So many design aspects are often overlooked that aren’t noticed until the kitchen is built and comes into use, only then with the owner finding that the kitchen is not practical for the family’s needs, such as where the garage is, how groceries are transported, to where, who uses what part of the kitchen and for what other purposes storage could be made and used. The list is long and tricky, and rectifying things that were missed and have become quickly frustrating can be incredibly expensive – sometimes more expensive than doing it from scratch the first time!

Beauty is the other vital ingredient and the goal is to make the owner feel at home and relaxed – however that may be for each person, whether having friends over for a day or night of entertaining or just being alone and recapturing the joy and total relaxation of cooking a nice meal at home, where a beautiful looking, organised kitchen seems to make the colours and fragrances of the food stand out even more.

If you are looking to have a kitchen built in a new home or to renovate your existing kitchen, your practical needs and your personal style should be reflected in the design and final product, and this can be assured by making sure your designer follows a definite process and keeps your needs in mind.

I’ll explain that last point – Sometimes, kitchen builders are limited by their agreements with suppliers, so they can only provide certain materials or hardware brands. Unfortunately, these may not suit your style or are not of the quality you expect, so there are certain questions you can ask to help you determine if you really are getting the best value for your money or are simply being given what the kitchen builder is allowed, or prefers, to offer. Questions such as the six below are a great start – as well as looking at the general presentation of your quoter, you should be able to gain some good insight, although there are a few tradesmen whose work is stunning, yet pay no attention to their company’s presentation, so you can never be sure!

Q. Do you provide a list of suppliers or a list of brands that you can use?

A. They should, because transparency is essential for you to be able to guage whether the “best” prices they have quoted to you are only the best out of a very small number of suppliers, when there are in fact multiple numbers of suppliers around offering much better prices for the same product or different products that you might like even more. Additionally, if you insist on buying Australian goods, you might like to ask where the materials come from as there are several companies that import everything!

Q. Are your cabinet carcasses made from Australian board?

A. They should be as the quality is higher and the fire and water resistance ratings are normally better. This is an important specific question because with the large amount of cabinetry a normal kitchen contains, you’ll want to ensure your safety and the kitchen’s longevity.

Q. How many kitchens do you build each week?

A. Depends on the company, but a massive number is not necessarily a good thing – the real question is how many happy customers do they have each week!! Also, the size and design of the kitchen always determines the lead time before completion so asking the normal type of kitchen being done and then how many might be the right question.

Q. What are your most common major products throughout your kitchens?

A. You might like to confirm whether your specific products are common or are you going to be a test case. Obviously the success of a test case may go either way, so if you choose that avenue you might like to prepare your family to compromise for the more likely scenario of errors and/or delays.

Q. What appliances can I get?

A. Appliances are a very important feature as they can add so much convenience and pleasure, but a troublesome or second-choice appliance can take all that away. The choice should be entirely yours, not the kitchen builder’s, though you need to make sure that you know the available sizes of the appliances you want, particularly European appliances, and work your kitchen design in with that.

Q. Do you offer a written warranty?

A. They should warrant their workmanship, though it may be asking too much of any kitchen builder to warrant the materials, unless they’re not being used for their normal purpose. Certainly, most stone benchtops are installed by the stone supplier so they have their own warranties, which they should supply after installation, or should provide to the kitchen builder to give to you.

Of course this is not an exhaustive list, as your instincts will also play an important role, based on your judgement of the quoter’s knowledge of products and trends, their professionalism, the rapport you’ve built with them, and their general desire to provide you with what you want – because if there are any troubles during the process, a solution oriented, customer focused and friendly contact will make any variations or problems much, much less stressful.

Now, once you’ve ascertained the ‘genuine-ness’ of your quoter, you can really get stuck in and enjoy the process of creating the kitchen space just as you want. Most of the companies around will do most of the design, if not all, before organising a contract, though many are rightly concerned that some potential customers will take a design that the quoter has spent hours on and go to another builder who has quoted a lower price. Fortunately, this practice is rare so designs remain mostly free of charge.

