When it comes to kitchen renovations, there’s no shortage of things that can go wrong. From minor delays on materials to major issues that blow out the budget and timeline, there’s plenty of potential problems to keep you on your toes.
The good news is, with a little planning, you should be able to avoid – or, at the very least, minimise the impact of – the most significant concerns. To help with this, we wanted to share the three decisions that cause the downfall for most renovators.
Layouts that don’t work
It doesn’t matter how beautiful a kitchen is if it doesn’t function well. A good layout is the basis of a great design and will determine how much you enjoy living and working in the updated space. And fixing a bad layout is one of the most common reasons people choose to undertake a renovation.
As such, getting your layout right is one of the most important parts of designing a kitchen upgrade. In fact, most kitchen designers recommend you lock down your layout before you start thinking about fixtures and fittings.
When planning your updated layout, you should think about how you will use the space. Do you do a lot of cooking and need a lot of bench space? Is it truly the heart of your home and the place where your family comes together? Do you love entertaining and need to be able to socialise while you’re whipping up your culinary treats?
Also, think about the placement of things like the lighting and power points. These are often overlooked, or left to last, but can have the biggest impact on the practicality of the space.
Trying to do too much yourself
Many believe that the best way to keep renovation costs down is to do as much of the work themselves as they can. While you definitely can do some parts of the renovation yourself, like measuring, removing the old kitchen, and painting, taking on too much can cost you dearly in the long run. Also, to meet Barbadian standards, some things – like plumbing and electrical – must be done by a licensed and qualified professional.
You also need to consider how much your time is worth. While doing things yourself may mean outlaying less cash, the time you put into the renovation is still an expense. Plus, unless you’re an experienced professional, it will probably take you longer to do things than if you got a qualified tradie in. This means longer without your kitchen space and greater disruption to you and your family.
Using flat pack cabinetry
The success of stores like IKEA and Bunnings have made flatpacks extremely popular. However, as most people who have bought a flatpack kitchen will tell you, while they may be cheaper, you generally get what you pay for.
With that in mind, pre-assembled cabinetry is usually a much better option. Not only will it save you the stress of having to put everything together, you know that it will fit right, and it will usually be stronger and more durable. It will also make choosing and fitting other fixtures and finishes, like benchtops and tiles, a lot easier.
Need help planning your kitchen renovation?
A professional designer – like those we use at Smart Kitchen – can help you with you everything from the layout to your choice of fixtures and fittings. They can also advise on things like lighting, ventilation, storage space, and durability of materials. They will even help make sure that the materials and colour scheme you choose will work together, match the style you want, and won’t date quickly.