Installing Kitchen Cupboards – DIY or Professionals?

To DIY or to dial a professional? It’s important to consider your options before making your final decision. Installing kitchen cupboards may sound straightforward, but as we’ll discuss below, that’s not necessarily the case! Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both options to help you decide what’s right for you.

• The Pros and Cons of Professional Help  
• The Pros and Cons of Installing Kitchen Cupboards Yourself
• The Deciding Factor

The Pros and Cons of Professional Help

Pros

For many people, the decision to hire professionals is based in large part on the desire for a hassle-free, quality installation. Basically you want your kitchen back – and in perfect order – as soon as possible!

At Express Kitchens we get this, which is why we offer a streamlined 1 day complete kitchen install for smaller kitchens and laundries. It’s likely, you won’t have to put up with:

• The inconvenience and cost of staying with family and friends, or renting 
• The cost of buying meals out for breakfast, lunch and dinner 
• Renovation dust and mess for days, weeks or even months 

Hiring professionals for installing kitchen cupboards also means you get: 

• Perfectly aligned, impeccable cabinetry 
• Any accidents or breakages replaced at no expense
• A quality and durability guarantee – At Express Kitchens we are pleased to offer a six year guarantee on all workmanship 

Cons 

Of course there can still be downsides…Installing kitchen cupboards takes skill, knowledge and experience. If you hire a ‘professional’ who’s not qualified for the  job, you could end up with more headaches than when you started.

That’s why it’s important to look around for a trusted kitchen installation specialist, rather than choosing ‘that guy with the crazy cheap quote’!

Even when you do hire a quality professional kitchen installer there’s still one drawback and it is of course: 

• Cost – yes you’ll be paying for a professional’s time so it’ll likely cost you more than a DIY job, unless you botch the DIY job of course!

The Pros and Cons of Installing Kitchen Cupboards Yourself

The biggest reason homeowners opt to DIY is to save money. As we mentioned above, installing kitchen cupboards yourself CAN save you money, so long as you get the job done right.

Let’s take a look at a few of the other positives of DIY:

Pros

• Sense of satisfaction – There’s nothing quite like the buzz of stepping back and admiring your own handiwork! That’s if you have done an okay job.
• Transferable skills – While your goal might simply be to install kitchen cupboards; it’s likely you’ll learn new skills in the process which you can then use in your next project
• Fixability – Installing kitchen cupboards yourself helps you understand their workings. If ever your cupboards need repair, your prior experience means you’re well placed to do them yourself

Looking for a DIY solution for your kitchen cupboards? Check out our 100% Australian-made range.

Cons 

Of course DIY has its shortcomings, if it didn’t, would anyone watch The Block?! You can encounter problems like:  

Safety risks – There’s always the chance you’ll hammer your thumb instead of the nail, but more importantly, removing and installing kitchen cupboards yourself could expose you to harmful substances like asbestos.

Relationship breakdowns – According to a survey by Houzz, 12% of couples consider divorce when renovating. Renovating, especially a vital part of the house like the kitchen, can place a lot of stress on people and on their relationships especially when things don’t go right.

Budget blowouts – Yes, doing it yourself SHOULD save you money but if you order over-priced cabinetry in the wrong size, or have to reorder parts due to damage and need to buy numerous tools to get the job done, it can end up costing you more than engaging a professional!

A second-rate end result –  Sometimes that task that looks super easy on YouTube can be a nightmare in real life. If you don’t have the experience and skill you could end up with a wonky cabinet install that actually detracts from your kitchen. 

The Deciding Factor!

At the end of the day, your decision will likely come down to these two critical factors… your level of experience and belief… or, in other words, whether or not you believe you have the skills to pull off the job. And, your willingness to endure the extra hassle!

To help you out we’ve put together a summary of the key skills you’ll need to possess: 

• Measuring and Design Skills – You need to be confident in taking precise measurements so your cabinetry will fit seamlessly together and mould around existing appliances. It also helps to have a good sense of design; s the style of cabinetry appropriate for the space? Will the cabinetry layout boost the functionality of your kitchen?
• Assemblage Know-how – If you struggle to assemble flat pack furniture, then assembling kitchen cabinetry may not be for you!
• Installation Skills –  Installing kitchen cupboards requires knowledge and skill and tasks need to be done in the right order. Did you know for instance that you can actually split your cabinets if you fail to pre-drill holes? You can also risk damage to your walls if you overload a wall that lacks the structural strength to support the weight

Save Hassle with Express Kitchen

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