Kitchen Renovations - Questions to Ask Yourself When Planning DIY or hire a professional?
Naturally, undertaking your kitchen
renovation on your own will you save you a considerable amount of money in
labour costs, including demolition and construction. However, only consider the
DIY option if you have the necessary skills and experience to perform a kitchen
renovation. Attempting to do everything on your own in order to save money -
despite lacking all the necessary expertise, may result in a defective kitchen
build that can have disastrous financial consequences.
When using a professional kitchen builder to
renovate your kitchen, be sure to enquire about their material sourcing
costs. These costs will often vary greatly from contractor to contractor and
can add a significant amount to the final cost of your new kitchen build. In
cases where their fees are substantial, it may be wise to source the materials
yourself. Just be mindful that professionals will have an established network
of contacts that can make sourcing the right materials an effortless task. On
the other hand, sourcing the right materials on your own, will require you to seek
out many different outlets in order to get the best quote. Depending on the
size and scale of your renovation, this may require a significant amount of
time.
In cases where your new kitchen
renovation requires new plumbing and other utilities work, such as gas and
electrical, it's essential to always recruit an experienced tradesperson.
Cabinet considerations
The cabinets and their installation
typically account for almost a third of the entire kitchen renovation budget. Many homeowners
are able to reduce these costs by choosing to update their current cabinets,
rather than replacing them altogether. Resurfacing is a popular and
cost-effective technique for rejuvenating the appearance of old cabinets.
Some homeowners are able to cut
costs even further, by only refurbishing the visible panels. However, it must
be remembered that your kitchen is able to add a substantial amount of value to
your property. Cutting corners by only refurbishing the front panels may be a
great cost-cutting routine, but it harms the value of your kitchen and
therefore, the rest of property's as well.
LED lights
LED lights are able to illuminate
your kitchen space for a fraction of the cost of traditional fluorescent
lights, as they draw far less power. Furthermore, LED lights are fully
customisable, allowing you to alter their colour and brightness to create
individual moods and settings.
Sustainable or energy efficient
appliances
From dishwashers to smaller devices,
virtually all modern kitchen appliances these days are energy efficient, with
some devices having better eco ratings than others. Kitchen appliances with
high energy efficient ratings help you to save money on your power bills, so
they are well worth the investment.
Suspended kitchen utensils
It's no secret that large kitchen
utensils occupy an awful lot of room in the kitchen, leaving little room for
other important devices. One way of reducing the storage demands of larger
utensils such as pots and pans, is to suspend them from crossbars carefully
erected within the kitchen. Crossbars allow easy access and don't require you
to reach down into the cabinets and cupboards to retrieve your utensils. By
choosing to hang your larger utensils, it also allows them to dry naturally in
the open air.
Conclusion
While kitchen renovations are
extremely time consuming and expensive, they're also an excellent way to boost
the overall sale value of your property. The decisions you make while planning
your renovation can go a long way to determining how much money you ultimately
save. If you desire to upgrade your kitchen but lack the skills and expertise
to do it own your own, it's best to consult an experienced kitchen renovations
specialist.
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