If you have decided that it is time to upgrade your kitchen and you want to do most of the work on your own, you have to understand that details matter a lot. Without investing effort in taking measurements and planning out the space, you will hardly end up with a good result. In order to be successful, consider the following tips:
- Choosing a design plan with efficiency in mind – once you have removed your old kitchen, it is time to think what parts of it worked well and what parts you want to improve on. There is hardly any need to change things you were perfectly happy with, as long as the new plan can build on those foundations and improve your new kitchen. Speaking of efficiency, you want to inspect the place thoroughly at this point, since that is the only time any problems with the previous kitchen will become more visible. Check the plumbing and electric aspects, consider applying a new layer of paint to the walls. Designing the plan for the new kitchen should be done well before the renovation process even begins. Consider the possible designs and zero in on a plan that works best for your needs. Of course, you need to plan around the size of the kitchen and the overall shape. The appliances and cabinets you fit in there need to be in good positions, in order to be properly used.
- Most important considerations – renovating a kitchen is no easy feat, and even seemingly minor things can make a whole lot of difference to the overall result. Here are some of the aspects you want to consider:
- Proximity of the dishwasher and washing machine to the sink. Both slots for these appliances should be close to the sink.
- Plug points next to appliance slots. If you are planning on having appliances at different spaces, make sure there are plug points close by.
- Electrical, plumbing and piping systems. All of these three systems need to be foolproof, if you don’t want trouble down the road. It is best to get professional help for these systems. Not to mention all of these systems should meet certain safety guidelines and standards.
If you ignore any of these considerations, you will end up making a mistake. And speaking of mistakes …
- What common mistakes should you avoid? – when it comes to fitting a kitchen, there is not much room for error. The things you want to watch out for the most are:
- Don’t get carried away with fancy choices – it is best to stick to a design plan that feels real. You can make hasty decisions that you later regret. Opt for a design that feels natural and practical.
- Measure twice – a lot of wrong can come from imprecise measurements. Just a few centimetres off spells trouble for the whole project.
- Don’t envision the kitchen with all cabinet doors closed – you may find yourself struggling to use the space properly, if you forget to consider how much space doors and drawers take when they are open.
- Plan for storage space – you don’t want to have every inch of open countertop area to be taken by small appliances and kitchen equipment, do you?
Is fitting a new kitchen on your own worth the effort? The right answer is: probably not. There is a lot that can go wrong during the process, and you really don’t want to jeopardise the final outcome. In most cases, you are much better off working with an expert, in order to guarantee the perfect kitchen for you and your family.
