Since the kitchen is a central part of the home and is often the most used room by families, this is one of the first things potential buyers look at in a home. Whether you are renovating your kitchen to bring a fresh look to your home or you want to create the kitchen of your culinary dreams, your first step is to properly plan and budget.
Let's take a step-by-step look at what needs to be done to renovate your kitchen.
Determine the Required Elements
The first step in renovating your kitchen is to decide what you really want from the design. This might help you narrow down your options and formulate a budget. You may feel that your kitchen options are limitless, but if you don't have a budget, you'll find yourself in a chaos, which doesn't help you choose properly what you need.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help narrow down your needs:
- What are the sore points of your kitchen?
- What do you need more of?
- What do you need less of?
- Will you have to change the layout?
- What should be updated?
- Are you looking to sell soon? Which updates will add the most value to your kitchen?
Set a budget
Now that you know what you are not going to change and what it would be nice to have, it's time to create a budget.
How do you know what is a realistic budget for renovating your kitchen? A good rule of thumb is to spend 5% - 15% of the value of your home renovation. Here are some things you can do to get a more accurate budget and decide how much to allocate.
Divide your budget by area of focus
Let's say you have allocated BGN 20,000 to renovate the kitchen. How do you know where to spend this money? The breakdown may look like this:
Cabinets and storage: 29%
Installation: 17%
Appliances and ventilation: 14%
Countertops: 10%
Flooring: 7%
Lighting: 5%
Walls and ceilings: 5%
Design Fees: 4%
Doors and windows: 4%
Water taps: 4%
Other: 1%
Keep in mind that everyone's kitchen needs are different, so this breakdown is just an example. If flooring is more important to you than countertops, adjust how you distribute that money.
It is important to make sure that you do not review the budget you have set. So if you want to spend more in one area, be sure to balance it by reducing another item.
Visit stores and showrooms
Visiting kitchen shops and showrooms will give you an idea of what materials and designs are on the market and how much they cost. If you want to cut costs in certain areas, look at a similar but cheaper option.
For example, if you really like the look of natural stone floors in the kitchen but it's out of your budget, you might choose a ceramic tile that looks like natural stone. Or, if you really want a higher-end kitchen, invest your money there, but choose a cheaper flooring option, for example.
A good way to find good pricing would be to ask your General Contractor for recommendations. Usually builders and contractors have discounts with suppliers, which regular customers are not able to get.
Leave The Job To The Professionals
Renovating your kitchen, especially in detail, requires work that you may not want to take on, such as installing electricity, plumbing or cabinets, removing current cabinets, or tearing down walls. There are countless horror stories from homeowners who rush to make their own kitchens, but miss important details like electricity and plumbing.
Don't create more work for yourself. Leave space in your budget to bring in pros. Here's a quick breakdown of how much you can expect to pay for common kitchen professionals:
Contractors: Most contractors charge 10-20% of the total project cost.
Designers: 8-10% of remodeling costs.
Hiring a contractor
The contractor is the main person for a repair. They source and provide all the materials, plan project deadlines and hire subcontractors who will work on your project. Basically, they are what make the project smooth and complete on time. Hiring a contractor is an additional cost, but they will have the best material deals and could save you money in the long run.
Schedule a no obligation information session with a professional and let us help you with designing and executing your kitchen renovation all over the Lower Mainland including Vancouver, BC.