You might also like to spend some time researching the wide range of materials, products and suppliers as well as the forever changing trends. And, of course, you need to acknowledge your intended term of ownership in the home after the kitchen’s been built, for example if you are only renovating to sell. This way, you can ensure that your best interests, both short term and long term, are being met.

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Dan Brown from Urban Key has strong philosophies on quality and lifestyle. It is widely known that an individual’s home reflects their personality. Certain colours and styles can improve moods and are known to truly allow people to relax and rejuvenate. The kitchen and surrounding furniture often creates a place where a person can entertain and be ‘at home’, not only literally, but also in an emotional sense. Urban Key are the only company you will need for kitchens in Brisbane.

Article Source: Populate.net

Roughly speaking the cost of renovating a kitchen can be anything between $6,000 and $30,000. Of course one is looking at maximizing the returns on investment and therefore outgoing costs will be given preference in the renovation decisions – but remember, as with any investment, you’ll usually make your money when you buy (not when you sell), so, in this case you’ll be making your money when you renovate your kitchen – not when you try to sell the house.

The renovations of a kitchen range from the cosmetic appeal of the kitchen to the appliances. However when looking at maximizing resale value, the designers at Urban Key recommend that you concentrate on the kitchen features primarily, before moving onto the appliances.

1. Doors – Opt for the melamine covered doors which are cost effective and durable too. Choose bold dark colours since they’re not only lower in cost but also hide stains which are common in a kitchen. Of course if you are looking at high end renovations then, you could go for solid timber, 2 Pack or vinyl wrap doors and gables, but remember that they could put costs well above your benchmark cost. For timber also, the matt look is much lower in cost while the satin look costs more. If opting for the high gloss look, remember that defects show up clearly here and therefore the high gloss is a high maintenance finish.

2. Shelves – Don’t bother breaking down the entire shelf structure, but on the contrary redo the face of the shelf to match the doors finish. You could opt for a repaint job or change the edging on these structures, or just replacing the bare essential carcasses. Remember here the cost of the labour is sometimes even higher than the raw material so if you have any skills on this front, now would be a good time to show them. Also if you are hiring labour, it’s advisable to hire either local cabinet-makers or cabinet-makers who offer a warranty for the job since you could always ask them for repairs later if things do go wrong.

3. Benchtops – Kitchen splash backs and counter tops form a large part of the physical outlook of a kitchen and therefore feature high in the renovation list. There are suppliers, such as Surface Dynamics, who will just resurface your existing benchtop with a granite overlay, and have carved out a niche in doing just that, but this does not mean that you should rule out any local supplier you know. Undertake some extensive research before choosing your bench top. The most commonly used bench top is the granite 20-40 mm thick slab, or the overlays are about 7mm.

While a laminated top is of course a much cheaper option, it is advisable to go in for the granite or engineered granite, such as CaesarStone for your home. Not only is granite chip and scratch resistant but you can chop and cut on it (highly not recommended) without having to bother about the surface being porous. Also, consider how the kitchen might be used by the new owner, so as to ensure the layout is workable for someone else – we often compromise our own comfort in our own homes, but this is the time to change anything which has been niggling at you. Also note that the recommended depth for the bench tops is no more than 900 mm (should not exceed 300mm overhang) while the minimum length could vary from 900 mm to 1500 mm depending on the number of people cooking. So if looking at a kitchen bench for two cooks working side by side, the length is better if closer to 1500mm. Note that the maximum sizes of granite slabs changes with different products, so ensure that the layout dimensions work with the size constraints.

4. Flooring – The flooring of a kitchen also forms an integral part of the look of the room. So consider the pros and cons of the material used before taking the plunge. Cork tiles cost roughly $90 per square metre and feel warm and soft as opposed to the often cold and slippery tiles, although anything cooling is often good in Australia. Cork floorings last 10 to 20 years depending on maintenance. But they stain fast and in a kitchen where spills are common one would need to clean these quickly or else bear with a stained look for a long time. The linoleum tiles and Vinyl sheet floorings cost less (about $50 to $60 laid), but can damage easily and some people may think they look cheap. There are stone, ceramic and terracotta tiles, which are easy to maintain but are heavy. If possible, hardwood is a great choice, working in well with Aussie building and fashion trends, but if you don’t already have a timber floor, you’ll need to be willing to spend somewhere near $130 per square metre.

