5 Tricks for surviving a kitchen renovation or remodelling

Posted on 22 Feb 2021

Every time there’s any mention of any remodelling project, people get super excited. We mostly focus on the result and start picturing the part of the home already finished and beautiful. But we also forget just how stressful the entire project can be.

This is true when talking about the surviving a kitchen renovation or remodelling, especially if you’re planning on redoing the entire space. Since the kitchen is the heart of every home, it’s understandable that you want to make it beautiful and functional. However, you will need to plan out the entire process carefully to ensure minimal stress and the best results.

Surviving a kitchen renovation shown with a couple working together in a kitchen, highlighting teamwork and patience during the renovation process

Here are some useful tips from Pauls Cleaning Company (Melbourne),

1- Decide on your budget

Establish your budget before starting

First things first, when thinking about the kitchen remodel—or any other type of remodeling, really—you need to decide on your budget. Starting the project blindly will only cause unnecessary stress and delays. So, before you h ire contractors and demolish your current kitchen, assess how much you can afford to spend on the remodel.

Account for all renovation costs

Here, you need to account for every single cost and not just the cost of your new kitchen furniture. Consider expenses like labour, appliances, benchtops, flooring, plumbing, electrical work, painting, and permits. Each of these elements contributes to the overall project cost.

Build in a financial safety net

Once you have a certain budget in mind, make sure you increase it by about 20%. This will be your contingency in case something goes astray. Unexpected issues like hidden water damage, electrical upgrades, or structural problems are common in renovations, and having this buffer prevents financial stress if complications arise.

2- Find the right contractors

Once you’ve determined your budget, it’s time to look for contractors. Since the kitchen is the area of the home where there’s both electricity and plumbing involved, you shouldn’t try to tackle the remodelling on your own.

Hire licensed specialists

Instead, look for licensed home builders or experts who specialise in this remodel and let them take care of it for you. Professional contractors have the necessary qualifications, insurance, and experience to handle complex kitchen renovations safely and efficiently.

Gather recommendations and research

Ideally, ask around and gather as many recommendations as you can. Speak with friends, family, and neighbours who’ve recently completed kitchen renovations. Check online reviews and verify contractors’ licences and credentials with your state’s building authority.

Compare multiple quotes

Also, don’t settle for the first team you get a quote from, but shop around a bit. Aim to get at least three detailed quotes so you can compare pricing, timelines, and what’s included in each proposal. Since the price doesn’t always guarantee quality, you don’t really need to go with the most expensive ones. Focus on finding contractors with strong references, clear communication, and a portfolio of work that matches your vision.

3- Hire a cleaning company to help

Remodelling projects are always messy, and sometimes you have a kitchen not cleaned for a month. After the contractors finish their part, you’re bound to end up in a room full of dust, debris and overall mess.

Save time and effort

Cleaning that mess can be time-consuming if you tackle it on your own. The amount of construction dust and grime that accumulates during a renovation requires thorough, professional-grade cleaning to remove properly.

Benefits of professional cleaners

That’s why consider hiring a reputable cleaning crew to help you out. These experts offer a flawless service that matches your needs perfectly, and they’re time-efficient. They have the proper equipment and products to tackle post-renovation cleaning, from removing fine dust particles to polishing new surfaces without damaging them.

Make your life easier

So, why not make things easier on yourself? After investing time and money into your kitchen renovation, you deserve to enjoy your new space immediately rather than spending days cleaning up construction mess.

4- Choose your new cabinets

When all the rough work is done, and you leave your new kitchen spotless, it’s time to bring in new kitchen furniture and elements. There are a lot of options on the market you can choose from, which may make the selection process overwhelming.

Research design ideas and inspiration

There are many home improvement blogs that offer amazing solutions and interior design ideas that would fit your home perfectly. Browse through kitchen design websites, visit showrooms, and create a mood board to help clarify your style preferences and functional requirements.

Consider flat pack kitchen cabinets

But, if you’re looking for fully customisable kitchen elements that will enable you to assemble them however you please, look into various flat pack kitchen cabinets. These are not only very sleek and modern-looking, but they also allow you to come up with your own design and assemble them however you see fit.

Benefits of flexible cabinet options

Flat pack cabinets offer excellent value for money whilst still delivering quality and style. They provide the flexibility to create a kitchen layout that works perfectly for your space and lifestyle, without the premium price tag of fully custom cabinetry.

