In this modern world everyone thinks they can be a DIY’er. With YouTube videos and TV renovation shows to watch and learn from, it seems such a simple thing to do and that anyone can do a kitchen renovation. However, there is a big difference between giving it a go and using experienced help.
There aren’t many people in Barbados who could single-handedly take on a kitchen reno from planning to installation and get a high-quality result. And those who can do it are often experienced in this area and get paid very well for their work.
On the other hand, there aren’t too many who have open ended wallets to pay a kitchen design and building company. The cost of an entire kitchen renovation from start to finish can be huge!
But it turns out that there is a solution.
The Solution
The happy medium for do-it-yourself renovators is to use a professional kitchen designer and then co-ordinate the Installer and tradespeople yourself.
That way you won’t have to pay expensive project management and builder fees.
For those people, an assembled kitchen direct from the manufacturer that has been professionally designed is the largest cost saving solution.
Cost Savings
For a start, there are no additional costs when you buy direct from the manufacturer like there is from a secondary supplier.
Secondly, buying cabinetry assembled means you won’t have to pay an Installer to assemble each piece of cabinetry. It is far quicker and cheaper to get all cabinetry pre assembled and delivered to your door. For example, it costs approximately $60 to fit a pre-assembled cabinet into your kitchen space, compared to $120 to fit a non-assembled flatpack cabinet because each piece needs to be screwed together first. If you have 20 cabinets, that’s an additional cost of $1,200 for assembling cabinets!
And finally, as mentioned earlier, there are no project management fees for installation and supervision of trades. When you cut these out of your DIY kitchen renovation, and hire professional installers, it turns out the savings can be substantial.
It should be noted that for the big things like gas lines, electrical fittings and dishwasher installations, you should always get a qualified professional, otherwise your insurance won’t cover it because it wasn’t installed by a licensed tradesman.
Time Savings
One of the other main factors motivating any diy renovator is time. No one wants to spend weekend after weekend on a renovation that drags on and sucks away all of your available free time.
Pre-assembled cabinets and fittings (or those that are delivered and require no time at all to put together) deliver big time savings. If you have ever had to put together flat pack furniture you know what we’re talking about – suddenly a simple cabinet can take you hours to put together.
If you need help or advice on your assembled kitchen, the Smart Kitchen team are here to help. All you need to do is come by one of our three conveniently located showrooms in Preston, Maribyrnong and Kilsyth or book your free design appointment here. Our staff have years of experience with hundreds of renovators like you and can help set you on the right path.