A kitchen renovation can add value, beauty and functionality to your home. However, before getting started, it’s important to ask yourself a few big questions. Start with these five.
1. How can I prevent the budget blowing out?
Stories of budgets gone bonkers are common. However, they can be prevented through careful planning. Ask your contractor to visit your home, take a good look around and provide you with an accurate, thorough budget. Ensure that every single detail is covered, including labour, materials and potential problems.
2. How long will the kitchen renovation take?
A kitchen renovation can seriously disrupt daily living. Find out how long yours is expected to take in advance. Be sure to ask your contractor about potential hold-ups. As a rule of thumb, building furniture takes up to six weeks, while installation takes up to two.
3. Should you renovate for yourself or for a future buyer?
To answer this, you need to ask yourself two questions. Are you planning on selling? When are you planning on selling? If the answer to the first is “No, never”, then you should renovate with your own tastes and needs in mind. If the answer to the second is, “Yes, soon”, then it’s worth considering the impact of the renovation on the house’s value.
4. Will your needs change over the next few years?
Your new kitchen should be both beautiful and functional. So, think carefully about your plans for the next five years, before going ahead. Are you planning on expanding your family? Will more people be using the kitchen in two years’ time? Will you need extra storage?
5. What will maintenance involve?
An important aspect of kitchen functionality is maintenance. If your kitchen requires a lot of maintenance, but you don’t have the time and resources to take care of it, frustration will grow quickly. For most homeowners, a low-maintenance kitchen is ideal.