You’ve made a great start by deciding on a DIY kitchen that will you save thousands of dollars. Here’s some tips that will help you spend smart and save more.
If the thought of flat pack, DIY kitchen gives the impression that you need to be a seasoned renovator, think again! You don’t have to be good with tools and capable of some hard, back-breaking work to reap the cost advantage of a DIY kitchen. You can save huge by choosing materials and finishes wisely, without compromising on performance. The savings can then be used to hire professionals to do the grunt work.
1. Laminate benchtops
Don’t confuse today’s laminate with what was in your Grandma’s kitchen. They have come a long, long way. Laminate benchtops now have finishes that make it hard to tell apart from real stone, timber or concrete. You don’t have to pay thousands for marble, granite or poured concrete benchtops, when you can get a similar, laminate-finished benchtop at a fraction of the price. Depending on what you choose, laminate can come at a quarter of the price of real stone.
Performance wise, laminates are second to none. They are durable, scratch resistant and can handle the knocks, bumps and scratches of a busy kitchen. Some people find stone too hard (you can break a plate if it bangs against a stone bench) and prefer the more forgiving laminate. Looks-wise too, laminates have more even colour, texture and pattern, and are preferred by those who are looking for a more predictable texture and finish. At Kitchen Shack, we supply laminate benchtops from only the best manufacturers, who have a stunning range of colours and finishes. Drop in to one of our showrooms to take a look.
2. Use tiles for the splashback
Patterned tiles to create a feature splashback is always on trend. So why not take advantage of it and save a few precious dollars in the process. Tiles are cheaper than other options like glass, marble or granite. Toughened glass can cost upwards of $1000 or more for a metre, while tiles cost anywhere from $35-200 per metre depending on the type of tile. Shop around for a tiler who is relatively inexpensive or DIY your own tiling. Glass, stone or marble will have to be professionally installed at a higher cost.
If you are looking to add colour or create drama with a patterned splashback, tiles are perfect. Herringbone patterns lifts the white kitchen while keeping with its elegant styling, but remember this type of tiling will be more expensive. Alternatively, white subway tiles in a Hampton style kitchen can be perfect. They provide a great backdrop to warm timber and tie in well with the white cabinets.
3. Avoid moving the utilities
When designing the layout of the new kitchen, consider if you need to move the location of the oven, cooktop, refrigerator and sink. These require plumbing and electrical work that can only be handled by professionals and can become quite expensive.
By buying new appliances and accessories but using the same connection points you can save thousands. If you must move the location because it is very inconvenient, add it to your budget because it is not often that you renovate a kitchen.
4. Take care of the prep
Once your old kitchen has been removed, there’s a fair bit of work involved in prepping the space for a new kitchen. The two most important things are having a level floor and clean, level walls before the new kitchen is delivered. Here are some DIY tasks that can be handled yourself.
- Replastering and painting the kitchen
- Removing the old flooring and adding in a new one. There are some good DIY flooring options, especially in floorboards.
5. Opt for a removalist/installer recommended by the supplier
If you’ve opted for some of these tips, the saving can now be used for professional removal and installation. Kitchen Shack has taken out the grunt work. How? Here’s what we do:
- Our installers are also licenced removalists who can strip out your old kitchen and dispose of safely. The same company can come back to install the kitchen.
- They have licenced plumbers and electricians who can disconnect and connect utilities.
- Best of all, our flat pack kitchen cabinetry is delivered assembled, so the time and cost of installation is minimised, not to mention the stress.
By using one company to deal with all of this you can take the advantage of less costs which would be cheaper than if you were to hire different tradies for each task. Not to mention that it would create a scheduling nightmare.
Another great way to save is to ask for discounts or lowest prices from a kitchen supplier. At Kitchen Shack we offer Lowest Prices Guaranteed* all through the year, so you can have peace of mind knowing you’ve got the best value.
*For same product, design and service
