Where do I start - Kitchen Reno

[Grumpy John]

I'm doing a kitchen reno and would appreciate some pointers on the best way to go about it. I'll be ripping out all the existing cupboards and replacing them with new ones. I will be extending the section under the window by about 350 mm. The new cupboards will be arriving mid next week, is there any prep work that I could do to make things as smooth as possible. The house was built in 1995 and is on a concrete slab. I will be keeping the existing wall oven, gas cooktop and dishwasher as they are only about 18 months old. I will be using the same layout.


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[nrb]

I will be watching with interest as our daughter is about to do the sam
She is hoping to do it over the coming xmas holidays

[ian]

I'm doing a kitchen reno and would appreciate some pointers on the best way to go about it. I'll be ripping out all the existing cupboards and replacing them with new ones. I will be extending the section under the window by about 350 mm. The new cupboards will be arriving mid next week, is there any prep work that I could do to make things as smooth as possible. The house was built in 1995 and is on a concrete slab. I will be keeping the existing wall oven, gas cooktop and dishwasher as they are only about 18 months old. I will be using the same layout.

Kitchen Project 04.jpg

Does this mean -- see picture above -- that the width between the cooktop and island is increasing by 350 mm, or there about.

There is a high probability that the floor material (vinyl or engineered flooring) has been cut to fit, so factor in replacing the entire floor back to some readily identifiable line where the change in material used or age will not be noticeable. I suggest you replace the flooring with a material that DOES NOT uses MDF as a substrate.

Are the new bench tops at exactly (+/- 0.5 mm) the same height as the existing?
are the new counter tops
laminated chipboard like the existing?
real stone -- e.g. granite / limestone / marble
engineered stone -- the very high silica content equates to a very hazardous dust

are you sure that person who measured the kitchen checked that the walls at bench top level are square? If this hasn't been allowed for, you will likely find that the tops need to be trimmed so that they fit. This will leave them short unless you have allowed extra length for trimming.

In a typical kitchen, the splash back -- tiled, glass, metal, etc -- is installed after the cabinets and counter tops and the joint sealed with a waterproof grout. On that basis expect damage to at least the first row of tiles.
Factor in replacing at least all of the first row of the tiled splash back. This could be a major headache especially if removing the tiles damages (likely) the gyprock boards.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

What Ian said.

Particularly the parts about flooring, splashback and - although Ian didn't mention it - ceiling plaster & cornices. (There is an appalling trend to fit cabinetry and then plaster the kitchen/wet-areas. Cheaper for the initial builder, but doing a reno? )

These are often overlooked and can add substantially to the cost of a 'simple reno.'

[Grumpy John]

Does this mean -- see picture above -- that the width between the cooktop and island is increasing by 350 mm, or there about.

Correct

There is a high probability that the floor material (vinyl or engineered flooring) has been cut to fit, so factor in replacing the entire floor back to some readily identifiable line where the change in material used or age will not be noticeable. I suggest you replace the flooring with a material that DOES NOT uses MDF as a substrate.

That has been allowed for Ian. I have plenty of vinyl planks left over from when the floor was laid, I do not envision this to be an issue.

Are the new bench tops at exactly (+/- 0.5 mm) the same height as the existing?

Probably not.
are the new counter tops
laminated chipboard like the existing?

Yes.
real stone -- e.g. granite / limestone / marble
engineered stone -- the very high silica content equates to a very hazardous dust

are you sure that person who measured the kitchen checked that the walls at bench top level are square? If this hasn't been allowed for, you will likely find that the tops need to be trimmed so that they fit. This will leave them short unless you have allowed extra length for trimming.

I am very confident in the measurements taken, but as a precaution the benchtops are not being measured and made until the floor cabinets are installed.

In a typical kitchen, the splash back -- tiled, glass, metal, etc -- is installed after the cabinets and counter tops and the joint sealed with a waterproof grout. On that basis expect damage to at least the first row of tiles.
Factor in replacing at least all of the first row of the tiled splash back. This could be a major headache especially if removing the tiles damages (likely) the gyprock boards.

The tiles are being removed and replaced with new.

Thank you for the timely response Ian, much appreciated

[Grumpy John]

What Ian said.

