RENOVATING YOUR KITCHEN
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO KNOW
to start a project, contact us!
All the experts agree: Renovating your kitchen is the best way to increase the value of your home. Studies have shown that the investment you make in your kitchen now can be almost fully recouped(75%-100%) at the time of sale.
At MACUCINA, our talented team of designers will be happy to welcome you to our stunning showroom and personally guide you through our process to bring your dreams to life!
1. Steps I can do myself, to save some money?
When renovating your kitchen, there are some things you can do to save a little money:
- You can sell your old cabinets, using Kijiji or Marketplace.
- You can do some of the work yourself, demolition and painting for example, leaving the more complex work to the specialists(plumbing/electric/installers).
- Doing the complete renovation yourself is only advised for skilled professionals.
Please note: we strongly suggest letting the experts take responsibility for your project from start to finish, to avoid complications or major issues.
If you feel that you have the skills to complete the project on your own, please do not underestimate the challenges and the amount of work involved.
From experience, Stephane Mackarous, the President and founder of MACUCINA in Laval believes that someone with the appropriate skills can demolish a kitchen but it is extremely important to coordinate with the installation team to ensure that you are not left without a kitchen in your home for an unreasonable amount of time.
If you decide to take on your renovation from start to finish, the team at Macucina would like you to take note of the following:
« I’ve been in the kitchen business for a long time and I’m pretty handy, but I’d never get into installing kitchen cabinets, kitchen islands and countertops. Designing and building a kitchen is a craft in itself, an art that develops over time. A well-functioning kitchen relies on the work of professionals, and unless you’re an expert, it’s extremely difficult to get everything just right. »
Please note: If the installation is not done by recognized specialists like MACUCINA, it will affect part of your manufacturer’s warranty.
When refreshing your kitchen, you are usually making a few inexpensive updates to attempt to bring a little life back, for the short term. If you’re planning on selling your house in the near future; updating your backsplash, cabinet handles, and sink from your local hardware store, may falsely impress a potential buyer, but these types of renovations are only a temporary solution and sooner rather than later the new homeowners will have to do a complete kitchen renovation.
Unlike kitchen refacing, full kitchen renovations are major undertakings and require years of experience and skill. Below you will find some of the steps involved and an idea of the cost.
- Demolition of the existing kitchen.
- The complete layout and design of the new kitchen.
- Material selection, colours, and styles, please see custom cabinets.
- Clearly understanding the budget of the project.
- Counter selection.
- Flooring.
- Faucets.
- Hardware.
- Lighting.
- Ventilation (range hood).
- Plumbing.
- Electrical work.
- Kitchen construction and installation.
Custom-designed kitchens come in all shapes and sizes with almost infinite choices of materials and finishes, and the price can vary enormously. Considering that just the demolition and reconstruction can start at $15,000 and you can expect at least an additional $25,000 for cabinets and counters. To give you a guideline for a complete renovation, including demolition, renovation, appliances, cabinetry, and counters should cost approximately 10% of the value of the house.
Major renovations require experience and skill to ensure that every step of the project is done effectively and completed on schedule. Our kitchen designers in Laval are trained to manage these projects from conception to completion. Excellence is the least we can do.
Please feel free to download our “10 steps of successful kitchen renovations”, you will also find a quick checklist that will help you through the process.
Knowing how complex these types of kitchen renovations are and the effective coordination of the many different steps, kitchen designers have various protocols and priorities, Mr. Mackarous and his team follow these five main elements:
Understanding your needs
The devil is in the details! Take the time needed to sit with a specialist at MACUCINA to work out the most minute detail, our experts will go as far as asking you to count your place settings and tableware, to ensure that every dish, pot, and pan has a home.
Exploring your cooking and entertainment habits
Every Family is unique, and at different stages of their lives, some Families have children, some love to entertain, and some are retired. Every kitchen, therefore, is built with specific goals in mind, some people love to cook and need extra space for their tools to create, and some have much simpler needs. It is essential for us to understand these details, for example, if you have children, we would advise a kitchen cabinet material that can handle more abuse, for example, any type of polymer (polyester/acrylic/PET).
Kitchen Ergonomics
When making a major investment in your kitchen with MACUCINA we work with you to create a plan for the five ergonomic zones, this ensures that every inch of the space is being designed for your comfort, convenience, and functionality.
These five zones are the washing, cooking, food storage, food preparation, and tableware storage areas.
Learn more: “Kitchen Renovation — The Five Essential Zones for Successful Planning”
The Pantry Cupboard
We’ve all, without fail, dug through our pantry looking for that lost can of chicken stock that we were positive was just behind the box of penne on the second shelf.
Mr. Mackarous insists on creating a functional kitchen, understanding your eating habits to customize a drawer system for your pantry is life-changing, an investment worth its weight in gold.
Efficient and discrete garbage and recycling placement
Our kitchen design experts are extremely detail-oriented. Every element including garbage and recycling areas are carefully planned and executed. It is no longer acceptable to put a plastic bin in the corner or under the sink, designing specific space for garbage, recycling, and organic waste, strategically placed in your kitchen for easy clean up and minimizing odors, is essential.
4.The two biggest challenges you will face when renovating your kitchen are:
Working with our experienced specialist at MACUCINA, we foresee these obstacles and work closely with our partners and clients to minimize the inconvenience that the following challenges may cause.
Living without a kitchen
In every custom kitchen renovation; irrelevant of size or materials used, you will be without a kitchen for a 2-3 week period. Many people set up a microwave and induction stove in another room and create a small kitchenette to carry them through this period. Ordering in or going out for a nice meal at your favorite restaurant can lift your spirits and help you through this transition.
The choice of style and materials
Working with an expert is so important to ensure your needs are truly understood, at MACUCINA our expert designers will walk you through this arduous process of identifying the perfect material and your personal style for your home.
It will seem like an insurmountable task at first but once we get through the first few steps it will be a wonderful experience bringing your dream to life.
Be inspired by our classic kitchens, modern kitchens, or contemporary kitchens.
Download our complete guide to kitchen renovation & choosing your kitchen cabinets.
Our team will be happy to welcome you to our showroom and bring your dreams to life!