Preparation Makes the Difference
The renovation itself is our job. But how smoothly you live through it is partly yours.
Gold Coast homeowners who prepare well for their kitchen renovation experience it as an exciting, manageable process. Those who don’t prepare tend to find the installation period stressful and disruptive in ways that could have been avoided.
Here’s exactly what to do before the trades arrive.
Four Weeks Before Installation
Set Up a Temporary Kitchen
Identify a space in your home where you can set up a temporary kitchen during the installation period. A spare bedroom, laundry, or dining room works well. You’ll need:
- A surface for food preparation
- Access to a microwave, kettle, and toaster
- A portable fridge or access to the existing fridge (if it’s being kept)
- A camping stove or electric hot plate if you want to cook hot meals
Think of it as camping in your own home. With planning, it’s entirely manageable.
Plan Your Meals
Decide in advance how you’re going to eat during the installation period. Options include:
- Meal prepping and freezing before work starts
- Eating out or ordering in for the duration
- Using the temporary kitchen setup for simple meals
Most families find a combination approach works best — cooking simple breakfasts and lunches in the temporary kitchen, and eating out or ordering dinner a few nights per week.
One Week Before Installation
Clear the Kitchen Completely
Everything in your kitchen needs to be removed before demolition begins. This includes:
- All appliances — toaster, kettle, microwave, coffee machine
- Everything in the pantry and all cupboards
- All crockery, glassware, and cookware
- Any items stored on top of cabinets or in drawers
Store items in boxes or move them to the temporary kitchen area. Label boxes clearly so you can find things during the installation period.
Protect Adjacent Areas
Demolition and installation generates dust that travels further than you’d expect. Before work starts:
- Remove rugs and soft furnishings from adjacent areas
- Cover furniture in the dining room and living areas nearest to the kitchen
- Consider laying down floor protection in hallways that trades will be walking through constantly
Arrange for Pets and Young Children
Demolition day is loud, dusty, and involves tools and materials that are dangerous for curious children and pets. We recommend arranging for them to be elsewhere during the demolition phase — even if just for a few hours.
During Installation
Keep the Area Clear
Trades work more efficiently and safely when the work area is clear. Try to keep family traffic through the kitchen to a minimum during working hours — particularly when cutting, drilling, or tiling is underway.
Communicate Changes Immediately
If you notice something that doesn’t look right, or if you’ve changed your mind about something, tell us immediately. Changes are easiest and least expensive to address early in the installation. The same change at the end of the job is significantly more costly.
Protect the New Work
Once cabinetry is installed, it’s finished and vulnerable until the full installation is complete. Don’t place items on new cabinets, use them as step-stools, or lean tools against finished surfaces.
After Installation — The First Few Weeks
Benchtop Care
Engineered stone benchtops are durable but not impervious. For the first few weeks, avoid placing extremely hot items directly on the surface, and use a cutting board rather than cutting directly on the stone.
Cabinetry Adjustment Period
New cabinetry may need minor adjustments — hinges settling, drawer runners bedding in — in the first few weeks of use. This is normal and covered under warranty. Call us if anything needs attention.
Enjoy It
After the planning, the decisions, and the installation period — your new kitchen is ready. Cook in it. Entertain in it. Use it every day. That’s what it’s there for.
Ready to Plan Yours?
A well-managed renovation should feel exciting rather than stressful. Book your free VIP Design Consultation and let’s start planning yours. Call Darren on 0478 148 508.