It’s a well-known fact that the modern kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s possibly the busiest room in any home and the place that brings families and friends together. For this reason, it’s important that a kitchen not only looks beautiful but its functionality needs to suit your lifestyle and family dynamics.
A beautiful, modern and functional kitchen is also one of the features many buyers desire when looking to purchase a new home and we’ve all heard the saying kitchens and bathrooms sell homes.
A new kitchen can be expensive but it can also add significant value to a property when it comes time to sell so it’s important to get the space right. Many people take months in the planning stages before embarking on a new kitchen. So how do you ensure you’re off to a good start with your kitchen renovation?
In this blog post, we’re going to answer the five most frequently asked kitchen renovation questions homeowners ask us when embarking on kitchen renovations.
5 Kitchen Renovation Question's Answered
1. How long does a kitchen last?
When is the right time to update your kitchen?
No doubt we’ve all seen homes that are twenty or thirty years old and still have the original kitchen in them. While they may be showing signs of wear and tear, they could still be quite practical and functional for their owners.
However, for the majority of us, a beautiful new kitchen that looks like it belongs in a glossy home magazine, is highly desirable.
Nowadays with an abundance of renovation shows on television, ease of use of internet sites like Pinterest and Houzz and easy access to kitchen designers in your area, it’s common for a kitchen renovation to be on the top of many homeowners wish list.
The life of a kitchen depends on a number of factors including;
Wear and tear - How many people are using the kitchen? Is it a family with a lot of children or just a couple? Do they take care of it?
Kitchen quality- Is it made from high quality materials or cheap, inferior products? What kind of finishes have been used in the kitchen?
Kitchen style - Are the colours and finishes still a desirable aesthetic or do they clash with new design trends? Perhaps you’ve purchased a new home and the existing kitchen is just not your style.
Affordability - A new kitchen can be a significant outlay and it may be that an upcoming key event such as a wedding, new baby or upcoming sale of the property prompts the beginning of the kitchen renovation process.
Keep reading as we explore what a budget, mid-range and luxury kitchen renovation actually cost.
2. How much would a kitchen renovation cost?
Many clients are surprised, and even shocked at the cost of doing a kitchen renovation.
The cost of a kitchen renovation, like most renovations, can vary dramatically from one project to the next it with the size, location, existing layout, proposed layout, types of finishes, appliances and lighting all impacting on the cost of a kitchen renovation.
So, how much does a new kitchen cost?
Assuming a new kitchen includes all new appliances, plumbing and electrical installation, tiling and installation, you can expect to pay:
- $10,000 to $25,000 for a small or budget kitchen
- $25,000 to $50,000 for a mid-range kitchen
- $50,000+ for a luxury or high-end kitchen
Let’s explore further the three categories of Budget, Mid-range and Luxury kitchen renovations to see how you can achieve your kitchen goals.
Small or Budget Kitchen Makeover
This option is definitely at the lower end of the pricing scale. To achieve this price range, you will need to consider sticking to the original layout and keeping appliances and plumbing in their current location. Cupboards are a lot more cost effective than drawers which can be a challenge when everyone seems to want more large drawers and less cupboards. Try including one large bank of three drawers with a narrower top drawer for cutlery and utensils, the second deeper drawer for everyday crockery and the bottom deeper drawer for pots and pans or plastics. This one set of drawers alone will improve the functionality of your kitchen.
When it comes to finishes for your cabinets and benchtops, companies like Laminex, Polytec and Nikpol all have a great range of contemporary colours in melamine for cabinetry and laminate for benchtops. While a white kitchen is always popular, there are many options for colours that fit with current trends or your favourite colour combination. Developments in Laminate benchtop options mean that you can now install laminate benchtops that look very similar to marble or stone. A tiled splashback is possibly the best option for a budget kitchen renovation. Choose from a huge range of subway tiles or large format tiles for cleaner lines with less grout to clean.
Mid-range Kitchen Renovation
Many kitchen renovations fit within this price range as it incorporates a broad range of options for everything from finishes to appliances and gives you a little more flexibility in the layout and design of your new kitchen. Having said that it’s still really easy to blow the budget and it pays to be aware of where you can save money and where you should splurge to give you the kitchen of your dreams.
With a mid-range kitchen renovation, you’ll be able to include benchtops made from engineered stone like Caesarstone, Quantum Quartz, Silestone or Smartstone. Remember that the thickness of the edge profile will impact on the overall cost. The increased cost of a thicker edge profile feature island in one of the premium engineered stones can be offset by installing a more cost-effective selection from the standard colour range in a 20mm benchtop around the peripheral benches. Choose from a contrasting colour or choose a neutral that blends with your feature island.
When it comes to door and drawer finishes there are a number of options from melamines, vinyl wrap and polyurethane finishes, each with a different price point and advantages and disadvantages to suit your individual kitchen renovation. Your kitchen could also include some timber accents from either solid timber, timber veneer or one of the timber look products available such as Polytec’s range of Woodmatt, Ravine and textured timber melamines and laminates.
Depending on the style of your kitchen your splashback options are increased to include not only tiles, but glass, stainless steel and engineered stone to name a few.
Finish your new kitchen with some clever under cabinet LED strip lighting and feature pendants or lighting for a wow factor.
