Step-by-Step Kitchen Renovation Guide

Apart from serving a highly essential function, the kitchen also serves as the social hub of your home. Friends and family members can gather together, try your extraordinary recipes, and interact with each other. The kitchen also adds considerable aesthetic value to your home, and everyone wants their kitchen to look splendid. The fact that a kitchen has so many components can make refurbishment or renovation challenging. This is why we have prepared a step-by-step guide to help you through the renovation process without losing your mind.

Visualise and Plan

The first and foremost step in any renovation activity must be idea generation. When it comes to your kitchen, generating ideas is not the problem. However, selecting one can get confusing. There are countless kitchen plans available for absolutely free on the internet. You can download actual images and entire technical plans. These plans can help you visualise how you want your kitchen to be, or you can think of an entirely new idea. Once you know how you want your kitchen to look and feel, it is time for you to make lists. We recommend preparing a list for everything. For example, make a list of the storage options you want in your kitchen. Prepare a list of the kitchen appliances you will need. Write it down if you want an open-space kitchen. How many chairs you will need? Do you want a kitchen counter with an overhang? Do you want cabinets underneath it or elsewhere? Answer all these questions and draw a rough sketch of where you want all these things. In short, you must make a written plan for everything and draw it out. Visualising the layout of your kitchen and drawing a plan will serve as the blueprint for your kitchen renovation.

Which Appliances Do You Want?

There are two kitchen appliance types: the ones you really need and those you don’t. We can understand that the options for appliances are too many. Though no one should stop you from installing all the appliances you love, we recommend making a list of all the essential and non-essential appliances you still want. This way, you can help all your budget more prudently. Select the Hob and the oven you want. Get the microwave you love. List down the brands and their respective prices so that while you are identifying the best appliances for your kitchen, you are also budgeting at the same time. Check which old appliances can still fit in your kitchen and which can be resold or donated.

Measure Accurately

The most challenging thing about kitchen renovations is that even a slight change in a particular measurement can change the entire look. You might get an entirely different kitchen than you intended just because of incorrect measurements. Even if you had to measure right twice or thrice, feel free to do so. The more accurate and precise your measurements, the higher the chances of your kitchen looking precisely how you want it to.

Altering the Electric and Plumbing Network

Two of the most challenging kitchen renovation tasks are altering or moving the electric and plumbing network. Even significant renovations may only require these networks to be moved partially, but if you plan to change the layout, you may need to make serious alterations. For example, if you plan to move your sink or change the location of your stove, your plumber will have to make some major changes. While they are at it, you have time to identify any changes required for your planned kitchen to function correctly. Any changes late in the renovation process or afterwards can increase your construction time as well as your cost. While planning these changes, you also need to ensure they do not require planning permission or are not violating any building codes.

Building/Rebuilding the Interior Structure

Building or rebuilding the interior structure of any kitchen requires the use of different types of raw materials. The first step in this process is to check your existing walls and identify if any wall needs to be repaired or rebuilt. You don’t want any destructive work to be carried out in the middle of your renovation. If you plan to change your flooring, now is the time. Select the type of flooring that goes with your plan. You have the option of choosing from wood, vinyl, ceramic tiles, and others. Once the walls have been repaired and painted and the flooring has been installed, it is time to fit the cabinetry, sinks, appliances, worktops, and other components. Anything that needs to be repainted must be done either offsite or by covering everything else to prevent spillage.

Decorating your Kitchen

Decorating is the part that most people look forward to. It is also one step in the renovation process, which gives you the most freedom to do what you want. It is an essential step as these finishing and decorative touches give your kitchen its final look. These include wall decor, lights, rugs, plants, furniture, etc. Lights can play a vital role in enhancing the aesthetics of your kitchen. These include under-cabinet and over-island lighting, ceiling fixtures and chandeliers. Adding decorative accessories such as vases and bowls can add a great touch to your kitchen. A bar counter with stools or chairs not only provides utility but also makes your kitchen look appealing and inviting. No matter what decorations you choose, you have to remember that they have to be in line with your colour theme.

Hiring an Interior Designer

Hiring an interior designer can save you from all the hassle of planning and executing the plan. Many of these professional businesses already have workable plans which you can choose from. They typically have an entire in-house team, or they outsource the technicians required for performing various activities in the kitchen renovation process. Hiring the right people can help you cut down your renovation costs and also arrange for any approvals that you may require.