A checklist for renovating your kitchen
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Top Tips for Renovating Your Kitchen
We know that a home refurbishment of any kind can be a daunting prospect. At Day True, we take pride over the fact that every project is unique, and therefore every journey is different. Here is a guide that will help you to navigate the key steps when renovating your kitchen, making it easier to understand where to start your journey.
Kitchen project types
When completing a renovation, we generally find that most projects fall under one of the following categories:
1. Existing kitchens/spaces
If you are planning to renovate your existing space, we recommend following the steps below:
- To take pictures and videos of the existing space to share with your designer.
Top tip: If you can, it would be beneficial to take a video of the rooms connected to your kitchen to provide a sense of key traffic lines and the existing décor.
- To take some initial measurements of the space, noting where the windows and doors are.
Top tip: If you have your estate agents floor plan drawings readily available, use these!
- To consider whether you want to keep or install a new floor. This will impact whether elements in your existing kitchen can be relocated.
Once you have completed the steps above, book an appointment with your chosen kitchen design company.
To book an appointment with Day True, get in touch and have an initial consultation with one of our Chelsea or Wimbledon Village designers.
2. Kitchen Extensions
If you are planning to renovate and extend your space, your project timeline and budget will increase. Day True have an established network of design professionals who can support you with this type of project. Before beginning your journey,
we recommend considering the following:
- Do you require planning permission, or can the work be completed under permitted planning?
- Do you require an architect, structural engineer, and/or a party wall surveyor? If you require an architect, there are two phases that need to be undertaken.
- Phase 1: In most cases, an architect, appointed by you, will undertake a survey and supply initial drawings for you to submit to your local planning authority (where required). Planning applications can take anywhere between 6-12 weeks for approval.
- Phase 2: Depending on what is agreed, your architect can then supply full technical/building control drawings and a tendering pack. Structural drawings and calculations may also be required at this stage.
- “What is a tendering pack?” – A tendering pack is a document given out to different contractors to obtain a like-for-like quote for their construction fees. On average, this can vary from 3-6 weeks.
- It is also important to establish whether your architect will be project managing the build, or whether this is something that you would source separately or undertake yourself?
When should you reach out to a kitchen company?
Once you have received the preliminary planning drawings, we recommend making some initial visits to kitchen showrooms to understand the products and services available to you. This will allow you to understand their price ranges and whether they are the right fit for you. If you do not have planning permission agreed or agreed in principle, it may be counterproductive for you to commence a detailed kitchen design – it’s too early.
To manage your overall budget, it is important to understand what your build costs are. This way, you will have a better idea of what you have left to invest into your new kitchen. Under the current rates of inflation, clients are advised to be cautious about finalising a kitchen design if they are still in the tendering process and are limited with their contingency budget.
When should I make an appointment for a kitchen design?
Before making an appointment with a kitchen design company, we recommend you have final drawings from your architect with planning approval in place, and a clear budget for the kitchen after clarifying the build cost.
Click here to find out what to bring with you for your initial design consultation from our directors Tony and Hayley Robson.
Do you have inspiration boards? Take a look at our project portfolios to be inspired by our Kitchen, Bathroom, and Home renovation projects.
To extend or to not extend your space?
It’s ok to be unsure about whether you should extend or not extend your current space. Extending is not the only option to change the layout of your existing space – you can add or remove walls too. Here are some areas that you might want to consider that may influence your decision.
- What is your budget?
- Your budget will help to naturally guide your decision. Remember, if you overspend on your extension works you will limit the budget for the kitchen and interior specification.
- What do you actually need for the space based on your lifestyle?
- Here you can engage with a kitchen company to see whether you can achieve this whilst working with the existing layout.
- Spatial Planning is Day True’s superpower.
If you want to explore this route further, we recommend engaging with a variety of design professionals, including architects, structural engineers, and/ or a kitchen specialist. This process will incur design fee costs.
Top tip: Why not speak to your local estate agent to see whether an extension will add value to your property?
We collaborate with you to create a kitchen that is individual to you.
Come in and see us, or call us to book a design appointment
The kitchen installation process
Dry fit kitchens
“What is a dry fit installation?”
It is the installation of kitchen cabinetry without plumbing, electrics, or other construction works. Kitchen companies generally offer a dry fit installation service – we do! Third party suppliers are often used to template and survey for worktop surfaces. Installation costs vary according to the number of units specified, your location, etc.
Did you know the average dry fit installation cost within the M25 in 2022 is between £3.5-£5.5k?
Site preparation/Final décor/Permissions
What else do you need to consider when undertaking a kitchen renovation? Here is our checklist:
- Check whether you require permissions (licence to alter) to undertake works, especially if you are renovating in an apartment building. This process can take 2-6 weeks.
- Who is managing the project? Is this something that your contractor will provide, or will you need to outsource this, or undertake it yourself?
- How will you remove and dispose of your existing kitchen?
Top tip: We recommended reaching out to The Used Kitchen Exchange to see if your kitchen can be sold and re-homed.
- How will you remove and install your new flooring and/or tiling? Remember this may include new architraves, skirting, and mouldings. Check whether you need to match existing mouldings within the property. Also, do you want to include underfloor heating?
- Arranging first and second fix for plumbing and electrics. This includes sockets/electrical fascia’s, ceiling lights/ downlights, and new locations for appliances and plumbing points.
- Will you be plastering and decorating the space?
- What is your confirmed start date? Here it is beneficial to agree your timescales.
- Ensure that your contractor quote itemises what is covered in the cost and agree your payment schedule.
Top tip: Check whether your contractor is supplying materials such as tile adhesive, underlay, plaster, and grout, etc.
Did you know the average cost for site preparation within the M25 in 2022 is between £5-£8k?
How can we help?
Day True have an established network of design professionals who can support you with this type of project. To book an appointment, get in touch and speak to one of our designers and let us help you create your perfect kitchen.
We also recommend the services of Protect my Install – a service which only lists approved installers that are members of the government-sanctioned British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI).