5- Clean everything once more

Now that you have all of your furniture and appliances in place, it’s time to scrub the kitchen thoroughly once more. Even though the kitchen cleaning crew left you with a spotless space, it will leave you—once more with some dust after fully assembling your kitchen.

Schedule a final deep clean

Therefore, either hire the crew once more to clean your kitchen thoroughly or do it yourself. Assembly work, unpacking appliances, and moving furniture inevitably creates additional dust and fingerprints that need addressing.

Prepare your kitchen for use

This final scrub is important as it will provide you with a fresh and clean space you can start decorating and filling with your belongings. Pay special attention to wiping down cabinet interiors, cleaning appliance surfaces, and ensuring benchtops are pristine before you begin organising your kitchen items and making the space truly yours.

6- Get down to decorating

Finally, when it’s all said and done, it’ll be time to get down to some fun decorating. Choose décor pieces based on the style and vibe of your kitchen, but make sure you don’t go too crazy.

Prioritise function over form

Your kitchen should look beautiful and stylish, sure, but it first needs to be functional. A well-designed kitchen balances aesthetics with practicality, ensuring that everyday cooking and meal preparation remain easy and efficient.

Use functional items as décor

So, instead of just overcrowding your new kitchen with tons of small trinkets, see if you can have some kitchen essentials serve a decorative purpose. Display attractive cookware, use stylish storage jars, hang beautiful tea towels, or showcase a collection of wooden utensils in a decorative container.

Ensure proper lighting

Also, make sure that the place is well-illuminated. Since this is an area full of hot substances and sharp objects, you want to make sure you use opulent lighting to prevent any potential accidents from happening. Install task lighting under cabinets, pendant lights over benchtops or islands, and ensure there’s adequate overhead lighting throughout the space for both safety and ambience.

The most asked for surviving a kitchen renovation

What is the 3×4 kitchen rule?

The 3×4 kitchen rule is a design guideline suggesting that a functional kitchen should have a minimum floor space of 3 metres by 4 metres (12 square metres total). This rule ensures there’s enough room for essential appliances, benchtops, storage, and adequate workspace whilst allowing comfortable movement throughout the kitchen. The rule helps prevent cramped, inefficient kitchen layouts that can make cooking and meal preparation difficult. However, it’s important to note that this is a general guideline rather than a strict requirement. Modern kitchen design also focuses on the work triangle concept—the efficient placement of the sink, stove, and refrigerator—and ensuring adequate clearance between benchtops and islands for safe movement. For Australian homes, meeting this minimum size helps create a practical, comfortable cooking space that accommodates standard appliances and provides sufficient storage.

Is $500,000 enough to renovate?

Yes, $500,000 is generally more than enough for a comprehensive kitchen renovation in Australia, even for high-end finishes. A typical mid-range kitchen renovation in Australia costs between $25,000 and $50,000, whilst a luxury renovation with premium appliances and custom cabinetry might range from $50,000 to $100,000 or more. With a $500,000 budget, you could completely renovate multiple rooms in your home, not just the kitchen. However, costs vary significantly based on your location (Sydney and Melbourne tend to be more expensive), the size of your kitchen, quality of materials, appliances chosen, and whether you’re doing structural work like removing walls or relocating plumbing. If you’re spending $500,000 solely on a kitchen, you’d be looking at an exceptionally luxurious renovation with top-of-the-line everything, or you might be combining the kitchen with extensive open-plan living area renovations.

What is the most expensive part of redoing a kitchen?

Cabinetry is typically the most expensive component of a kitchen renovation, often accounting for 30-40% of the total budget. Custom-built cabinets with quality materials, soft-close mechanisms, and specialized storage solutions can easily cost $15,000 to $40,000 or more depending on the kitchen size and finish quality. The second most expensive element is usually benchtops, particularly if you choose premium materials like natural stone, engineered stone, or marble, which can cost $3,000 to $15,000 depending on the size and material. High-end appliances come in third, with a full suite of quality appliances (oven, cooktop, rangehood, dishwasher, and refrigerator) costing anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 for premium brands. Labour costs also represent a significant expense, particularly if your renovation involves structural changes, electrical work, or plumbing modifications. To keep costs manageable, consider where you can compromise—perhaps choosing quality flat-pack cabinets instead of custom, or selecting mid-range appliances that still offer excellent performance.

Although they may appear to be too simple, these tips will aid you significantly with a kitchen remodel. So, make sure you keep them in mind not only to ensure that everything goes smoothly but also to some time, money and most importantly nerves.