The most complicated renovation room is the kitchen. Unlike all other rooms, it is important here to ensure not only comfort, but also maximum practicality and durability, to choose the right combination of appliances, plumbing, furniture and finishes. This is not an easy task and requires a very smart approach.
The first step
Perhaps the very first step for the kitchen renovation is to create a plan of what the result should look like, and what steps should lead to its implementation. The kitchen renovation design project might start from the draft. You can, draw up a plan yourself, but it is definitely not worth it to start repairing your house kitchen without a professional plan.
It is necessary to correctly calculate all expenses for the renovation. For example, in a new building there is no finishing, but all the electricity and plumbing are usually present, and if they are new, which means that their replacement is not necessary – respectively, you should only pick up the appliance, furniture and decoration. If plumbing pipes and electricity wires are still in good condition, but the need to perform the renovation, you need to find a way to dismantle the old coatings so as not to damage what is not yet planned to replace. As for the overhaul, in this case, start with a complete removal of everything, even the window frame, but it is necessary to choose the right sequence of further reconstruction.
The importance of planning
It is important before starting the renovation not just to see the final result, but to clearly imagine which order of steps will consist of the plan, as well as – how much supplies are needed, and how much it will all cost. It makes no sense to first assemble the kitchen cabinets, and then inside them to perform plumbing work – so you can ruin both, create unnecessary disruption and lose money.
Experienced home owners are not advised to rely entirely on the one builder, whose number you have found – try to get as much as possible local kitchen renovations experts. Builders, seeing an inexperienced client, are likely to try to sell you unnecessary features and services, and even provide a “bonus” in the form of a surcharge, so have a clear idea of what you would like to see in your kitchen after the repair, and how much it costs. Be sure to find out the prices of supplies and materials in different places – so you get a fair price, and you can even save money.
Selecting materials, the main emphasis on the structural components that are not directly related to the decoration. Only by creating a solid and durable base for the decoration, you will be sure that you have not spent money in vain, because it can be very expensive and lead you off the correct path, encouraging you to save money where savings are inappropriate. Even after a careful calculation, do not make a call to a builder right away – take the project out of your mind for a while, think over the details a few more days or weeks so that there is no doubt. If no objections come to your mind (or they are already taken into account in the final plan), it remains only to put aside the full amount of the kitchen renovation cost. After you can call your builder and negotiate the cost, plan and and date of work.
Step-by-step sequence of repair work
All above we mentioned that the correct procedure to plan your kitchen renovation. The correct sequence of steps in a strict logical order – is half of the success! Now, let’s briefly describe all the main types of the kitchen renovation works.
Walls and ceiling
In general, this step would be appropriate to refer to disassembly, but not everyone understands that removing the old paint is also disassembly. The first necessary step is to check the walls for wires, pipes and insulation.
Windows
This is the first stage, when during the kitchen renovation we will not only break, but also bring a something new. Usually, the dismantling of the old window and the installation of a new one is performed by the same masters, the whole procedure usually takes a several days. With the installation of windows begin for the reason that their replacement causes the destruction of surrounding wall sections, which means that after finishing or even preparatory work to do it is too late. In some companies the window installation and repair of the slope are two different jobs performed by different traders, therefore you need to plan everything correctly so that further repair will not damage the fresh slope.
Electricity
The most complicated stage to plan. Before you deal with electrical wiring, you should think well about the configuration of electrical appliances in the kitchen – since we are doing a major renovation, it is worth immediately to do everything so that there is no need for extension cords. It is important to bring out the ends of wires for future outlets, switches and lights, although they are not yet covered, limited to hanging out (and unconnected) contacts.
Pipes
Installation of plumbing in general is similar to the installation of electrical wiring with the only difference that these works are slightly more limited. In terms of the renovated kitchen should think in advance where will be located all the appliances that need to be connected to the water supply and sewerage. In many modern kitchens, these communications are no longer limited to the sink – we need to think about the dishwashing machine location.
Floor
To protect the floor from dirt or damage from work tools, it is the last thing you want to do. It’s probably the most time-consuming part of a kitchen renovation. Since the overhaul involves the pouring of a new concrete screed, and it dries very slowly. Start laying on the screed, which seized incompletely, is unacceptable – such an ill-considered decision, you greatly reduce the life of the coating.
In some cases, the stages of finishing the floor are combined with the stages of finishing the walls and ceiling. For example, if the main work on the preparation of the walls is done, and it remains only to paint, but for any reason is expected to be a long break in the work, you can start to work on the floor. To paint the walls then proceed after it dries, but still before installation of flooring – in itself a splash of paint on the screed is not terrible, if they then cover the top of a laminate or any other flooring.
Arrangement of the kitchen furniture, appliances and accessories
When all of the above-mentioned stages are passed, the customer has a neat and beautiful, but still empty kitchen. Its further arrangement is divided into two stages – professional and DIY. The modern kitchen is not a set of individual accessories – many of its components are linked, because the owner cannot not cope with the installation. The final design of the same electrical system, installation of appliances with its connection to the main utilities, and even the assembly of the kitchen set – all these tasks are usually performed by professionals. We advise take time and control the installation of the kitchen cabinets to make sure about the quality of the work.
The last stage is done independently and involves bringing the kitchen for everyday use. It consists of arranging furniture and dishes, hanging window coverings and general decorating of the room, and begins with a more ordinary thing – a cleaning. In practice, bringing the kitchen to the perfect condition can take a few weeks, but the room can be used sooner – as soon as all the appliances have been connected, the cabinets are assembled, and the dining table is ready for your family.
We hope you will like our view to the kitchen renovation process. Next time we are going to talk about the kitchen renovation mistakes.
Thank you!
