Tips and Advice : A Smarter Kitchen For Less
Finances have been the topic at the top of the press headlines for several months now and it's not surprising that many people are thinking carefully before any major outlay. This cautious attitude to spending is due to uncertainty rather than any real lack of money for most people, but it is making people assess the value and potential future value of their purchases, especially when spending money on home improvements.
For many people who want to improve
their living environment, the alternative to moving house completely is
some kind of expansion or renovation project. These can range in scale
from minor makeovers like decorating a room to full scale home
extensions. Somewhere in between lie a whole host of improvement
options from fitting new bathroom suites to kitchen makeovers.
Replacing a whole bathroom, especially a kitchen, can result in
significant cost but in the case of the kitchen much of the expense is
largely unnecessary due to the fact that most kitchens don't wear out,
they just look dated or tastes change.
A few years ago there was a trend for natural oak kitchens and then
came the trend for limed oak. People's preferences are influenced by
the many coffee table lifestyle magazines and once someone has decided
that they think their kitchen looks out of date then not much stands in
the way of getting it changed.
But how do you achieve that new look without breaking the bank.
Kitchen refits are notoriously expensive. The cost of new units make
seem reasonable but once you factor in new appliances, new worktops,
new plumbing and electrics and then repairing all the damages to nearby
finishes you quickly arrive at a tidy sum.
Arriving at the new look you desire by simply replacing the kitchen
doors and worktops is a much more cost effective approach. You change
the areas that are visible while leaving everything else untouched. A
specialist company will be able to supply everything you need to do
exactly that, even down to the extra surface finishes you may need to
tie in any carcass edges with the new colours. Most of the work can be
done by a reasonably proficient DIY hobbyist although complicated
worktop surfaces, especially granite varieties, are best fitted by an
expert.
So how much would this approach cost? Well here's the good news.
Depending on the size and quality of kitchen required, a full refit can
cost anything from 5000 pounds to 30,000 for a high-end large kitchen.
Simply opting for replacement kitchen doors can cost as little as a few
hundred pounds and no need to call in additional workers. Suppliers are
able to manufacture doors to order of any size, style and finish. They
can also supply handles and even extra matching carcasses if you want
to extend the original kitchen slightly. Just measure up your existing
units carefully and order what you need over the internet. The
suppliers that offer this service will guide you through the
information you need to provide including things like measuring the
location of hinge holes and how much space needs to taken into account
between drawers for example.
For an extra special makeover consider a combination of new doors
and drawer fronts together with granite work surfaces if you don't
already have them. Granite worktops are commonly seen in the most
luxurious kitchens and home builders will only fit them to the larger
properties where they are an expected feature for buyers, but there's
no reason why your home shouldn't use them. If you are saving money
elsewhere you are more likely to be able to afford them. The results of
this combination will be amazing in terms of effect and cost. Get the
look of whole new kitchen for a tenth of the cost of a full refit.
If you really don't feel able to do the measuring up yourself and
get it correct you could call in your own local tradesman to do it for
you. The end result is still likely to be significantly cheaper than
getting the whole kitchen replaced.
So while money is tight and moving home is not a comfortable
choice, give your home a new look by spending a little money on a new
look kitchen using replacement doors. A similar approach can be applied
to your bedrooms and your study if you have one.
Annabel Dalton is a commentator for on kitchen and home improvements. Read her advice on replacement kitchen doors and wardrobe doors on this resource.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Annabel_Dalton
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