The kitchen is an important part of the house, whether or not your cooking skills are top-notch. A home buyer will first opt to see your kitchen layout during the home inspection. This is a cue that the quality of your kitchen is a major determinant of your home’s value. Even a standard kitchen can be remodeled. The major purpose of kitchen renovation is to improve the value and quality to a better state. The first step of a renovating a kitchen is the demolition of the old kitchen setup. The number of walls you tear down depends on how much renovation you’re implementing. This comprehensive guide will pinpoint every key element so that you can start with your kitchen renovation.
If you’re conducting a full kitchen renovation, you would need to uninstall every fitting and pipework from the roof to the floors. Demolition is best left to professional home remodelers, especially if you’ve not handled a renovation beforehand.
Prepping to Start With Kitchen Renovation
You don’t just wake up on a good Saturday and jump right into tearing down your kitchen walls. Remodeling any part of your home requires planning and critical thinking. While you may choose to craft the procedures yourself, it is always best to hand out the task to professionals. But, if you’re feeling tool-handy and want to save yourself a few pounds, feel free to get on the task yourself. Here are the prepping steps for a kitchen renovation provided by experienced luxury kitchen designers and fitters in Surrey – AceKitchens.
Set a budget
Setting a budget is primarily the first step of any project. The budget decides what features you’ll be adding to tweak the appearance of your kitchen. If you’ve been saving up for months to get your dream kitchen, then your budget should be able to accommodate all your fancy wants. To set a budget, you would have to be familiar with the cost of equipment that your renovation would require. Take time out to visit the market and get quotations. If possible, ask people who have carried out similar renovations and so if they spent every dime in their bank account, and how much their ‘every dime’ was. Remember that there would be hidden costs as well, shipping, delivery, and other mini taxes can pop up anytime. If you aren’t prepared for them, they might eat into your set budget. Ensure that you include hidden costs in your budget as well.
Decide on a new layout/design
Your budget will give you a range of design options to pick from. If you’re hiring pros, they would provide you with a quotation to help you with the selection. You are at liberty to extract specific features from each design option to craft your one-of-a-kind kitchen. You get to create a magazine-worthy kitchen that would be a perfect reunion for all Thanksgiving dinners, family reunions, and neighborhood dinner events. Opt for practical designs, and if possible, puck designs that would let you take on some renovation tasks yourself. This way, you get to cut down costs the professionals would charge
Weigh the costs
It would be unwise to upgrade your kitchen to level when the house itself looks like a farmhouse. Assess the house and the kind of renovation you intend to get and weigh the costs. If your home is not exactly standard, just make a few tweaks that would not be too extravagant for the quality of the house.
Set time frame before you start with kitchen renovation
You can assign a deadline to your contractor while discussing the renovation plan. If you’re carrying out the task yourself, it’s also best to set a timeline in which you’ll get the job done. Stick to this timeline at all costs and refrain from distractions that will prolong the project.
Steps For A Kitchen Remodel
Demolition
As stated earlier, demolition is the first aspect of a kitchen renovation and that’s how you will start with your kitchen renovation. Only tear down the walls and uninstall facilities that need to be replaced. Now, remember you would still need to use the kitchen while the renovation is ongoing unless you’ve made a reservation for a makeshift kitchen elsewhere. If you haven’t, then it would be best to demolish in bits till you complete the process.
Framing and pipework before you start with kitchen renovation
Plumbing begins after the new walls have been set up. The sinks, vents, and drainage need to be installed with expertise. Else, you would have to deal with wastewater back up eventually. The pipes need to be inserted to assess the room framing. This is necessary to boost its structure. You do not need to buy new pipes, so long as the old pipes are uncracked, they can be reused. Furthermore, you must consider plumbing regulations within your locality. UK laws prohibit unsuitable fittings from being installed on kitchen walls. Though there aren’t laws that prohibit DIY kitchen renovations, authorities advise that you call in a pro if you’re not a pro yourself.
Cabinet installations
This aspect of kitchen renovations requires your carpentry skills to be at their peak. But not to worry, cabinet installations are among the doable facets. You could easily reinstall the old cabinets back in place with a few screws and plaster. Ensure that you install the upper cabinets before proceeding to the lower cabinets. First, you need to mark the space, and then locate the studs with a stud finder before setting the ledger on the wall. Always start with a corner installation. And ensure there are no bumps along the path of installation. Begin to tighten all loose screws after you’ve successfully mounted all cabinets. This is the final step of cabinet installation.
Painting and wall finishing
If your cabinets are new, you should paint them first before proceeding to the walls. The wall painting should be left out till you have successfully painted and installed every other facility. This way, you can use the paint to cover scratches and holes that were drilled in the walls during the renovation. Before you commence cleaning, ensure that all surfaces are duly covered to avoid paint splashes. Also, ensure to do a proper wall surface cleaning before paint application. Also, remember to pick the most appropriate color that suits the layout.
Flooring
The flooring is the last aspect of a kitchen renovation. If you’re installing tiles or terrazzo floors, then setting up the floors last would prevent any damage to the flooring. Ceramic and porcelain floors are best for all modern kitchens, opt for these if your budget allows. After you’re done with the flooring, you can proceed to pack in all new equipment and implement any further finishing touches that you desire.
Final Take
Kitchen renovations require careful planning and expert executions. Remodeling can be executed in phases, but if you can afford it, it won’t hurt to implement the remodeling in one go. While DIY methods will help you save a few expenses, it is always a better option to hire professionals. Without proper execution tactics, both your health and the structure of your home would be prone to damage. If you have any questions that weren’t covered in this post, the experts at AceKitchens are available and will gladly answer any queries you may have.
