The first thing you need to consider in kitchen design is whether you are allowed to do the alteration. A quick call to your local body or council will help clarify this. Contrary to popular opinion, local bodies are there to help you and make sure the correct work is carried out.
If a permit is required they are easy to submit if you have done several before, but can be difficult if you haven’t. Product spec sheets, dimensioned plans, ventilation, smoke alarms, engineers’ reports and flashing details could all be required. While these are not hard to get, if someone offers to submit the permit for you it is well worth paying the fee.
Assemble your product early
As a general rule, estimate that for every dollar you spend on product that you will see, you will spend another dollar on tradespeople and work behind the walls and floors that you will not see. So choosing slightly more expensive but better looking items will not have a huge inpact on the overall cost, but will have a significant impact on the final look.
Getting your counter tops, taps, appliances and so on sooner rather than later should stop you cutting costs later on in the project on these visually important items.
Another thing to organise early are your contractors. Independent contractors often find themselves working along the same independent contractors, often a good rapport is made. So if you have a great builder, electrician plumber etc that you know and trust ask them for recommendations or even to organise the other contractors. If they all know each other and have worked together before, the job will run probably run more efficiently.
If you have not done a major renovation recently, when you get quotes you will probably be surprised at how high they are. Any work on a house costs. Globally building materials are in short supply and in big demand. There are many programs on television showing you how to do quick and cheap makeovers, but they are exactly that. Quick and cheap. Some major costs are not shown at the end of the day ask yourself, do you really want cheap?
The Project Manager
Someone needs to be in charge and make decisions, preferable on the spot. Ideally it should be the designer, as changing one thing often impacts on another and they tend to have an overall perspective of the project. Yourself is the next best choice but be aware there is a lot to manage and you need to have a good idea of the whole process to avoid timely delays. Failing that the main contractor, usually the builder, is good but you need to give them authority to make decisions and then abide by them. If no one is in charge the project can extend out by months.
Plan for Disruption
Most houses have only one kitchen and what you will do when it is out of action needs to be considered. It is all very well to say you will eat out or order in but this can quickly become unappealing. Remember you still have to organise breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
Get the project manager to organise a timeline so you can see when you can and can’t be using your kitchen. Don’t forget things like flooring, decorating, curing times and drying times. These things can all add up to long unavoidable delays.
Your kitchen remodel is an opportunity to create a fantastic room for you and your family to enjoy. Do it once and do it right so you can enjoy it for years to come. Be realistic about what it will cost, how long it will take, and you will enjoy the process as well as the result.
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