Taking on a big project like a kitchen renovation can seem a bit daunting at first. If you’ve decided to enlist the help of professionals to get the job done, it’s important to use their knowledge and experience as much as possible. But before you have your initial consultation, here a few things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your meeting with them.
Start scrap-booking
Here’s where we ease you in with something fun. Collecting ideas, photographs, paint samples and scrapbooking are all wonderful ways of getting to know what you want your new kitchen to look like. Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to create mood boards and gain inspiration from design companies on sites like Houzz and Pinterest. The beauty of this kind of scrap-booking is that you can take your ideas everywhere with you as long as you have your smartphone or tablet handy.
Create a kitchen wish list
At this very early stage you’re allowed to dream big. Take some time to think about not just what you need in your kitchen but what you really want, too. There will be time for scaling back and budgeting but this exercise will help you realise what’s important to you and how you see yourself using the space.
Work out your priorities
Now it’s time to take the aforementioned wish list and use it to work out what to prioritize. This might be beneficial further down the line if and when you need to re-assess your budget. Highlighting the priorities now will help you decide which things you’re prepared to compromise on and which things you most certainly are not.
Have a budget in mind
We know that talking about money isn’t very British, but it’s a good idea to talk to your designer about their previous projects and average price range so you’re not caught off guard at your meeting. Before you meet with a kitchen designer, it’s a good idea to have a budget in mind. If you can say something along the lines of ‘we have this much to spend but ideally we’d like spend no more than this much’ this will help your designer to advise you on what they can do for you within your budget range.
Take inspiration from their portfolio
Whether you discovered your kitchen designer in the scrap-booking stages or found them further down the line, it’s worth trying to seek out their portfolio of kitchen designs to take some inspiration from – whether it’s colour schemes, kitchen layouts, cabinet styles or even just the handles you like the look of, the more examples you can provide about what kinds of kitchens make your heart sing (or shudder) the better.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Any company worth their weight in kitchen appliances will probably be expecting you to have lots of questions, the most common being:
How much will it cost?
How long will it take?
How soon will you be able start?
But don’t let that stop you from asking more. Make a list and take it with you – after all, it’s likely that you’ll be investing quite a lot of money into a space that will be the most used room in your whole house.
