Start with the work, not an advertised price.
A meaningful renovation budget separates what you want to change from what can stay. A cabinet replacement within a useful existing layout is a different scope from moving services, altering walls and redesigning the room. No standard price range can replace a quotation based on the actual space and selected specification.
Group your costs into decisions.
- Cabinetry and storage. Record cabinet quantities, pantry arrangements, drawers and internal accessories.
- Doors and visible finishes. Compare the selected product, profile and edge details rather than colour alone.
- Benchtops and fabrication. Check surface product, joins, edges, cut-outs and installation responsibilities.
- Appliances. Decide what is staying and confirm dimensions for anything new.
- Other work. Identify removal, plumbing, electrical, building and decoration tasks. Confirm who quotes and coordinates them.
Choose where to focus.
List essentials and preferences separately. Storage you use every day may take priority over a feature finish. Retaining a layout may be worth considering when it works, but it should not be treated as a guaranteed saving before the existing room is assessed.
Compare like-for-like quotations.
Check the drawings, cabinet construction, doors, benchtops, hardware, installation, exclusions, payment terms and how variations are handled. Ask whether quoted amounts include GST. Clarify the process for additional work and ask the relevant contractors what allowances are sensible for any uncertainties.
Prepare your enquiry.
Send your suburb, photos or plans, approximate dimensions, what you would like to change and an indicative budget. This lets the discussion focus on a specification that reflects your priorities.
Explore kitchen renovation services ↗