Renovating your kitchen is
an exciting project, and often a costly one. But done properly, kitchens can
add value to your home and are a great room to invest in. Focus on what you do
in the kitchen. What you have to store? What do you want hidden? What do you
want on show? How long will you be at the house?
If this is your dream
kitchen in your dream house, go all out. If it’s a property you’ll be selling
or renting out in a year or two, keep those bespoke extras to a minimum as you
won’t be the one using them when you sell up.
But where do you start?
Planning
Have plans drawn up for
your kitchen. A professional designer will know how to maximize space and can
make sure your living needs are met. You can draw plans yourself if you have an
understanding of cabinetry and use of space, and bring it to a kitchen and bath
designer to get start on pricing.
Considerations
·
Budget
·
Existing gas or
electricity
·
Plumbing
·
Whether the main
user is right or left handed
·
How many people
will use the kitchen
·
Design and color
·
Allowing the
right spacing between walk ways and appliances
Custom Cabinetry
Custom cabinets are built to your specifications, so they
can be pretty much anything you want! It is possible to buy "custom"
cabinets, which means you start with a standard size cabinet and add on the
details and features you want. Custom cabinets are either built on- or-
off-site by a skilled carpenter, or manufactured on a build-to-order basis.
Factory (Semi-Custom Cabinetry)
Semi-custom cabinets are basically stock cabinets with
extra detailing options. The basic cabinetry sizes still apply, but consumers
have the option to change certain dimensions, like resizing the cabinet drawers
and door fronts, or increasing/decreasing the cabinet depth. The advantages of
semi-custom cabinets is that you get the feeling you have some individual input
into the design (however limited). But sometimes that's all you need to get
great cabinets without the expense of a custom job. Semi-custom truly is the
best of both worlds.
Stock Cabinetry
Stock cabinets are readymade, pre-manufactured cabinets,
meaning they're mass-produced in a factory and ready to ship when ordered.
They're sold in modular units, and no customization is available. What you see
is what you get! The advantages of stock cabinets are affordability and a quick
delivery time. However, you usually have a limited selection of styles, shapes,
colors, wood type, etc.
Flat pack / RTA (Ready to Assemble) Cabinetry
Flat pack kitchen units
come as a set size and are generally available off-the-shelf from your local
hardware store or specialist kitchen shop. The modular units are dismantled and
lay flat on the shelf ready for a DIYer or tradesman to build. If you have any
doubt about your DIY ability, have a trades-person install it for you. Your
kitchen cupboards bear a lot of weight, as does your shelves. Also beware that
most RTA cabinetry are made overseas and are not the same as America Cabinet
manufactures.
Appliances
It’s important to choose
your appliances before finalizing your kitchen to ensure they fit, and have
clearance around them. Ensure there’s enough ventilation around appliances
such as wall ovens and fridges and check the manufacturer’s installation guides
in case there’s anything a little different about the machine you’ve picked. In
most instances, one or two cupboards will need a little modifying at the back
to allow for cables, plugs and hoses.
·
Allow spacing beside
cook tops so pots and pans can sit safely
·
Avoid placing
your cook top/oven next to the fridge; otherwise, it will have to work twice as
hard to cool
Think green
·
Durable,
easy-to-clean, well ventilated gas appliances
·
Sustainable
timber, bamboo, cork, tiles, concrete, stone or timber veneers with zero or low
volatile organic compounds (VOC) sealants
·
No PVC edging
tape
·
Eco-accredited
laminates and particleboard
·
Glass and tile splash
backs with zero or low VOC adhesives
·
Stainless steel
·
Plant and
water-based paints with low VOC
·
Tight fitting
cabinetry to limit vermin
If you opt for a ‘green’
modular kitchen, don’t forget it comes as a package, so you will have to
stipulate which components you want to replace.
Flooring
If you go to the effort of
installing a new kitchen, you will probably want to lay a new floor. There are
many options for flooring, and your budget and personal style will be the major
factors when choosing a suitable surface. Make sure the surface is hardy and
able to withstand wear and tear, especially if you have children. Laying vinyl
floors occurs after kitchen installation; lay all other surfaces before
installation.
Trade tips
Word-of-mouth or
recommendations from those who you know and trust are a good way to source
reliable tradespeople. Or you could check with professional trade associations.
Local knowledge can be key to
your contractor getting the best price on supplies so search locally too.
A few other things to look
at are:
·
Check whether the
kitchen installation company uses its own installers or recommends
subcontractors. It should be able to supply their license numbers if required.
·
Has the
manufacturer won any recent awards?
·
Does your chosen
company manufacture its own components?
·
Companies that
outsource may not have control over quality
·
Check your
designer’s industry experience – and ask to see photos of finished kitchens
they’ve worked on.
·
Ask if to see
their licenses and insurance.
Renovating your kitchen is
an exciting change to make to your home so it’s worth spending some time on it,
and not rushing in too fast.
For many people, the
kitchen is the center of the home, so getting the design right can be crucial.
Bessemer Showroom Homewood
Showroom Tuscaloosa
Showroom
1240 Raimund Muscoda Rd 2901 18th Street
South 701 21st Avenue
Bessemer, Al 35020 Homewood,
AL 35209 Tuscaloosa,
AL 35401
205-481-1003 205-871-2066 205-434-9044
