New, refurbished or bespoke. Which kitchen should you go for?

Construction & Contractors Blog

With the average price of a new kitchen quoted at around a remarkable £8000, making a decision whether to buy one off the shelf, renovate or even make your own, deserves serious thought. Depending on preference, affordability and practicality, here are some of the various factors for and against each option.

New

It''s the easiest way to get close to the look you desire, simply by looking through the mountains of brochures or visiting the various showrooms. If you know what you want, this way can be time efficient and ensure that your new kitchen is likely to include the latest innovations and technical advances within its design. There's an enormous variety to choose from and the fitting can often be arranged at the same time and place of purchase.

As suggested earlier, a new higher end kitchen is expensive unless you're lucky enough to bag a quality bargain in the sales. Along with many things in life, looks can be deceiving, and a new cheaper end kitchen may have that initial gleam but lack the longevity of something built with higher quality materials. Unless chosen wisely, the fashionably designed kitchens of today can quickly become the eyesore of tomorrow.

Refurbished

This is the cheapest and sometimes most practical option available, with simple and practical ways to bring an older kitchen into the modern world. Providing the carcasses are still solid and standard size, changing the cupboard doors and handles is an easy and effective job to complete. Replacing the kitchen surface will be fairly straightforward and cost effective (depending on the material), as the original surface can be used as a template providing the sink and any other cut-outs remain in place.

Refurbishment is limited by the original design and in some cases where electrics and plumbing need re-running, or perhaps where the discovery of water damaged structures, a new kitchen could be a more practical solution. 

Bespoke

Clearly the most expensive, yet often most desirable way to a new kitchen as you're paying a company (like Brett White Carpentry & Construction Pty Ltd) to build from scratch exactly what you want to fit into a particular part of your property. However, if you take on the management of the project, the costs can be dramatically reduced. For example, whatever the quality you desire, all the materials and designs can be personally sourced, A good carpenter can be employed and work to your specifications, building and fitting cupboards, frames,carcasses and worktops. Quality finishes can be achieved employing a good decorator or paint spraying company. 

Having a bespoke kitchen can be a longer drawn out, more involved process either through a company or if taken on yourself.

Whichever is right for you when it comes to kitchens, the underlying point is to look closely at your current situation and then decide exactly what action is required. Remember, it's easy to buy something for the sake of it, but buying the right thing, especially when it comes to a new kitchen, needs a closer inspection. 

22 January 2015