How do you achieve a successful kitchen renovation? By following the steps below and understanding what certain stages are involved in a kitchen renovation, you’ll save yourself lots of headaches and have the foundation knowledge to establish a good working relationship with the people who will be responsible for making your dream kitchen!

The Stages

1. Design Development This where the important part starts – meeting with a designer. You may have made an initial consultation with a designer whose portfolio you admired, was recommended, etc. Make sure you are clear on what consultation fees are involved, etc. and do not feel obligated to hire the designer if the fit does not feel right. It’s important that this professional will understand what it is you desire and will work hard to express that. Together you’ll start to develop a concept and discuss how you want your kitchen to be. What will it look like? What features are important to you? How large of a kitchen can you reasonably build in the existing space? What elements will be involved ie: eat-in size, counter with bar? With these details outlined, the designer will create the initial drawings of your new kitchen.

2. Material Selection and Sourcing In this stage of the project you’ll be interviewing contractors and getting their quotes. Just like the designer, you’ll want to see examples of their work and get (and check!) references. In deciding on which contractor to go with, don’t just let the bottom dollar make your decision, although what your budget is may be the biggest factor in who you decide to go with. The contractor should try to work with your budget but also be honest about what is the optimal option for the project. Remember that getting the best price does not necessarily mean making the best choice for your kitchen. In many cases you really do get what you pay for. It’s important to understand the different materials that are available, the differences between them, how long they will last, how tough they are and what kind of care they’ll need. The contractor should be able to outline a detailed quote and time line for the materials, delivery and labour. You should also be told which work will be done by the contractor and which parts will be done by trades and subtrades. Some of the materials which you’ll discuss are: cabinets, countertop, appliances, plumbing, lighting, floor, wall & ceiling finishes, mouldings etc. Remember that you should always hire licensed and insured contractors, plumbers and electricians. Some designers have specific contractors they work with and vice versa. This may be a good idea as some times what designers come up with are not necessarily practical when it comes to building – this is what your contractor will be able to tell you. A proven team means less hassle and remember that some general contractors specialize in design/build so the designing is done in-house.

3. Project Implementation - demolition to completion

4. Average Kitchen Renovation Timeline: 4~6 months

5. Cabinets Order to Delivery: 4~6 weeks
6. Cabinets Installation: 2 weeks

More Points to Consider: Setting up a reasonable time line

Why is it important to set a reasonable time line to complete the kitchen renovation project? You’ll want to:

• Keep stress down! If you know how long certain parts will take, you’ll be able toc plan for contingencies such as: pre-making meals for the freezer for days when you’re sick of eating out, ordering take-out and dreaming of a home-cooked meal.

• Think it through. During the material selection and sourcing stage you can review the materials with the designer to ensure you’re on budget and make adjustments if necessary. Remember, you shouldn’t be forced in to making fast decisions for materials.

• Give yourself enough time to work within a budget. You may have already set a budget but remember to save an extra 10 – 30 % in case something unexpected comes up. Didn’t know you have copper plumbing from the 50s that needs to be brought up to code? Good thing you have that extra money.

Sometimes there’s a lot more to getting one’s kitchen redone than expected. All you can think of is how much bigger, brighter, more functional or beautiful you want your kitchen to be. But with careful planning and understanding what kind of undertaking such a project can be, you won’t be caught off guard. There is a lot of work involved in a kitchen renovation however it will all be worth it in the end!