So, you’re thinking about a kitchen reno and wondering how on earth to budget for something you have no idea about! It’s a pretty common question that I’m asked by clients all the time! But it’s a very important question to ask.
Where do you start? My first piece of advice, and probably THE most important, is don’t start any renovation work without research and planning… it could end up costing you a WHOLE lot more in the long run.
Here’s a very general, but pretty detailed checklist of things you may need to consider when you’re planning and budgeting for a kitchen reno.
FOOTPRINT: Do you want to change the footprint of the kitchen? This can have a domino effect on the floors, whether they’re tiles or timber.
- Will you need new tiles?
- Will the whole house need retiling?
- Will the timber floors need to be refinished throughout the kitchen/whole house?
- Will the following need to be relocated? Plumbing, gas, electricals, power points, lighting, light switches?
- Will the ceilings/walls need to be re-plastered/repainted if lights/plumbing/electricals are being moved?
LOOK & STYLE: Do you know what materials and finishes you’d like for your new kitchen?
- Do you love the idea of more drawers? What will you put in them? What runners are best for the weight capacity? Drawers are definitely the best solution for functional and efficient storage, but up the budget a bit more than cupboards and shelves.
- And are you needing bulkheads? Will they be MDF or plasterboard?
- Will your cornice need to be reinstated over bulkheads? Is the cornice still in production or will it need to be custom made if it’s an ornate profile?
CABINETRY LAYOUT: Do you need to increase storage by incorporating internal storage solutions?
- Cabinetry doors/drawers with routed or flush profiles, in laminate, melamine, 2 Pac, thermolaminate?
- Benchtops in engineered stone, natural stone, laminate, timber, concrete, porcelain?
- And what thickness...20mm, 30mm, 40mm? And if you like a particular look, is that on the upper or lower end of the price range?
- Don’t forget handle hardware too...they can cost anywhere from a few dollars to way over $20 per handle. How many do you need? What finish?
SPLASHBACK: Do you prefer:
- Tiles
- Natural stone like marble
- Engineered stone
- Glass
- Acrylic
APPLIANCES: The majority of cabinet makers and kitchen companies obviously don’t include the cost of your appliances in a kitchen quote...but that’s actually where I start!! Before I can design your layout, I ask my clients a lot of detailed questions about their cooking requirements and how they use / want to use their kitchen. So make sure you consider the following:
- What do you like to cook?
- How much cooking do you do? Would you like to cook more?
- Are you keen to have an “entertainer’s kitchen”?
- Do you have young children?
- How much would you like to invest in appliances?
COOKING:
- Do you want an electric, gas or induction cooktop?
- Do you prefer a 60cm or a 90cm cooktop?
- Do you need one large 90cm oven, or a smaller 60cm one, or two, or an oven and a combination oven/microwave, or even a stand-alone cooker?
- What features are important to you? Steam cooking, warming setting, grilling?
- Where will they go? In an oven tower, or under bench or side by side?
- How important is an effective rangehood? Will it be a canopy, under-cabinet, ducted through the roof, or the wall or recirculating?
- Do you have roof tiles or a metal roof? Consider this for ducting out of the roof.
- Do you have higher than standard ceilings? Will your rangehood need additional ducting lengths?
SINK/TAP:
- What size and/or configuration sink do you like?
- What kind of material will suit your needs?
- Should it be an undermount or top mount?
- Do you need a mixer tap with a pull out nozzle?
- One that filters water, and provides cold/boiling/ sparkling?
- What finish will suit your other selections - chrome, black, brushed brass etc - some finishes are
FRIDGE:
- What’s best for the space - French door, bottom mount etc?
- Do you want water and ice? That will need to be plumbed in.
- Do you need to increase your existing fridge space for a bigger fridge?
- Does that involve moving walls?
- Would you like to incorporate a wine or drinks fridge? What ventilation space does it require by the manufacturer?
LIGHTING: This involves both artificial light as well as natural light.
- Do you need to improve the lighting in the space?
- Need better quality/more down lights?
- What additional task lighting will you require?
- If pendants are on your wish list, factor in an allowance for those fittings as well as the installation costs. Natural lighting considerations can impact on the structural aspects of the space. Consider sky lights, bi-fold windows, a fixed panel window splashback.
- If you’re changing the location of windows, do you need bricks to brick up the old opening?
- Are the bricks still available in the colour you need? Will external walls need repainting?
ACCESSORIES: Not necessarily the most expensive items on the checklist, but certainly need to be included in your budget.
- Cutlery/utensil inserts
- Dividers to store/stand up cutting boards/baking trays
- Spice racks/drawer inserts
- Sink roller mat/drainer lid
- Sharp knife in-drawer block...and lots more
Summary:
This isn’t a complete checklist of all the things that I go through with my clients when we’re planning a kitchen reno, but it is pretty comprehensive and will give you a great head start during the planning process before you start getting quotes from suppliers, retailers, and trades.
If you need a bit more help or guidance during the planning and designing process, please give me a call to arrange for a complimentary “Meet & Greet” appointment. We can have a chat about your ideas and see if you’d like to work with me – my services in design, sourcing, selections, quoting and project facilitation will take the stress out of renovating, save you time and money, and make the experience so much easier.
You can download this checklist in PDF here:
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You can download this exact checklist (PDF) to have on hand here:
