Renovating your kitchen is one of the best ways to improve your home. Get it right, and you could have some incredible cooking facilities that make every meal preparation a breeze. Get it wrong, though, and you could be living in kitchen hell for years to come.
The trick is to avoid the mistakes people usually make when renovating their kitchens. Most have the right ideas, but they mess up the details, and that is what ultimately lets them down. Creating a great kitchen requires the help of numerous professionals plus the right eye for detail on your part.
This post takes a look at some of the most common renovation mistakes. Here is what you need to avoid doing when building a brand-new kitchen in your home.
Mistake #1: Lack Of Planning
To make the most of any room, you need to plan it thoroughly. Successful spaces consider every detail.
Failing to plan, on the other hand, is a disaster. Just going with whatever other people put in front of you harms the final result.
Make sure you have a clear vision of what your kitchen will look like once the work is complete. Decide what it is really for and how you will use it. Think about how your family behaves and how they will interact with it once set up.
Mistake #2: Thinking It Will Be Cheap
Kitchen renovations are not cheap. You will need to invest significantly to get the room and experience you want.
Upfront quotes are usually wrong. While contractors will try to be honest with you about costs, there are always unseen issues that add to the expense. Therefore, you will want to add a 15 to 20 percent cushion to any budget you have in mind.
Mistake #3: Failing To Install Enough Storage
Many homeowners also fail to add enough storage when planning their new kitchen. They think they can stuff everything they need into minimalist cabinetry when, really, they cannot.
Homeowners need space for all their items. And they should consider how much room they take up already.
If your existing kitchen is not providing enough space, you will need to add extra cabinets to make up the deficit. Look for where they will go and whether there are any spaces in the room you could add them to without disrupting the flow.
Mistake #4: Lack Of Countertop Clearance
You need at least 20 inches between your countertops and the underside of your cabinets. Any less than that, and you will struggle with space. Sideboards might be completely unusable.
Getting clearance right is important because it lets you use appliances. Blenders, food processors, coffee machines, and dehydrators all require plenty of space to operate.
You will also want to consider clearance in other parts of the room. Imagine opening all the doors to your units, including your dishwasher, and whether you have room for them. You do not want to wind up in a situation where doors cannot open properly.
Mistake #5: Trying To Be Trendy
Trying too hard to be trendy is another significant mistake homeowners make. They want all the latest gear and make practical compromises along the way to get it.
Ideally, you want your kitchen to have a timeless style. While there are some cool concept interiors out there, they may age rapidly, in which case, you will need to replace your kitchen sooner rather than later.
Make sure your backsplash, cabinets, and countertops are all classical. This way, you can play around with the décor but always have core units that suit everything.
Mistake #6: Lack Of On-Site Planning
Anyone taking delivery of a new kitchen needs to plan for the arrival of all the materials. You need to make sure there are no obstructions to getting everything on-site.
You should also ensure that items arrive at the right time. Lead times on some units can be many months. Therefore, you will have to factor that into your equation.
Imagine if you bought a countertop but then had to wait several months for the cabinets to go underneath it. That would not make a lot of sense.
What you really want is a palletized delivery with all of the items you need. Trucks might leave large appliances in your driveway. It is then up to you to get them into your home.
Many providers deliver and bring items inside your home at no extra cost. Therefore, always use these services where possible.
Mistake #7: Failing To Find Good Deals Online
Failing to find good deals online is another common mistake homeowners make. They ignore sites, like Stone World, with the best deals.
Be careful, though, where you source products. Buying them from the wrong place can lead to damage or failure to get something that offers the quality you need. Many budget-friendly vendors cut corners when shipping, meaning goods reach you in a damaged state.
Only order products from trusted vendors. Make sure the company has a damage policy, just in case the item arrives in a broken state.
Mistake #8: Poor Kitchen Outlet Wiring
Homeowners also sometimes make mistakes when wiring their kitchen outlets. They may sometimes fail to install the correct equipment.
All kitchen outlets should connect to 20 amp breakers. These cut out the moment there is a short or fault. Unfortunately, many owners improperly wire their kitchens to 15 amp, potentially putting them at risk.
Mistake #9: Failing To Adhere To The Kitchen Triangle
The idea behind the kitchen triangle is to place all your chef’s items within close proximity of each other. The stove, sink, and refrigerator should be within brief walking distance, just a few feet away.
Solving this problem usually requires lining them up. You have the refrigerator on one side, the preparation counter and cooking appliances in the middle, and then the sink at the end.
When you have a setup like this, it makes the kitchen more efficient to use.
Mistake #10: Selecting The Wrong Flooring
Many renovators get into trouble when they select the wrong flooring. If you get wood, make sure that it is treated and will not warp over time.
One thing that you cannot make a mistake on is:
Install Proper Windows
Home renovations require choosing windows with great care; selecting the appropriate ones can make an immediate and dramatic impactful statement about you and your lifestyle. To avoid making the mistake of choosing improper windows for your new kitchen, it is crucial to do research beforehand and work with an established window company such as www.ngwindows.com to identify your specific energy efficiency, style, and durability needs before selecting them for installation.