As a tip, and I would love to get feedback from you if you’ve tried this, get an appraiser to value your house and offer suggestions to better the value (most often these will involve the kitchen), and after the renovation is done, have them back again to reappraise. Or another idea is to have an open house, advertised just privately in the paper (no need to get a real estate agent yet) and take the vistors around asking them what changes, especially to the kitchen, they would like to see – you’ll get some great ideas from the sort of people who are currently in the market! Please feel free to email me if you have any feedback on these ideas at info@urbankey.com.au.

So, it is most often best to choose the budget, the materials and to renovate your kitchen BEFORE an official For Sale sign goes up to potential buyers, and watch the value of your house rise immediately.

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Dan Brown from Urban Key has strong philosophies on quality and lifestyle. It is widely known that an individual’s home reflects their personality. Certain colours and styles can improve moods and are known to truly allow people to relax and rejuvenate. The kitchen and surrounding furniture often creates a place where a person can entertain and be ‘at home’, not only literally, but also in an emotional sense. Urban Key are the only company you will need for kitchens in Brisbane.

Article Source: Populate.net

Proper renovation begins with good planning. How long is the tear out going to take, where am I going to dump the old materials, and do I need help getting the old stuff out are all good questions to ask yourself. Tearing out a kitchen usually does not take as long as you would think. Especially if you have extra help; one or even two people will cut your work time in half. Things like old appliances, large cabinets, or sink bases can take two or three people to remove. If your going at it alone, be prepared to add an extra hour to each time estimation. How you will dispose of these items might be a concern in your city or neighborhood. Some local municipalities will take large items and others will make you haul them away yourself. There are plenty of junk haulers in every community and a lot of these people now take old items for free, because of their recycling value. Note: the junk haulers like 1-800 got junk do not want you to know that most of these junk items that you are paying them to take, can actually be taken for free by other enterprising junk collectors.

Next is planning a list of items you need and where you will get these items. Things to keep in mind: flooring, paint, wall tiles for backsplash, kitchen cabinets, appliances, possibly windows, counter tops, lumber for construction (if necessary), moldings, lighting, fixtures, and possibly some other items. Some of these items you will have to buy locally and I highly suggest buying from a local store for these items, avoid big box retailers. You may save some money upfront but you are sacrificing better customer service and local people who need your business much more than a big box retailer. Other items you can buy online. Things like lighting, fixtures, and kitchen cabinets can be purchased online. Yes, even kitchen cabinets can be bought through the internet; this is done with RTA kitchen cabinets. (RTA stands for ready to assemble kitchen cabinets).

Sticking to a budget is easier when you look online for your kitchen supplies. If you cannot buy online, make sure you look in multiple locations and compare prices among multiple stores. Armed with this knowledge will not only save you money, but it can save time, but it can also give you a variety of choices that can produce better quality products.

Keeping these things in mind will help your project with budget and should provide a better variety of materials. Keep in mind that buying local will help your neighborhood economy and you will be doing your part to help the small business owner. Also plan ahead, look online, and remember to schedule your friends to help with you kitchen project.

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Find out where the experts go to get all of their wood cabinets and accessories. Learn how to save thousand on kitchen cabinets by buying them where contractors and builders shop.

Article Source: Populate.net

If you are going to update your kitchen affordably it is important to focus upon the small touches that can completely change the look; these small touches include the cupboards, the cupboard handles and the worktops. If you are clever about how to update these elements you can create a completely new looking kitchen at a fraction of the price. When you are doing this it is advisable to make the most of design magazines to find inspiration.

If your worktops and cabinets are made from solid wood changing their appearance can be extremely simple and cheap. Wood is an extremely versatile material in terms of design, by sanding down the existing stain you can then re-stain the wood making the most of the wood’s natural colour or even paint it in a way so that it becomes a stunning design feature. Natural stains are extremely popular in kitchen design at the moment and whether changing your worktops or cupboards you can make the most of the wood’s natural grain for a contemporary feel.

