DIY Or Hire A Professional?

Creating your dream kitchen is probably one of the most expensive home renovation projects you will ever undertake. However, there are number of ways to take control of your budget. The greatest expense is always labours. If you can do some of the work yourself rather than hiring a kitchen fitter you can instantly slash the budget in half.

Good quality kitchens are available to buy of the shelf from many DIY stores. There is generally an extensive range of styles to suit every taste from traditional country to modern contemporary design. To buy the units, doors and drawer fronts and some cheap kitchen worktops for an average size kitchen should cost under £1500. Additionally lighting, paint, tiles, flooring and appliances will add a further £2000 - £3000 to the bill. It is possible to achieve fantastic results using an off the shelf kitchen for well under £5000.

Installing a complete new kitchen is a big undertaking, and requires considerable DIY know-how in a number of different fields. Plumbing, gas and electrical work is generally best left to the professionals to ensure your kitchen complies with current safety standards.

To install a kitchen well takes time, it is not the kind of job you can do over a weekend. If you do intend to fit it yourself, be prepared for some disruption to normal life for a month or two. If you can set up a temporary kitchen with your kettle, microwave, fridge and a cheap kitchen worktop elsewhere in the house this is ideal. Some people find living up stairs and using the bathroom to wash dishes works well, but be warned… the novelty soon wears thin!

If fitting a kitchen yourself is beyond your DIY capabilities you can still purchase the shelf and simply book a kitchen fitter to do the work for you. This will still work out much cheaper than hiring a specialist kitchen design company to manage the whole project on your behalf.

 

Cheap kitchen worktop, cupboard units and all the accessories can be bought locally or ordered on-line. Just make sure your measurements are accurate to avoid costly mistakes and you can have your dream kitchen, and stick comfortably within any budget.