How to Renovate Your Kitchen on a Budget

Ready to have your dream kitchen installed, but wondering how to do it on a budget? Homeowners are often faced with this tricky question when deciding on DIY vs professional kitchen installers for their kitchen renovation.

This blog looks at some of the costs involved, including:  

• #1 | Materials
• #2 | Your Time 
• #3 | Mistakes!
• #4 | Kitchen Out-of-Action
• #5 | Installation Time

#1 | Materials

When it comes to purchasing the necessary materials for your kitchen renovations, are you getting the best prices?

Buying Yourself vs Industry Professional 

If you buy the materials yourself, it’s quite likely that you will be paying a significantly higher amount of money. Industry professionals are able to source materials at a cheaper rate to retail for several reasons, including: 

• Bulk Purchase | this comes back to economies of scale – professional kitchen installation companies buy a number of materials in bulk, which entitles them to a reduced purchase price
• Manufacturers | some companies design and manufacture their own cabinetry, which allows them to have greater control over the cost of materials
• Industry Connections | companies within the industry tend to build up relationships with their suppliers, as they conduct repeat business over time. This means they are able to negotiate better deals when purchasing materials

#2 | Your Time

One thing that people often forget to factor into their DIY kitchen renovations is the cost of their own time. A key question to ask yourself before starting a project is this: Are you a skilled tradesperson?

When the Answer is Yes

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Will DIY renovations conflict with family and / or work commitments?
• Have you calculated the cost of your hourly rate and the amount of time you will need to spend on the project?
• Are you skilled in all of the areas required to complete your kitchen renovations? Depending on the design, this can include skills such as plumbing, building, and electrical
• Do you hold the necessary qualifications (required by law) to undertake the work?

When the Answer is No

If you are brand new to the DIY game, you may want to think about these points before commiting:

• Do you actually have time to do the renovations?
• Are you having to learn from scratch as you go?
• Is it an efficient use of your time?
• Or, would your time be better spent earning money to pay for a professional kitchen installation?
• Can you feel confident that you are doing the job right?

#3 | Mistakes!

Mistakes can be extremely costly, stressful, and time-consuming. This is true for both DIY and professionally completed projects. So, what’s the difference in terms of cost to you?

DIY

When a mistake is made, you will have to fix the problem yourself. This means that you cover the cost of repairs from your own pocket, including: new materials, your own time, or even calling in a professional to fix a serious problem. 

Professional

If the job is not done correctly, professionals are obligated by warranty and consumer guarantee to ensure that any mistakes are remedied to your satisfaction, as well as industry standards. This will not cost you anything beyond the original quoted cost of your project. 

The Impact of a Mistake

It’s important to realise that some mistakes can lead to much bigger problems. Imagine this scenario:

During the DIY installation of your kitchen, you have unknowingly made a mistake. You don’t know it yet, but there is now a slow leak in your wall which causes damage to the materials over the years. When you finally become aware of the problem, you are horrified to discover that the inside of your wall is rotten and covered in mould. Unfortunately, this can be a very expensive repair job!

From another angle, it’s possible that even simple mistakes made during DIY renovations can result in the rejection of insurance claims due to the lack of a qualified tradesperson to do the job. Check out this useful article to read “7 things you need to know about insurance when renovating.”

#4 | Kitchen Out-of-Action

When your kitchen is out-of-action for renovations, it can make food preparation very inconvenient and time-consuming. This often leads to:

• More money spent on “convenient” meal options, such as takeaways and fast food
• Longer time spent on food prep as you awkwardly navigate a construction zone in your kitchen
• A cost to your health in the form of poorer food choices (thanks to fast food), as well as the stress and frustration of your kitchen being out-of-order

#5 | Time it Takes to Install

How long does it take to install your new kitchen? If you are a skilled and motivated homeowner with time on your hands, you might be able to get it done in a reasonable short space of time.

However, if you are inexperienced with home renovations, or short on time, your DIY project could potentially drag out for days, weeks, or longer. This can become a source of frustration for you and your family.

A key benefit of professional kitchen renovations and installation is that your qualified tradespeople will get the job done properly and efficiently. This means no stress and hassle for you and your family!

Express Kitchens offer customised kitchen design and renovations with an effortless 1 day installation. Simply head out to work in the morning, and return home at the end of the day to a fully-functioning kitchen that’s ready to roll!

Have Your Dream Kitchen Installed in Just 1 Day! *Conditions Apply

FREECALL 1800 675 605  OR CONTACT US ONLINE