Why is the kitchen such a big deal, you innocently ask? Because it’s the kitchen! Central Station of your home or investment property!
There’s no doubt, the kitchen is the heart of your home. It’s where everything happens. The feeding. The socialising. The nibbling. The drinking. The living. It’s the glue that holds everything and everyone together. And if you mess up this room, there’ll be plenty of people there to let you know it … so don’t.
Here are 7 of the most common fears when renovating your kitchen …. brace yourself to confront them all.
1. Lack of planning approval
This one is a no-brainer. If you don’t know if you’re allowed to knock down a wall, don’t knock down a wall.
It’s better to be safe than sorry because it’s really hard to un-knock down a wall. And being ‘sorry’ involves stop work orders and fines. Check with your local Council first unless you like funding government revenue.
2. Wrong materials
How will your kitchen be used? Ask this question. To yourself. To your family. To your imaginary prospective buyers. And then design to the answer.
Do you have a big family who enjoys Taco Tuesdays? Don’t install a mirrored splashback. Are you a clumsy wine connoisseur? Steer clear of porous marble benchtops. Are you selling to a single person? Forget the double bowl kitchen sink. Think long and hard about who’ll be using your room and how.
3.Wrong style
Your kitchen should last at least 20 years. Trends and fads don’t need to last and rarely ever do.
Be careful not to dabble in the latter sentence when considering the former. Industrial kitchens live somewhere between the two. They used to be cool and the thing to do, but nowadays are only appropriate in lofts, city dwellings & real industrial buildings. Predict the future if you can to ensure your kitchen style will last the test of time.
4. Lack of cohesion
Imagine a ball gown with a pair of Ugg’s and a ski beanie. Would you wear that? Anywhere? Ever?
Rhetorical questions, yes, but the answer to each is no. Moral of this story, don’t make your kitchen look ridiculous either. Think of this room like a well-designed outfit. Every fixture & fitting within it, needs to make sense. The layout, materials & colours within this room need to fashionably blend together, especially with other rooms in your home. Not sure how to do that? Pinterest does. Finds great kitchens and start pinning away.
5. Getting your layout wrong
Kitchens have demands. And you, as the owner, need to know what they are, or you’ll have a very unhappy room.
Cupboard doors prefer to not hit feature lights when they’re opened. Drawers have a real problem knocking into each other. Fridges hate being forced to live out their days right next to their arch enemy, the stove. An easy way to not make your kitchen mad? Learn good kitchen design by memorising the ‘working triangle.’ It is a thing. Make it yours.
6. Unplanned surprises
Surprise birthday party? So fun. Surprise promotion? Yes please. Surprise water rot under your floorboards with no money in the kitty to deal with it? Worst thing ever.
You might be naive to think this won’t happen to you, but it will. You know why? Because you can’t see what you can’t see. In order to deal with the unknown risks of renovating your kitchen, plan 10% contingency for surprise water rot or other not so fun disasters that don’t involve balloons or payroll.
7. Overcapitalising
Do. Not. Spend. More. Money. Than. You. Should.
If the cost of your kitchen renovation is starting to exceed the value this update adds to your property, then you’re knee deep in #7, my friend. This is a big no-no. Have a budget and stick to it. A renovated kitchen should cost no more than 4% of your current property value. Not. One. Gold. Coin. More.
So with all that said, I know …. kitchens seem hard.
And big. And costly. But I also know that kitchens are so worth it.
To alleviate all the above problems contact Spinryde Home Renovations and use our expertise over many years to create your dream kitchen.