The kitchen is a central part of any home: you eat with your family, host dinner parties with friends, help your children with homework, and enjoy a quiet coffee before the day starts. Therefore, it’s essential to make the space beautiful and welcoming.
Renovating any part of your home is a rewarding but stressful experience. It means leaving your home for the period of work or soldiering on and living in a building site for weeks on end. It’s also an expensive investment; HomeAdvisor found the average kitchen renovation can cost anywhere between $12,594 and $33,118! Despite the cost, it’s a lifelong investment for you and your family that will last for years to come and can increase the value of your home if you decide to sell one day. Follow these four tips to make the renovation process that little bit easier.
1. Set a budget
As with all financial investments, budgeting is the key to success. Work out what you can afford, create a contingency pot for any unseen costs down the line, and stick to it.
Some aspects of your renovation can be upgraded creatively by upcycling or choosing cheaper options. This allows more of your budget for your must-haves, such as a kitchen island or a striking backsplash.
Do your research to determine how much objects such as appliances, flooring, and countertops cost. Remember, kitchen cabinets usually cost around one-third of your average renovation budget.
2. Get professional design help
Even if you know exactly what you want or have a lot of DIY experience, getting professional help for a project of this scale is strongly recommended. Professionals such as those at Legacy Countertops can help you bring your vision to life, provide advice on materials and color schemes, and even suggest ideas you might have yet to consider.
Having someone to support you through the process and bounce ideas off makes a big difference, so consider this an essential part of your renovation and factor it into your budget.
3. Think about your family’s needs
What do you use your kitchen for? Thinking about how often you cook, what storage you need, and how much the space will be used are all part of the planning process.
For example, if your kitchen is the central hub for your family and a space you use for entertaining, then paying extra attention to seating and counter surfaces is a good idea.
4. Find alternatives
Is there an appliance or feature you truly want but you are wondering if you can afford it, or have been advised against it? Find an alternative! The internet is full of ideas for creating the kitchen of your dreams in creative—and affordable—ways. For example, wooden floors are visually beautiful and offer a natural, traditional feel to a room. But it’s not the best material for a kitchen, where it could be subject to spillages and scratches. Alternatives such as vinyl or laminate flooring are easy to clean and durable, and offer an extensive selection of wood appearances that look convincingly real!