Renovating your kitchen can be an exciting project, but going into it without proper planning can often lead to a stressful time—not to mention, cause a lot of unnecessary expenses. That’s why it’s important to first set expectations and map out a clear work plan for the renovation process to ensure that it’ll go smoothly.
Are you planning to have your kitchen remodelled in the near future? Here are some tips you should keep in mind.
Kitchen renovations don’t come cheap, but that doesn’t mean the project has to break the bank, either. Rather, the key is to set a budget range beforehand and try to work with what you have. This could vary depending on your personal means, the size of your kitchen, your ideas for the renovation, and whether you’ll be looking to hire a contractor for it or not. Setting a budget gives you a clear limit on how much to spend and avoids instances of unnecessary expenses during the course of the renovation.
In addition to your budget range, consider setting aside an “unexpected expenses” budget as well. Unforeseen expenses can often happen during renovation, and while you can’t control them, you can at least be prepared by having a portion of your budget set aside to cushion the expenses if need be.
Be clear with the details of how you want your kitchen renovation to turn out, but make sure it’s still feasible. It can be easy to get carried away while dreaming up a theme for your new kitchen, but always keep in mind the budget you have to follow.
Take into consideration the size of your kitchen as well. For instance, you wouldn’t want to add too many fixtures to a small kitchen so as to not make it too cramped. Better yet, consult a reliable kitchen renovation Auckland contractor to help you determine if your renovation plans are well within your budget and kitchen space.
With that in mind, consider hiring a contractor to help you manage your kitchen renovation. Doing the renovations on your own can be extremely time-consuming and, if you don’t have a lot of experience in construction projects, can even lead to expensive mistakes. Meanwhile, a contractor can give you a more accurate estimate of how long the project will take and will work with you to ensure the expenses are kept within your budget.
Entrusting your kitchen renovation on the hands of a professional means banking on their expertise as well as their connections with suppliers and other subcontractors. This saves you time from sourcing everything on your own—from workers to supplies—as you can just rely on your contractor to get it all done for you. The professional fees are certainly worth it just to make the entire process hassle-free.
Kitchen renovations will take more than a day or two to complete. Realistically, you’re probably looking at several weeks here, give or take. So before the renovation begins, make sure you’ve set up a space in your home that’ll function as your temporary kitchen. Transfer all needed cooking appliances and tools over there, as well as other supplies you may need when you cook. Part of the stress of dealing with a kitchen renovation is not having access to your kitchen, so eliminate that worry by having a temporary kitchen all set up before that even becomes a problem.
Having your kitchen renovated can cause disruptions in your family’s daily routine. In addition to not having access to the kitchen as you normally would, there’s also going to be construction noise and dust to deal with. If your family members don’t know what to expect, this may lead to stress and arguments down the line. Hence, make sure you communicate properly with everyone about the setup while the renovation is still ongoing. This includes where the temporary kitchen is, where food supplies are kept in the meantime and the timeframe in which the renovation is expected to last, among other things.
While part of the appeal of hiring a contractor is having someone manage the details of your project, that doesn’t mean that you should be completely hands-off with the entire renovation process. Rather, always take the time to communicate with your contractor about the progress of your renovation, particularly how much has been spent so far and if they’ve encountered any issues along the way. Being on the same page with your contractor can make you feel at ease knowing that the project is progressing as intended, which can allay any doubts or stress you may have over it.
Despite how challenging a kitchen renovation project can be, the output can be immensely rewarding if done right. While you can’t completely eliminate stress during such times—after all, this is an undertaking that can change your home drastically—you can at least keep it on a manageable level, thanks to the tips in this article. Here’s to hoping that your own kitchen renovation process goes smoothly and relatively stress-free.
