Whether you plan on selling your home or want to remodel your kitchen for you own personal enjoyment, you can cut costs by doing some of all the work yourself. For major kitchen remodels, it is recommended that you hire a professional contractor, but if you just need to refresh the space – here are some DIY kitchen renovation tips:
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Decide on the all changes you want to make.
You don’t have to completely gut and redo the entire kitchen to give it a valuable and attractive upgrade. Every change you make to your kitchen will mean more work and more cost, so start by making a list of things that must go and things that can stay. For example, you might be okay with your current kitchen appliances, but hate your flooring. If that’s the case, replace the floors and save money on an appliance replacement.
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Consider refinishing instead of a replacement.
You can resurface both your wood cabinets and your dated laminate countertops if need be. Refinishing your cabinets will be an easier undertaking than the countertop but both are possible and can really rejuvenate the look of your kitchen. Cabinet refinishing is when you keep all the components of your original cabinets, but refinish the doors, drawer fronts and exposed panels with paint or stain.
You can also paint your laminate and even give it a paint job to make it look like faux granite. Learn how to repair and refinish laminate countertops. You can purchase a DIY countertop refinishing kit to make things easier and most come with detailed instructions. If you can’t be bothered with the work and want to replace the counter, read more articles about countertops and choose the countertop that will best suit your needs.
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Change the wall colour.
Painting your home’s interior is the cheapest and easiest way to give it a whole new look and feel. If you’re painting your kitchen with a future sale in mind, keep the colours light and neutral. If you plan on enjoying your home for years to come, you can get more bold and creative with your colour selections. Check out the best colours to paint your kitchen. Make sure you purchase quality paint, brushes and rollers. Buying cheap products and tools will reduce the quality of the finished job.
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Make sure you have the time to do it.
Home renovations are time consuming and your kitchen renovation project can be disruptive on your home life. Consider the time commitment required to get this job done. For example, cabinet refinishing will likely take 2-3 full weekends to complete. Decide if you’re able to commit evenings and weekends, or if you should take some time off work to get the job done sooner.
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Hire a professional for plumbing, electrical and gas line work.
If you must move any plumbing or electrical, or add to the system, you should always call in a professional plumbing or electrical company to do that for you. This is especially important for installing or changing natural gas lines. Not only is this work extremely dangerous, it requires professional installation to be compliant to building code. Don’t mess around with these mechanical systems yourself. The smartest and safest option is to call a professional.
Remember that a professional-looking kitchen renovation can help improve resale value. A poorly done renovation can have the opposite effect and hurt your chances of a quick and profitable sale. If you’re unsure about your skills and abilities, it is worth the investment to call in a professional contractor to do the job for you.