Following a Design Consultation, a kitchen designer is able to recommend the best option to suit your lifestyle, budget and style.
The Luxury Kitchen Renovation
High-end or luxury kitchens are becoming increasingly popular with the availability of high-end and integrated appliances, smart wiring, real marble bench tops, real timber features and bespoke cabinetry.
Check out any of the kitchens featured on recent episodes of The Block and you’ll see examples of huge kitchens with equally as big walk in butler’s pantries, integrated appliances and designer finishes. These kitchens come with a hefty price tag.
A luxury kitchen opens up a whole new world of appliance options including Sub Zero, Wolf and Gaggenau to name a few. Entertaining with these appliances will be a breeze.
With a luxury kitchen there really is a solution for just about everything. Touch open drawers and doors like the Blum Servo-Drive and lift up systems like Blum Aventos will enhance the everyday enjoyment of your kitchen.
3. Where should you start when designing a new kitchen?
Whether you are building or renovating you should start by reviewing the existing layout and if budget allows, consider options for introducing a better layout. Remember, your kitchen needs to suit you and your lifestyle and whether it’s a big or small change, there is usually is a way to improve the flow and layout of your kitchen.
Functionality is another important element to consider and this is where getting the working triangle is vital. No-one wants to be walking round in circles while they are preparing or cooking meals.
Finally, consider the overall style and finishes must reflect your individual personality and style and not just be based on current trends.
4. How long does it take to renovate a kitchen?
The process of renovating your kitchen begins with the kitchen design. This step is fundamental in the success of your new kitchen and will assist you to achieving your dream for a functional and beautiful new kitchen.
It’s not uncommon for homeowners to take six months from thinking about embarking on a kitchen renovation to actually starting the process. During this time, you’ll look for inspiration either on Pinterest, Houzz or in Interiors magazines. Time is then usually spent engaging with communities or friends online to seek advice and recommendations before reaching out to a professional Interior Designer who specialises in Kitchen Design.
Using a professional kitchen designer independent of a kitchen manufacturing company allows you the client to shop around for the final installer using the same set of drawings and specifications. It’s important that you get the right fit for your specific project and personality.
During the kitchen design process, as the kitchen designer we will conduct on-site design survey, measure and sketch up the existing design space to determine site parameters, services, structural limitations etc and collate existing plans and documentation relevant to Design Space. This information is used to establish the design brief and determine practical requirements for design, aesthetic and style preferences, budget and the proposed time frame.
An initial concept design is developed and presented based upon design brief. This design is developed until you are happy with the final design concept. Selection of materials, finishes, fixtures, fittings takes place and you’ll then be armed with the final working drawings (suitable for quotation/tendering purposes) and specification for obtaining quotations.
Once your kitchen design is finalised and you’ve selected a supplier, depending on the scale of your project, the time it takes to complete your kitchen renovation can take between four to eight weeks and could be impacted by a number of factors, including;
- any structural works
- if the kitchen is part of a greater renovation project
- moving electrical and plumbing
- unforeseen events such as asbestos
5. How long does it take to install a kitchen?
Once your kitchen design and your selections are finalised, you’re ready to proceed with your kitchen renovation. You can expect a typical kitchen renovation schedule to work through these steps;
- Demolition this is when the kitchen is stripped back to the bare framing, enabling a clean start to the whole renovation. This is usually completed within a day or two
- Minor structural changes usually required if you’re making changes to the kitchen layout.
- Rough in for plumbing & electrical installing all the pipes and wiring for your kitchen through the walls/floor and framing. If you’re not changing the locations of appliances, power points, taps and sink this work is reduced
- Plastering this is required for any new walls or where the tiles came off the original walls. Your kitchen is now ready to be check measured by the cabinet maker. The last three steps together can take 2 days to a couple of weeks depending on the scale of the project
- Flooring changes will be made at this stage if required
- Cabinetry Custom made cabinetry can take between 1 to 6 weeks to produce depending on the finishes you select and availability of your preferred supplier. The installation process will take
- Benchtop Laminate benchtops can be installed by your cabinet maker. Stone benchtops will need to be installed by a stone mason following a site measure. This process takes approximately 10 working days
- Fit off Electricians and Plumbers come back to connect and install appliances and tapware. This usually takes a day or two
- Splashback Tiling can be completed within a day or so while a glass takes approximately 7-10 working days
- Painting this generally takes 1-3 days
- Site clean up
Starting your Kitchen Renovation
My recommendation to you if you are looking to renovate a kitchen, bathroom, or any room of your home, is to sit down with a designer and be open and honest about your budget, and allow the designer to guide you through what your budget will allow, or help you to establish one.
At Bella Vie Interiors, we work with clients to establish a budget, or to best utilise what they have to work with all day long. You need the expertise of a designer to help manage your expectations of what your budget will get you and how to create a functional and beautiful new kitchen that you love.
Resources to Help You Get Started
Need More Information?
If you have any questions or would like help with your bulding or renovation projects, feel free to contact us for a no obligation discussion.
We help busy families and individuals achieve their ideal version of luxury living, blending it seamlessly with practicality to suit their lifestyle perfectly.
If you are building or renovating, we’d love to hear from you to discuss creating a beautiful interior that fits your dream of luxury living.
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