Particularly the parts about flooring, splashback and - although Ian didn't mention it - ceiling plaster & cornices. (There is an appalling trend to fit cabinetry and then plaster the kitchen/wet-areas. Cheaper for the initial builder, but doing a reno? )

These are often overlooked and can add substantially to the cost of a 'simple reno.'

Thanks Skew. I must admit the job of finishing above the wall cabinets is a concern, hopefully I have come to the right place for advice .

[ian]

Hi John

There is a high probability that the floor material (vinyl or engineered flooring) has been cut to fit, so factor in replacing the entire floor back to some readily identifiable line where the change in material used or age will not be noticeable. I suggest you replace the flooring with a material that DOES NOT uses MDF as a substrate.

That has been allowed for Ian. I have plenty of vinyl planks left over from when the floor was laid, I do not envision this to be an issue.

Ah, but if you do not take care, there be an obvious join between the newly installed vinyl planks and the existing floor. Not a good look for a freshly renovated kitchen.




In a typical kitchen, the splash back -- tiled, glass, metal, etc -- is installed after the cabinets and counter tops and the joint sealed with a waterproof grout. On that basis expect damage to at least the first row of tiles.
Factor in replacing at least all of the first row of the tiled splash back. This could be a major headache especially if removing the tiles damages (likely) the gyprock boards.

The tiles are being removed and replaced with new.

I strongly doubt that removing the tiles will not so damage the existing wall material that it needs to be replaced.
In that case, factor in new gyprock or wall board [blue board?] as a tiling substrate. That is unless the existing wall is something more substantial than gyprock or wall board.
Don't be surprised if you find mould at the back of the lower cabinets, so have enough full sized sheets of gyprock on hand for this eventuality.
I'm not sure, as the only kitchen renos I've done were to a fully double brick home, but I think that "proper practice" requires the walls to be completed and the joints sanded flush before the cabinets are installed.



good luck with the reno

[Grumpy John]

Day one.

So far there have been no nasty surprises or unexpected difficulties, but this is only day one .

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[Beardy]

I wouldn’t bother trying to remove the tiles, just cut the plasterboard below the bench line and above the overhead cupboard line and replace it with new wet area plasterboard

[ian]

I wouldn’t bother trying to remove the tiles, just cut the plasterboard below the bench line and above the overhead cupboard line and replace it with new wet area plasterboard

[rob streeper]

You can also use concrete panels to replace the plasterboard behind the backsplash tiles, less flex. If this was mine I'd re-route the electrical cables through the wall studs and protect them with nailguards as well. Set any outlet boxes in the backsplash to stand about 10 mm proud of the face of the substrate so that they end flush with the face of the new backsplash. Now is also the time to install an over-range vent duct if your plan includes one. Follow the instructions of your new flooring to the letter, some types, particularly vinyl planks, can't be laid under cabinets. In addition, some types of flooring require the surface on which they're laid to be very flat and if your slab is not flat you'll have problems.

[ian]

If this was mine I'd re-route the electrical cables through the wall studs and protect them with nailguards as well.
Now is also the time to install an over-range vent duct if your plan includes one.

also
now would be a good time to mark the location of the wall studs.

[Grumpy John]

You can also use concrete panels to replace the plasterboard behind the backsplash tiles, less flex. If this was mine I'd re-route the electrical cables through the wall studs and protect them with nailguards as well. Set any outlet boxes in the backsplash to stand about 10 mm proud of the face of the substrate so that they end flush with the face of the new backsplash. Now is also the time to install an over-range vent duct if your plan includes one. Follow the instructions of your new flooring to the letter, some types, particularly vinyl planks, can't be laid under cabinets. In addition, some types of flooring require the surface on which they're laid to be very flat and if your slab is not flat you'll have problems.

Thanks for the tips Rob. I'll look into the possibility of using a cement sheet, however I'll probably just use plasterboard as it's easier to work with. As for the vinyl tiles I will be tiling up to the cabinets, not under them. I will be removing any planks which will be under the cabinets.

[Grumpy John]

also
now would be a good time to mark the location of the wall studs.

Already had this in mind Ian .

[rob streeper]

These are a big help with plasterboard patches. Insta-Back