When looking at the handles for your cupboards it is important to experiment with a wide variety of options. A visit to a kitchen supplier will show that the range out there is vast. When selecting handles it is important to choose a style that matches your kitchen, while chrome may be extremely popular, if you have a wood kitchen it is unlikely that the handles will fit into that look. Ultimately you want your kitchen to be homogenous in terms of styling, this sounds easy but it is surprising how mismatched kitchens can look when people try to update them.

The area around the sink can often become dirty and even covered with mildew because of the excessive amounts of moisture. Rather than retiling the whole splash-back area a cheaper alternative is to install a board of wood, if you are doing this however make sure to use a good waterproof paint that will ensure the wood doesn’t rot. The same can be said for the worktops around the sink, a waterproof stain used on a hardwood will ensure that they are sturdy and resilient enough to cope with daily use.

While you may be put off by replacing all of the worktops in your kitchen because of the price it can be a great idea. It may be an expensive option but the look it creates will be ultimately worthwhile. With choices of wood, stone, granite or metal the options are endless if you want to replace worktops. Obviously these vary in price but quality materials can make or break a kitchen.

Hopefully this article has given some idea of how easy it is to change the look of a kitchen. This can add value you to home whether you are looking to sell or not. By using quality materials and a stylistic eye it is possible to create a contemporary and elegant kitchen that is practical and aesthetically pleasing.

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Interior design expert Thomas Pretty looks into how changing the worktops and cupboards can completely update the style and usability of a kitchen.

Article Source: Populate.net

1) Cabinet Box Construction- There are a wide variety of materials use to build cabinets, with a significant difference in durability. Custom cabinets will most likely use solid wood, but the most commonly used materials are plywood and particleboard. Plywood in some cases will be stronger than real wood because it is multiple layers of wood with the grain laid in varying directions to add strength. Particleboard and Flakeboard will hold up as long as the hardware used to attach the cabinets does shift or move. Particleboard will have a tendency to sag or break because it is bonded flakes or chips of wood. At the lower end of the spectrum is fiberboard, which is really just a thicker cardboard. The construction materials will have the biggest impact of anything on the life of your cabinets.

2) Cabinet fasteners- What is used to hold the cabinets together will also have a big impact on how the cabinets hold up. Fasteners can be just as varied as the types of materials used. Anything from dovetailed joints, screws, cam locks, nails, or even staples are used to hold cabinets together. Dovetailed joints are going to give you best bond. When combined with wood glue, your cabinets could easily last a lifetime. Cam locks also offer a very strong bond and are usually featured on RTA Cabinets. Lower end cabinets will tend to use only screws or only staples. While these may create a strong bond with real wood, when you start talking about particleboard and fiberboard, the joints will tend to pull apart.

3) Cabinet hardware- While the hardware can easily be replaced on most cabinets, it will still have an impact on the durability of the cabinets. The hinges for the doors and even the drawer slides could affect the usefulness and life of your kitchen cabinets. By not using the appropriate hinges and slides, it could result in damage to the cabinets.

So when shopping for kitchen cabinets, keep these three features in mind before choosing which cabinets to buy. While you always want to save as much money as possible, low end materials, fasteners or hardware can significantly reduce the life of your cabinets.

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Find out where the experts go to get all of their kitchen cabinets and accessories. Learn how to save thousand on kitchen cabinets by buying them where contractors and builders shop.

Article Source: Populate.net

Your local supplier should be able to help you with the layout design as they are the ones with the knowledge and experience. Having a professional designer can be a valuable asset, especially if they have supplier contacts that will be able to provide you with trade discounts on materials. Your designer will most likely be knowledgeable of the ‘triangle’ design theory. This will not only make your new kitchen aesthetically pleasing but also easy to use and above all practical.

The triangle theory is a term that will be bandied about by your supplier and designer. Put simply it is a method of design that tries to ensure that the three major appliances in any kitchen will be laid out in a triangular pattern. This will ensure ease of use as when you are cooking you will constantly head to the three points of the triangle. People use their kitchens in different ways however so no one triangle is perfect for everyone. In consultation with your designer and supplier you should be able to find the right appliances to sit at the points of your triangle.

