Remodeling your kitchen on a budget

REMODELLING YOUR KITCHEN || || ON A BUDGET KITCHEN REMODELLING IN THE UK IS BIG BUSINESS The total UK market for kitchen furniture is worth about £3 billion a year to retailers. 18.5% of this - £239.6 MILLION IMPORTS The domestic market comes from imports. is estimated to be worth DOMESTIC £13 BILLION MARKET in fiscal year 2012-13. However, since 2008-09, the market has been hit as consumers have shifted priorities and found alternative ways to make their money go further. UK manufacturers of kitchen furniture This is down 8% are forecast to generate revenue of £1.08 BILLION on the previous year. in 2012-13 WE SPEND WHAT SEEMS TO BE FOREVER IN THE KITCHEN 1.132 DAYS 27.156 HOURS As a nation, our love of food is cooking in the kitchen. or thought to use up Over the course of an average life, 12 3 YEARS are spent peeling, chopping, MINUTES boiling and cooking. is the average time an adult will cook for per day. A recent poll by Baby Zone revealed that almost half of home-cooks spend between 2-3 hours in the kitchen a day. 44.61% 26.78% 12.05% 11.39% 5.16% SS Kitchen? Where's Less than Between two and Between three I live in the kitchen? one hour three hours and five hours the kitchen So it's no wonder we want our kitchen to accommodate all of our culinary wants and needs. REASONS TO REMODELA KITCHEN SHAPE MATTERS Most people would like a new shape to their kitchen. U-SHAPED G-SHAPED 34% 25% :: GALLEY L-SHAPED 20% 17% :: Men are more likely to want a galley-shaped layout Women are more likely to prefer a G-shaped layout Having everything around you with added worktop space is very attractive, but it could be costly. Another poll shows the most popular changes consumers would like in their kitchen. ERIDSERATOR COUNTERTOR CABINETS IGHTING 36% SINK 37% 33% FLOORING 21% 24% OVENHOR REHVASHE TAP 29% 26% 25% 21% REMODELLING ON A BUDGET £8,000 is the average cost of a new kitchen. However, with a bit of DIY and a focus on the small things, it's possible to achieve the look and feel of a brand new remodelled kitchen inexpensively. NEW CUPBOARD DOORS WHY? PROS Updating cupboard doors is a low-cost way to change the look of your kitchen. New doors can be colour co-ordinated with the rest of your kitchen, or for a minimalist feel, try white. COST £10-E100 PER DOOR DIY DIFFICULTY EASY NEW HANDLES WHY? PROS To go with your new doors, New handles can even be used on old doors to bring a boring kitchen to life. handles can also add a bit of flair without breaking the bank. COST £2-£20 DIY DIFFICULTY EASY NEW FLOORING WHY? PROS Laminate, vinyl or even real wood - changing a kitchen's floor is inexpensive, and you can do it yourself. Depending on the size, you could get away with spending very little on updating the floor of your kitchen. COST E5-£65 PER M DIY DIFFICULTY MEDIUM NEW COUNTERTOP WHY? PROS Countertops can become outdated and dirty, so replacing them can immediately brighten up a kitchen. Laminate, although cheap, is long-lasting and durable. Solid wood and granite can last a lifetime. COST £50-E500 PER LENGTH DIY DIFFICULTY HARD NEW SINK & FIXTURES WHY? PROS Sinks can add sparkle to your kitchen, but if you're happy with your current one, new fittings will do the job just as well. Mixer taps can modernise any sink, with a wide variety of colours and styles available. COST £30-E650 DIY DIFFICULTY HARD REPAINT WHY? PROS A lick of paint is sometimes all that's needed to refresh and completely change the look of a kitchen. An ultra-low-cost way to add colour to any kitchen. COST £10-40 DIY DIFFICULTY EASY NEW LIGHTING WHY? PROS Under-cabinet lighting can brighten Swapping or adding lighting can brighten up a kitchen and also allows you to clearly see what you're doing when cooking! up a dingy workplace and show off your newly remodelled kitchen. COST E10-E100 DIY DIFFICULTY MEDIUM Make sure your electricity is turned off when working with electrical items or consult a qualified electrician. UPDATE OLD APPLIANCES WHY? PROS Although it might seem drastic, updating old appliances will finish the kitchen as a whole. New appliances will bring your kitchen up-to-date and could save energy. COST E50-E1.000 DIY DIFFICULTY HARD Consult a professional for installation. UPDATE COOKWEAR WHY? COST E10-E200 If your current cookware is a little shabby, it's worth updating it to something more modern. But, according to a poll, the most important feature of new cookware is its value for money. DIY DIFFICULTY EASY WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF NEW COOKWARE? Good value for money 59% Easy to care for/clean 55% Non-stick 53% Handle resists heat 30% Scratch-resistant 30% Dishwasher-safe 29% Inexpensive 28% Made of stainless steel 24% Chef quality 23% Can use in oven 22% Handles are comfortable 22% Weight of cookware 22% Design or how it 'looks' 17% Type of lids offered 15% How it feels in your hand 14% Lots of pieces offered 13% Not made with Teflon 13% Top-of-the-line product 12% Coordinates with my kitchen 10% Made of copper 3% A FINAL THOUGHT THINK BEFORE YOU BUY. Do you really need that brand-new kitchen gadget? If you're on a budget, refrain from buying gadgets and focus on updating the overall look of your kitchen. Nine times out of 10, kitchen gadgets may save you time, but the process they replace can be achieved with a simple utensil just as effectively. SOURCES Kitchen Furniture Manufacturing in the UK: Market Research Report - www.ibisworld.co.uk Who says the days of slaving over a hot stove were over? - www.dailymail.co.uk Kitchen Facts & Statistics - Pinterest – www.pinterest.com How much time do you spend in the kitchen each day? - www.babyzone.com Can I get a kitchen on a budget? - www.which.co.uk Ikea Kitchen - www.ikea.com John Lewis Kitchen - www.johnlewis.com TM MoneySupermarket com ::