Kitchen Renovation: Decisions to Make Before You Call a Builder

Kitchen quotes vary widely because there are so many variables: layout, cabinetry, benchtops, appliances, plumbing and electrical changes. Builders and kitchen companies can only price what you describe. These decisions make your brief clear enough for quotes you can genuinely compare.

Layout: keep it or change it?

Keeping the sink, cooktop and dishwasher where they are usually keeps the job simpler, because plumbing, gas and electrical connections stay put. Moving them can transform how the kitchen works, but it's worth knowing it adds trades and complexity.

How you cook and live

• Who cooks, and how often? Do two people need to work at once?
• Do you need a spot for a breakfast bar, homework or a laptop?
• Where will the bins, recycling and pantry go?
• What appliances need a permanent home on the bench?

Materials and finishes

Cabinet doors, handles, benchtop material and splashback all change both the look and the quote. You don't need final colours yet, but deciding broad choices — for example stone versus laminate benchtops — makes a big difference to accuracy.

Appliances

Choose appliances, or at least their sizes, before cabinetry is designed. A wider oven, an integrated fridge or a different dishwasher may not fit standard openings, and changing your mind later can mean rework.

What a kitchen quote should spell out

• Demolition and removal of the old kitchen
• Cabinetry, benchtops and splashback, with materials named
• Plumbing, electrical and any gas work
• Appliance installation
• Patching, painting and flooring repairs around the new kitchen

If one quote leaves an item out, ask whether it's excluded or just not listed. Our guide to what a good written quote should include has a full checklist.