Trouble Shooting Guide to Your New Kitchen Renovations

In most households mum and dad and children alike dream of the perfect kitchen, a utility room to service the entire family. More than likely your selection of kitchen, its products, fittings, fixtures and colour selections are normally done by way of having viewed many glossy magazines or visits to Home Shows or Kitchen Designers and their Showrooms.

The above is an indication that the kitchen renovation looks likely to be a most time consuming event for one and all. The renovation if not planned out correctly from the start will result in work being required to be redone, made good, often resulting in substantial time loss to the final handover of the kitchen and/or disputes arising which will be costly to both the Contractor and the Home Owner or Owner Builder.

Here are some useful tips and sound advice for a smooth and happy handover of your kitchen renovation.

1.      In the planning stage you should always be aware that the area under the kitchen and the existing walls surrounding its construction are more than likely the subject of decay, mould and old wet rot and there is always a “high risk” that the walls are not true and square. Detailed measuring and evaluation of these areas by an independent consultant can save you time and money both through the planning and construction stage.

2.      One of the reasons that the completed kitchen soon experiences those “nasty little surprises” is more than likely due to the fact that the walls and floors were not properly sealed to avoid insect and vermin infestation. A reliable sub floor Pest Inspection will assist you in that regard.

3.      When designing your kitchen renovation it is always best to ensure that you have a “Client Brief” prepared notating your concerns as to the final design and measurements for items like wall ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, window boxes, skylights, ventilation requirements and the like. “Budget Client Briefs” are usually available through your local independent Building Consultant.

4.      The most difficult phase of the kitchen renovation and the question most often asked is “how long will I be without my kitchen”. Anything more than 2 days can lead to annoyance and general unhappiness within the home. You should ensure that your Contractor completes a “time is of the essence” clause in your Contract. You should consult the Department of Fair Trading or your local Building Consultant as to the best type of Building Contract to cover the renovations. You should be aware that all contracts over $12,000 are the subject of a Home Owner Warranty Insurance Certificate. A common problem associated with contracts is that the contract is “split”, being an amount higher than $12,000 to facilitate supply of materials against the actual labour rates for the project. You could make enquiries with your local Building Info Centre for advice on those matters to ensure that your contract is sound in that regard and that your insurance is not void.

5.      When designing your kitchen it is best to obtain advice and then check the intended design will facilitate the fittings that you have chosen. Consulting local suppliers or hardware outlets is an advantage at the early stage of the planning process.

6.      One of the most cost effective and brilliant means of ensuring good lighting to your finished kitchen is to incorporate good window or skylight design. There are many solutions to these types of window and lighting problems and your local Building Consultant can assist you in that regard; ongoing assessment by your local window solutions expert are able to be arranged by them.

7.      It makes sense to have your kitchen renovation undertaken by a licensed Builder who can engage all of the necessary subcontractors ensuring that the works are licensed and insured and done on time, this makes good building sense. Advice on appropriate Builders is also available from your local Building Info Centre.

8.      If you are concerned about your budget or need to finance your kitchen through your existing Home Loan consult your local choice of financial advisor or mortgage, they are often the best source of advice for these problems.