Understanding the process from start to finish
If you watch any home improvement shows or DIY television programmes, chances are you’ve heard of the terms kitchen makeover, kitchen transformation or kitchen facelift at least a few times. What actually defines these terms can vary however, so it can be a little confusing.
In the UK, we regard a kitchen makeover as changing the doors, drawers, hardware, worktops and in some cases; taps, appliances and splash-backs to be the norm. Whilst in North America, their definition is essentially the same but as many of their kitchens are made from solid hardwood doors, they do tend to respray doors whilst over here in Britain, we prefer just to replace and modernise them instead. So in this article, we’re going to clear up exactly what a kitchen makeover is and how we do it.
Does your kitchen need a makeover?
Essentially, every homeowner reaches a point where their kitchen looks tired, outdated and shabby. The cost and hassle of completely replacing the entire kitchen is high. Not only is there the expense of having the tear out the existing units, make the interior walls good with potential re-plastering, painting and tiling; there’s also the time factor of not having a useable kitchen, not to mention the dirt, noise and dust that comes with any construction work. All going well, a brand new fitted kitchen can take at least 1-2 weeks to completely install from scratch and the cost of the kitchen units, worktop and installation can go into several thousand pounds. So it will cost you a lot of time, money and stress.
As the homeowner, you need to decide if your existing kitchen layout still works for you or not and essentially, if it’s just the aesthetic qualities that are letting it down. If this is the case, do you really need to tear it out and replace it? That is a decision only you can make so you need to weigh up the pros and cons of having a new kitchen installed versus a kitchen makeover, something we discuss in another blog post.
Assuming you’ve come to the sensible conclusion that a kitchen makeover is your best route, let’s take a look at the process and understand just how simple it is to getting a new look kitchen quickly and more cost effectively.
The Consultation
The first thing that will take place is to explain the full process of what a kitchen makeover entails. In most cases, customers are thrilled to learn that they do not even need to empty the cupboards as most of our work is done using the existing units. It is very discreet so we tend to cause far less disruption than you might imagine. Items such as doors are made-to-measure and swapped over, as are the drawer fronts. The countertops are overlaid onto the existing worktop instead of removing it entirely and replacing it, so it’s very clean and quick.
Once we’re satisfied you have a complete understanding of the process, our consultation will then move onto reviewing your existing kitchen and to see where it works and where it’s letting you down.
Our design consultants will check over the entire kitchen including the doors, the hardware and mechanisms, and review the state of the actual carcasses to see if they are in good order with no obvious signs of mould or water penetration, cracking or splitting of the edge banding and damage to the frame structures. Some older kitchen units may suffer from damage over time from the sheer weight of the counter so before any proposals are put forward, it is best to get a good understanding of how your existing kitchen units have been holding up over the years.
Assuming the units are all intact and in a good state of repair, a kitchen makeover is most certainly possible. Even if perhaps one or two units are in a poor condition, they could still be replaced individually, rather than having to take out the entire kitchen.
Our team will then take detailed measurements of the existing housings, door and drawer sizes, counter dimensions plus the plumbing and electrical positions with overall size details of the room itself.
The Choice
You may already have a style and colour of door in mind, but our design consultants will offer their opinions as to a good style and finish of doors that will bring your kitchen back to life and improve its overall aesthetic appeal in its current surroundings. They will also suggest a suitable countertop to match the doors, which in many cases might be a quartz overlay plus sinks, taps and hardware to complete the new look.
Every customer is welcome to come to our showroom and see the complete ranges on offer but we will put forward proposals that we feel are sympathetic to the existing space, especially if you do not plan to redecorate or repaint the kitchen walls. Any new doors need to complement and enhance their surroundings so choosing a colour and finish that suits is vital to making it look fresh, bright and modern.
Ultimately, the choice is entirely yours but we do find that with our experience and know how, our proposed choices always go down a storm and customers are thrilled with the choice of doors, worktops and handles we put forward.
Once we have all reached an agreed look, we’ll then offer you a quote to have your doors made, your countertop overlays cut and a date in the diary to get your makeover started.
We can also offer a cost to replace any extra items such as appliances, sinks, taps and backsplashes. Whatever you need, we can take care of everything.
The Process
Once you’ve agreed to commence, we’ll get your doors made to the exact sizes to match those currently in your kitchen, plus have your countertop overlays made to order and set a date to start the work. The entire process is very quick and in most cases, only takes a couple of days to complete once we have everything ready to go.
The great thing about a kitchen makeover is the lack of intrusiveness. All the contents of your cupboards and drawers can stay in place so we don’t cause you too much nuisance like a complete kitchen refit would. We’ll firstly remove the worktops (if it is being completely replaced and not overlaid), making sure the water has been disconnected and any sinks and taps are free for removal. We’ll then dismantle the existing doors and drawer fronts leaving just the kitchen carcasses in place, ready for us to do our magic!
At this point, we’re ready to get started with replacing the doors with exact fits in the new style and colour of your choice. The whole process is very seamless so within just a few hours, you will already start to see the difference your new doors can make.
Once the doors and drawer fronts are in place, we’ll then concentrate on the worktop. Either a completely new worktop will be brought in and fitted or the overlays will be placed on top of the existing worktop. And this is where you really start to see it take shape. With the new doors and worktop now fitted, the new look kitchen starts to emerge.
All that’s left are the finishing touches. We’ll fit the new kitchen sink and taps, the hob and appliances, plus any desired extras such as extractor hoods or splash-backs and your new look kitchen is all but ready!
To make your kitchen just that little bit more high end, we’ll make sure we fit suitable modern handles and hardware, soft closing mechanisms, perfectly mitred plinths and cornices and finish off any edges with suitable sealants and caulking.
That’s it. Your beautiful new kitchen is ready for use and it only took a matter of days!
Are you ready for a kitchen makeover?
If giving your kitchen a makeover sounds like the perfect solution to updating and modernising your home, why not give us a call to arrange your own consultation
Appointments are free and there’s no obligation to go ahead. So what have you got to lose? Contact Fitted Doors today and get the dream kitchen you always wanted for less.