A Behind-The-Scenes Look At DIY Kitchen Fitting
You couldn't resist buying that sleek cooker hood that was being sold at a huge discount at the store closing down sale and now you just can’t wait to install it in your kitchen. As an experienced DIYer, it’s all in a day’s work for you. You look around your kitchen, brand new cooker hood in hand and suddenly, you realize that your kitchen design is pretty outdated and the new appliance may not really complement it as well as you thought. Perhaps it is time to upgrade your kitchen design and of course, you love a good challenge and are going to do it yourself... or should you?
What To Consider With DIY Kitchen Designing
The first thing you should realize is that remodeling the kitchen completely calls for a considerable amount of skill and is better suited to the more advanced DIYer. There are several skills involved and you will need to be fairly proficient in various trades, from carpentry, tiling and electrical to plumbing. If you are confident in your abilities, you've crossed your first hurdle and you’re ready to tackle this challenging project.
Good planning is the key to any successful project. A little time spent planning the details will save you a great deal of time, expense and heartache further down the line.
Here are the planning steps and factors to consider for a safe, successful and stress-free kitchen redesign:
- Create your kitchen plan
- Decide on your budget
- Spend some time comparison shopping and shortlist the best vendors to buy from
- Chalk out a practical time scale taking into consideration ongoing work and family commitments
- Make sure you have all the materials and the tools you need before you start dismantling or tearing down the old kitchen.
- Don’t forget safety considerations. Study the layout of electric cables ad water pipes and also use a power and pipe detector, before you start drilling into floors and walls. If in any doubt, don’t be afraid to consult an electrician or a plumber.
- Remember it is illegal for any unauthorized person to connect or disconnect gas appliances. This can only be done by someone who has a Gas Safe Registration.
- Measuring up is crucial whether you are planning on laying new flooring, installing new cabinets or getting a new appliance. The last thing you need is to find out that the cool stove you bought to match the cooker hood is just a couple of inches too large for the space.
What Are The Major Expenses Involved In Redesigning A Kitchen?
Redesigning a kitchen is unlike redesigning any other room in your home, where the major considerations would be the wall paper, the flooring and the furniture. With a kitchen, several other dynamics come into play, from the stove and the sink to the lighting and the placement of electrical outlets.
Some of the major expensive you can expect to incur would include:
- Kitchen worktop along with the splashback area
- Kitchen cabinets
- Sink and faucets
- Appliances
- Electrical outlets and lighting
Dangers of Doing It Yourself
You’ve got your basics sorted out and you’re ready to ‘tear down the old and build up the new’ but before you dive into it, it’s time for some last minute introspection. Are you really up to the task or would it be wiser to turn it over to a professional?
Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you take the plunge into DIY kitchen redesign:
Do you really have the time to complete the project within a reasonable amount of time? Extensive redesigning can take weeks, not days and if you have a full time job and are only tackling this in the evenings and weekends, it can stretch into months. Measure the inconvenience and the value of your time against hiring a professional.
Do you have the right tools? To do a good job, you are going to need a range of specialized tools that most DIY hobbyists do not use on a regular basis. If you are going to spend money on several expensive, specialist tools that you may not use after your kitchen is complete, it may turn out to be a poor investment.
Are you experienced enough? Sure, you have done tons of DIY jobs successfully but don’t forget, fitting a kitchen requires a higher than average skill level. Just because you love taking up a challenge, does not necessarily mean you should. You may find that no contractor is quite willing to come in and fix your amateur DIY snafus.
Choosing The Right Appliances
A major consideration with kitchen fitting is choosing the right appliances. Kitchen appliances come in a wide range of sizes and functionalities and even assorted shapes and colors The size and functionality are the two most important factors and would depend equally on your space lamination as well as the size of your family. Fortunately, as far as aesthetics is concerned, with the variety of choices available, it’s not difficult to find something that fits into your overall kitchen decor.
This article was written on behalf of Premier Range, who are committed to providing you with the best in high quality products, from their exclusive range of designer Cooker Hoods, Hobs and Glass Splashback.
