Kitchen/Dining Room Renovation - Where to start?

Dapos

Hi all,

Looking for some advice. We bought a house over a year ago. It is a 1970's 3-bed semi in Dublin. One part of the house we would really like to change is the kitchen, which is quite small.

The previous owners removed the wall between the sitting room and dining room. The kitchen is a separate room next to the dining room area. We want to knock the wall between the kitchen and dining room to give us a bigger kitchen area. If we did this, we would also potentially want to close off the sitting room from this new kitchen.

On top of that, we would want to add new kitchen, tiles, floor, sockets etc.

Anyway, we are looking to get someone to give us advice on the best way to approach it, ideas of the layout and an estimate of how much it would cost.

We are also trying to figure out if we could afford an extension now or possibly add this on in a few years so we would also like to get their thoughts on this.

Should we go with an architect, kitchen designer or who should we go to first?

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Richard Roma

Dapos wrote: »

Hi all,

Looking for some advice. We bought a house over a year ago. It is a 1970's 3-bed semi in Dublin. One part of the house we would really like to change is the kitchen, which is quite small.

The previous owners removed the wall between the sitting room and dining room. The kitchen is a separate room next to the dining room area. We want to knock the wall between the kitchen and dining room to give us a bigger kitchen area. If we did this, we would also potentially want to close off the sitting room from this new kitchen.

On top of that, we would want to add new kitchen, tiles, floor, sockets etc.

Anyway, we are looking to get someone to give us advice on the best way to approach it, ideas of the layout and an estimate of how much it would cost.

We are also trying to figure out if we could afford an extension now or possibly add this on in a few years so we would also like to get their thoughts on this.

Should we go with an architect, kitchen designer or who should we go to first?

Any recommendations?

Thanks,

I’d recommend getting a builder out first. If he’s good then he should be able to give you a vague estimate.

The potential kitchen cost will vary hugely (maybe from about €10k to €20k) depending on where you get it, and what appliances you choose. It’s worth chatting to a few kitchen companies now to help you pin down the layout.

shesty

If you are really lost and not seeing how the space will work, I would suggest seeing if you could get an architect to do a consultation for you first.
Once you have some ideas for layouts, then you could get a builder/kitchen designer in and refine them, or else refine the ideas yourself and bring them to a builder/kitchen designer.
We have just done this, started with an architect for ideas (because we were genuinely lost on the best approach for using the space), then kitchen designers to discuss the kitchen layout and give a quote for the kitchen, and now it's on to builders for quotes for the overall layout that we have tied down.

Dapos

shesty wrote: »

If you are really lost and not seeing how the space will work, I would suggest seeing if you could get an architect to do a consultation for you first.
Once you have some ideas for layouts, then you could get a builder/kitchen designer in and refine them, or else refine the ideas yourself and bring them to a builder/kitchen designer.
We have just done this, started with an architect for ideas (because we were genuinely lost on the best approach for using the space), then kitchen designers to discuss the kitchen layout and give a quote for the kitchen, and now it's on to builders for quotes for the overall layout that we have tied down.

Thanks, any idea how much a consultation would cost?

alibab

I have just knocked a wall and made a large kitchen dinner . It’s a 1980s semi . I have double doors then between kitchen diner and sitting room which I can close off or leave open . I had a great builder you co-ordinated all the varies trades and it was all done with kitchen fitted in 3 weeks . Costs can vary I opted for complete new ceiling and floors etc everything was new . It’s was nearer the 20 k mark in the end but I am delighted with the results and that includes everything including fitted kitchen and new appliances

Sausage dog

Some architects offer a consultation at a reduced rate for some charity (think it's a homeless charity) in May. Appointments can book up fast but it might be worth your while looking into it. You'll get some good advice at a fraction of the cost.

jlm29

Sausage dog wrote: »

Some architects offer a consultation at a reduced rate for some charity (think it's a homeless charity) in May. Appointments can book up fast but it might be worth your while looking into it. You'll get some good advice at a fraction of the cost.

It’s the Simon community, I think it’s called the open door fund raiser. Dermot bannon is usually involved (think he was doing his consults in Ikea last year), but an awful lot of other architects are on board too, all over the country. It was €50 a few years ago anyhow, I looked into it at the time, I assume it’s the same now

jlm29

Actually it’s now €90, and it’s available to book now online!

juneg

What would an initial consultation with an Architect actually cost?
I know its €90 with the Simon open door day.
Thanks

jlm29

juneg wrote: »

What would an initial consultation with an Architect actually cost?
I know its €90 with the Simon open door day.
Thanks

I’m sure it varies depending on where in the country you are, and like anything, there’s probably a lot of variance within the profession itself. You’re probably best off ringing a few and asking them