The kitchen plays an important role in many households, and any change you make to it can have a direct impact on your quality of life. Some people might want more space, others more functionality, and others just want something that looks good. In either case, properly planning any renovation project is essential if you want to be happy with the final results. Here are some of the things you should be asking yourself when renovating a kitchen.
For Love or for Sale?
Your intentions for the house have to be very clear from the get go. Do you have any intentions of selling the house in the future? A lot of people make the mistake of carrying out renovations strictly with house value in mind, but have no intention of selling the house at all. They just go by the assumption that they’ll eventually leave, but in the meantime, the look may become completely outdated.
If you have no intention of selling soon, get the things done that you want. Go for that massive four burner gas cooktop kitchen island and have fun. Either way, know that real home buyers will be far more excited with the state of the roof than the worktops you just installed.
Can You Trust Your Contractor?
This is probably one of the most crucial questions you should ask when starting any renovation project. Thankfully, there are some clear signs that someone can be trusted. First of all, make sure that they’re licensed and insured. That means asking for paperwork and verifying it. You also have to make sure that they have workers’ comp insurance for their workers as well, which is extremely important.
Ask for recent references and check reviews as well. If you want to get trustworthy reviews for contractors in your area, AllChecked.co.uk is a great place to start. The site allows you to check user reviews for thousands of home improvement contractors all in one place. Companies like The Home Design Group, for instance, have a 4.5 score on AllChecked, so this is a sign of a company that takes their work and quality very seriously. Whatever you do, always make sure that you do your research on any company you decide to work with, even if they were referred to you by someone you know.
What About the House’s Architectural Integrity?
Before you start gutting the kitchen in your mid-century home, consider whether the room will make sense when considering the house’s architecture. You might think that the market will not like the old kitchen, when in reality, this could be exactly what buyers expected when looking at your home. So, you could actually end up disappointing buyers who were looking for something more consistent and authentic.
Do You Really Need to Extend?
Space is one of the main things that a lot of homeowners consider when remodelling their kitchen, with many automatically looking for ways to either add an extension or knock down interior rooms in order to create more space. However, before going ahead it’s worth considering just how much space you will be getting for the money you are planning to spend and whether it is worth it. In some cases, it may be better to put that money towards high end appliances or into luxury storage space instead.
If you’re still struggling to make up your mind about extending a kitchen, it’s a good idea to speak to an architect or renovation company to get their take on things. If you ultimately just want to make your current kitchen brighter, there may be ways to do this that don’t require such a large job. Also, take a look at the adjoining rooms that you may be extending into – will you be harming these by adding more room to your kitchen? A professional company will be able to advise you on all this and more.
Remodelling your kitchen is a very important undertaking that should never be taken lightly. Whatever you do, make sure that you work with a reputable team, and don’t be afraid to ask them questions, most of them will be more than happy to help.
