Planning a renovation with a kitchen designer

Although you may be well researched and ready to renovate a kitchen, planning with a kitchen designer may remove some of the headaches faced with trying to bring the dream to reality.

According to Leigh Hunter of Think Design, unless you know exactly what you need and are totally up to speed with the kitchen products available, it’s important to plan with a kitchen designer.

"Even just a consultation to verify your thoughts could save some disasters," Leigh says. "By using a kitchen planner, you are taking advice from a trained professional who has years of experience in the industry.

Staying on top of the kitchen renovation

Kitchen designers are continually updated on new kitchen colour schemes, available materials, space-saving ideas and cabinet products, so they can often make suggestions you wouldn't otherwise know about."

One of the biggest potential pitfalls of not using a kitchen planner is being uneducated on what you want to include. "When you go to obtain quotes, you won't be armed with enough information, like renovation drawings and specifications, to be quoted on identical items," says Leigh.

What to consider when approaching kitchen planners

Fears of having your ideas shelved, or favourite colour schemes discarded, are worthy concerns when considering kitchen designers. "A good designer will listen to your ideas and incorporate them into your design.

"However, if you don't have a good rapport with a designer, you may not get a pleasing result. Make a wish list and give it to your designer at the outset, then keep a copy to re-check before signing off on the final design."

Find the right designer for your needs

Word of mouth and internet searches are great ways to discover a good kitchen designer. "Ring them and chat about your project, and ask if they can give you some phone numbers of previous clients to talk to," Leigh recommends.

It's worth noting the different types of kitchen designers, too. Like architects, independent designers charge a fee and concentrate on designing for your requirements and budget. "You own the plans and specifications and are therefore well equipped to obtain equitable quotes," explains Leigh.

 "Designers from kitchen companies usually operate on a commission basis and try to influence you to buy their products. Kitchen companies won't release plans until you have signed a contract, so you may not know what you're getting."

Doing the renovation solo

If you're happy with your current kitchen layout, and just doing a facelift, it's possible to get away without using a kitchen planner. But, if you're tempted to try a cabinet-maker, remember that as specialists in their own field, most don't like to do the designing.

Leigh's wisdom is simple. "You would get an architect to design your home, so why not a professional to design the most important room in it!" After all, it will cost less to use a kitchen designer than to re-do a disaster!

Contact a kitchen designer in your area to find out how you can create your kitchen renovation: