, we are sure that is also not the least significant investment a residential property owner makes in their home. Given the size of the project, it can easily lead to homeowners becoming somewhat overwhelmed by what is necessary.
This is understandable given that renovating your kitchen is not something you would do regularly. We imagine most people might only renovate a kitchen every 10 to 15 years, so hardly an everyday occurrence. That is why you must follow a set path to take you from initial idea through to completion, and the ideal tool for that is a checklist.
Checklists are used in just about every industry you can mention and are useful for almost every activity you want to complete well. Kitchen renovations are no different, so here is a simple 7-step checklist that you can use should you ever wish to have your kitchen renovated. It will help you stay on track, and more importantly, ensure that the final design and renovation that follows is right for you.
Assess And Decide What Your Priorities And Expectations Are: This is not to choose design specifics but instead to consider the “big picture” and to give yourself an overall concept of what you want your kitchen to be, how you plan to get there, and when you want to start.
Determine Your Budget: Most budgets are finite and thus we recommend allocating what level of funds you are going to use at the start and also ascertain how you will obtain those funds be it from savings, a loan, or releasing equity.
Research, Evaluate, And Then Choose A Kitchen Renovation Company: Take time over this and do your due diligence to pinpoint a kitchen company that has a solid track record, great reviews, and that can commit to the type of kitchen renovation and design you are considering.
Decide Your ‘Must Haves’, And ‘Would Be Nice To Have’ Design Features: In discussion with your kitchen renovation company, it is time to get into specifics and especially agree on what your kitchen must have, and at the other end of the scale, design features you would like but are not essential given the constraints in size, logistics, and budget, for example.
Agree Upon Kitchen Shape And Other Major Design Features: Now that you know what is and what is not possible, you can now focus on agreeing on major design features with the kitchen renovation company such as the shape of your kitchen, location of features such as cabinets and appliances, and materials.
Choose Specifics Such As Appliances, Gadgets, Decor, Colours Etc.: Further discussions and decisions need to be made on specifics such as cabinet door colours, wall tiles, flooring, kitchen furniture, lighting, sink and taps, your kitchen’s decor and not forgetting, smaller kitchen gadgets such as the toaster and the kettle.
Finally, Set The Timing For The Work To Begin: Your kitchen renovation is now planned and designed so all you need do now is agree on which dates your kitchen renovation company are going to be doing the work. Bear in mind you and your family may need to make arrangements for meals on those dates, given that the kitchen may be out of commission for a few days.