The materials you choose for your new kitchen can also be a major concern. The vast array at the supplier can be confusing at the best of times so making a logical decision is an advisable course of action. If you are looking for a county style, natural materials such as wood make an excellent talking point; deciding which type of wood to use however can be difficult. The modern trend is to use chrome and steel in kitchens for its clean lines and finish, although this may seem to some as overly industrial, for a modernist kitchen it is essential.

In addition to the materials contained at your local supplier, your choice of appliances is also a major point of deliberation. As these usually form the most expensive part of any kitchen getting this choice right is essential. You should consider the size of any appliances you may want to install in comparison to your size of kitchen as oversized appliances can look out of place. By taking an approach that caters for the minimum rather than the maximum you reduce the costs and make the process easier in general. Once you have made the decision over which appliances you will need you must pass this on to the supplier so they can source them in time for your planned refit.

By following this advice you should be able to create a space that is not only perfect for your needs but also practical. A new kitchen is an expensive asset to any home but it will normally add value to the property so can be considered a worthwhile investment. It is important to remember that at all stages of the decision making process that practicality is the primary objective; by being mindful of this you should be able to create your own culinary paradise.

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Interior design expert Thomas Pretty looks into how your kitchen supplier can help in designing your new gastronomic haven.

Article Source: Populate.net

So one of the options could be going with all wood cabinet doors instead of solid wood cabinet doors. All wood refers to cabinets with side panels that have a hardwood veneer applied to a plywood core and solid wood is a solid piece hard wood.

Hardwood veneer is a thin piece of solid wood that is typically applied to plywood or particleboard with glue to give it strength. It is uniform in finish and its grain is very consistent and there are really beautiful options in this area.

This is the process that is done when you have your kitchen cabinets refaced instead of replaced so if you like the current layout of your cabinets or even if it isn’t your favorite layout but it could still work this will save a lot of your remodeling costs.

Not only is this much less expensive for you it’s also less trees being cut down and protects the forests and still gives you the look of solid wood. All wood cabinet doors also have the advantage of less warping due to humidity and temperature change. So you could be friendlier to your budget and to the environment at the same time.

You might also consider for the cabinet frames ordering plywood sides for just the cabinets that will have one or both sides exposed.

Another option might simply refinishing your existing kitchen cabinets to a more contemporary or suitable finish than replacing the kitchen cabinets altogether. That can really change the entire look of your whole kitchen and would definitely be the easiest on your budget. That’s probably the most economical option.

Another option you might consider is reducing the number of cabinets in your kitchen plans by using one cabinet where you now have two. That might not always work but sometimes it can so look at the layout and see if this is something that is possible.

Another area that you could save on kitchen remodeling costs would be in the decorative options. Molding inserts add a LOT to the remodeling costs of a kitchen remodel. Could you still achieve a good look with fewer moldings?

Another decorative option that really racks up the expense is the handles and drawer pulls. They come in many price ranges and there are thousands of companies that offer them so by doing some shopping around you could find something quite nice in a lower price range.

Another way to save on kitchen remodeling costs would be to reduce or eliminate the number of modifications or construction options. For example could you have a countertop wine rack instead of a custom built-in cabinet? Or does the cabinet depth really need to be modified or could your objectives be met in other ways?

Yet another way to reduce some of your kitchen remodeling costs would be to perhaps put off including some of the fancy cabinet accessories and cool gadgets that could be installed later on or don’t even really need to be custom built at all.

Could the roll out shelves for the base cabinets for example be installed later on? And do you really need the custom knife drawer or the custom spice rack? If you could live without these things it would definitely be a money saving option.

So you don’t need to give up everything but there are always things you could negotiate, compromise on or eliminate altogether. So if you are really needing to keep your kitchen remodeling costs down these are some options that could really help.

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Rebecca Noel is a licensed real estate agent and real estate investor. Remodeling houses and home improvement diy are her area of interest. Planning a kitchen remodel? Find out insider information that will save you 00′s and hours and hours of time. Visit: Remodeling Recon Kitchens.

Article Source: Populate.net