Planning to renovate the kitchen? One big question you’ll need to consider is whether you should hire a professional or go the DIY route. There are usually some tradeoffs in terms of time, money and finish – so the decision often boils down to budget and project expectations.
To help you make a more informed decision, we’ve broken down the pros and cons of hiring a professional kitchen design team compared with doing the work yourself.
Professional kitchen installations
Pros: You get a professional finish
The quality of a kitchen renovation can have a direct impact on the look, feel and value of your property. While handy homeowners may be able to handle small-scale DIY projects, it’s usually a good idea to leave complex kitchen remodelling work to the experts. Professional kitchen designers have the experience and expertise to carry out renovation projects to a far higher standard than what most people can achieve on their own.
Pros: You’re working with experts
Kitchen renovations typically involve plumbing, gasfitting and electrical work – which, by law, usually have to be carried out by registered tradespeople. Working with a professional kitchen installation company ensures the work is safe and compliant, minimising the risk of property damage and personal injury.
Pros: Someone else takes care of the hard work
There’s no other way to put: renovating a kitchen is hard work. Hiring a professional kitchen installation team will save you a whole lot of sweat and tears while giving you the creative freedom to bring your dream kitchen to life.
Pros: The work is guaranteed
Renovating your kitchen requires significant financial investment, so you want to be confident that the work will stand the test of time. Whereas DIYers will largely be liable for their own work, most reputable kitchen installation teams will provide some form of workmanship guarantee. Here at Moda Interiors, we stand behind the quality of our work and are proud to offer a 10-year guarantee on our products.
Cons: It costs more
Working with a professional kitchen design team tends to be more expensive than doing it on your own. However, most homeowners find that the added expertise, quality of work and peace of mind more than justify the added expense.
Cons: Strangers in your home
Understandably, some people don’t like the idea of having strangers in their home. While it’s true that renovating your kitchen will inevitably be a little disruptive, professional kitchen installers work much more efficiently than DIYers. Essentially, this means that the work gets done faster and you can get back to normal life as quickly as possible. At Moda Interiors, we always treat our customers’ homes with courtesy and respect, while going out of our way to minimise disruption to your day-to-day life.
DIY kitchen installations
Pros: It’s cost effective
Reducing labour costs by doing the work yourself can potentially help you save on the overall cost of your kitchen installation. Remember that some labour costs will be unavoidable as you’ll likely need to hire registered tradespeople for portions of the work. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of buying or hiring tools and safety equipment if you don’t already have them.
Pros: DIY work is rewarding
Renovating your home and working at your own pace can be immensely rewarding – provided you have the skills and confidence to satisfy your own expectations.
Cons: Renovations are time consuming
If you’ve ever done some work on your home, you’ll know firsthand that DIY projects can be extremely time-consuming. It’s not uncommon for seemingly small projects to snowball into never ending projects, which can be highly disruptive for the household.
Cons: You may not have the skills for the job
Unless you have extensive DIY experience, there’s a good chance that you won’t have all the skills necessary to carry out a kitchen renovation project from start to finish. Painting the walls of your kitchen or installing new appliances, for example, are significantly easier tasks than making structural changes or installing electric wiring. In the interests of safety and achieving a good finish, it’s usually a good idea to leave the complex work to a professional.
Cons: There are no guarantees
With DIY projects, you’re fully responsible for the quality of your work as well as any mistakes you make along the way. Damaged materials can drive up the overall cost of the project, while improper product installation can void warranties and potentially lead to big, costly issues further down the track.
Contact the kitchen installation experts
Here at Moda Interiors, we provide leading kitchen design solutions at competitive prices. Give us a call today on 0800 466 632 to find out how we can add value to your kitchen project.