Has 18 months of home cooking, splashing the walls with tomato sauce, staining the surfaces with turmeric and realising that washing up is a full time job got you looking at your old kitchen in a new light?
So many of us have been scrutinising our kitchen space lately and finding that it’s not fit for purpose, with modern day demands asking more of the heart of the home than it’s equipped to handle.
Rather than feeling resentful, if you’re able to afford a kitchen remodelling, this is an exciting spot to be in; opportunity, exploration and (eventually) a more joyful experience of cooking awaits.
That said, homeowners may stress that the remodelling process is too much trouble to take on alone. This is where a professional kitchen designer comes in; able to turn those dreams and visions for your kitchen into a practical, serviceable reality.
That said, kitchen designers are not a good fit for every renovator. Some homeowners would never consider the thought of hiring an outside expert to interfere with their dream kitchen, aware that their clarity of vision might be muddied by external influences. We’re here to help you weigh up your options. If you’re wondering whether you should hire a professional kitchen designer, here are the pros and cons explored.
THE COMPLEXITY OF KITCHEN DESIGN
Kitchens are often more challenging to update or alter than other rooms in the home when you take on the project. For a start, you may have to consider more complex considerations than simple, superficial issues and enhancements.
There are possible structural renovations to consider, here. Your kitchen upgrade could involve plumbing, electrical issues, and possibly gas lines. Having someone on board in the preliminary planning stages will mitigate the risk of costly amendments later down the line.
There are plenty of surfaces, equipment and other additions to consider, too. Besides your kitchen cabinets, you likely need to choose countertops, flooring, appliances, and backsplashes, as well as other components you plan to redo. A professional kitchen designer will have access to both materials and specialists that the humble layperson (that’s you!) simply wouldn’t.
KITCHEN DESIGNERS ARE PROS FOR A REASON
Some homeowners are worried that by bringing in external help, they will cede their creative license to design the kitchen exactly how they envision. However, professional kitchen designers will generally work faithfully with renovators to help create the specific kitchen layout they have in mind – within reason, of course.
Often, whether or not you enlist a professional here will hinge on the size of the job at hand. If you are a seasoned DIYer with a history in home improvement projects, you can complete minor tasks by yourself without the added costs and energy of hiring a professional. But, if you go through a substantial upgrade or remodel, that is when the experts can step in to help you. Contracting a kitchen designer can often actually lower your expenses for the overall project, as they know where to find the exact materials you need for the lowest prices.
WHAT COSTS CAN I EXPECT?
According to Houzz, the cost of a complete bespoke kitchen redesign ranges from around £15’000 to upwards of £50’000. They offer a useful breakdown of that figure; half should go towards appliances, worktops and accessories, 30% will generally be spent on cabinets, and 20% on delivery and installation. It’s likely that you’d look to find room in your budget within that final 20% for a professional to help with the design.
Alternatively, you could save a portion of your budget within the 30% traditionally dedicated to cabinets. You will need to consider the types of cabinets you want – premade, custom, or ready to assemble cabinets, for instance, and find the potential for savings within it.
In terms of fees for the designer themselves, professional kitchen designers tend to charge a percentage of the total cost of the project, with 10% the industry standard. So, should you be spending £20’000 on a kitchen remodel, renovation or replacement, expect to spend around £2’000 on a designer. As a comparison, architects, who might be necessary for larger projects in the home, charge between 10% and 17% of the total project cost.
Should you have a fair bit of wiggle room in your budget, a kitchen designer is a wise move.
THE CONS
Thus far, and as long as your budget allows, hiring professional help in designing your kitchen refit feels like a no brainer. There are, however, a couple of obstacles and issues to consider beyond your bank balance:
- Some kitchen designers will be dedicated – and perhaps even contractually obliged – to only recommend and work with certain materials and tradespeople. This may influence their designs in a subjective way.
- Kitchen designers are often very single minded in their vision. In many cases, this is a good thing, as they’ve honed a certain aesthetic over years of refinement. If your vision clashes with theirs, however, tension could follow.
- On occasions, a catch-all ‘kitchen designer’ may be too broad a role to have the specialist knowledge required for different elements of the design. In fact, several different roles fall under the umbrella, including blueprints, product and material knowledge, layout and design expertise, contractor suggestions and timeframe predictions. Ask yourself whether you might be better off subcontracting these various different disciplines rather than trusting one person with all of them.
CERTIFICATION & ACCREDITATION
In the UK, the government sanctioned organisation the British Institution of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom installation (BIKBBI) has a code of conduct, guidelines and standards that members must comply with. As such, if you’re considering a kitchen designer, searching their database to find a member is a good way to ensure you’re hiring someone reputable and qualified.
Alternatively, you can find an approved retailer on the KBSA Home Specialists Association’s website.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There are many motivations for remodelling your kitchen. Some homeowners want to increase their property’s value via renovation, and know that the kitchen is one of the best places to do so. For others, having a kitchen that is a joy to cook in is the catalyst they need for considering a kitchen remodelling.
Whatever your reason, a professional kitchen designer could help you realise your vision. As long as you have room in your budget and aren’t too stubborn to allow for some flexibility in that vision, of course.