Questions to ask when you are considering who you will choose
- Who makes your cabinetry?
- How long have they been in business?
- How can they back up any Warranty or Guarantee they provide?
- Are they a registered building practitioner RBP? (proof of licence LBP limited Building practitioner or DBU Domestic Building Practitioner Unlimited.
- Can you see your kitchen when it is being manufactured?
- Will the kitchen components be delivered in a flat pack to be fabricated (put together) at your house, or will they be preassembled in their factory?
What trade work is required to install a new kitchen?
This can vary and depends on the amount of actions to be done, however generally the following actions are required if you are having the old kitchen completely removed.
- Dismantling of the existing cabinetry and bench tops
- Plumbing work and electrical work to disconnect the existing fittings.
- Stripping up any flooring or existing wall tiles.
- Carpentry for any alteration work that is required to modify the room to suit the new design layout
- Repair of damage to plaster work, or any area that will now be exposed, as a result of a re-designed kitchen layout.
- Plumbing and electrical work to move and replace the old connections, new electrical wiring, water inlet and outlet pipes and gas lines. (this is called roughing in)
- Installation of new cabinetry and bench tops and any ceiling to top cabinet panels (these are called bulk heads)
- Plumbing and electrical work to fit the existing or new appliances (sinks, taps, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, rangehood/canopy.
- Plaster work to repair, patch up, or to fit, any new plaster cornices required to go around any overhead cabinet bulkheads that are part of the new kitchen design.
- Tiling work to fit tiles on cement sheeting for wall protection as required.
- Alternatively, if glass or stainless steel splash backs have been selected they can now be fitted.
- Finally any new floor coverings can now be fitted.
- Painting.
There is a lot of trade work required in a kitchen installation and unless you are fully conversant with the requirements you will find it difficult to coordinate them all (See Services we offer).
What is the difference between Custom Made DIY Kit style or Prefabricated cabinetry?
The difference between these is often very noticeable, particularly if you are a discerning person who values the importance of symmetry. In other words you like things to have a balanced look such as cabinets and doors lining up without excessive filler pieces inserted to achieve alignment. You probably won’t be happy with a kit type kitchen which hasn’t been made to specific size requirements, to suit your exact home.
Also custom made usually provides more choices in the finishes and colours that you can have, or your selection of fittings and styles of cabinetry heights width and depths.
However, if you are not concerned about these aspects perhaps a kit kitchen will provide you with a less expensive alternative, although you should keep in mind that generally what ever you pay in the end, will be for a project which will be in place for at the least 10 to 15 years before it will be changed, so in essence a new kitchen fit out is a long term investment.
Why is there such a price difference between companies?
The difference in the price is mainly because the kit or flat packed type of construction is less expensive to produce, due to mass production of components or cabinets which are the same size, these can also be imported from less expensive Countries where the labour component is minimal and the materials are often not as expensive.
The quality of the finished product is more often than not, effected by this type of production method, as the goal is to manufacture components as cheaply as possible by utilizing the cheapest available material, and labor sources.
This type of manufacturing method will not always guarantee the construction of a kitchen which will last as long as a custom made product will.
What are the “Hidden Costs”?
Some Kitchen Companies do not fully inform their customers about the full extent of the trade work required, and can give the impression that their kitchens will cost far less than others.
Trade work can add any where between $3500.00 to $7000.00 to the end price depending on the extent of what has to be done.
Direct kitchens has a Fixed Price Contract which clearly out lines all the cost involved (See Services we offer).
ABOUT DIRECT KITCHENS
We offer an in house design service and can provide every trade necessary to fully install the cabinets, bench tops, appliances and as Registered Building Practitioners Direct Kitchens Building and Constructions can provide any structural alterations necessary to provide your complete project.
Our extensive experience has placed us in a position where we have set industry standards,(such as being one of the first companies to exclusively use HMR (high moisture resistant materials ),in our cabinet construction as well as solid 16mm backs and drawer bases instead of ply board drawer bases and cabinet backs, which was the custom.
