skip to main content

Carpenter builder or bathroom/kitchen company

4 years ago

Hi, I am wanting to renovate my kitchen, en-suite and main bathroom. I have never renovated before so I am not sure if I should get a carpenter/builder to do all 3 or should I have a separate kitchen specialist and separate bathroom builder?

I am spending a lot of money on this so I want to get it right, any help would be appreciated

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

PRO
Eucalypt Studio
4 years ago
Hi Bobby,

How exciting, your'e absolutely not alone in feeling anxious about wanting to get this right.

These are the most costly rooms in your home to renovate so planning is key.

There is a lot of detail to consider with these spaces and you will be expected to provide all this information to your builder before they start; so ensure you have your layout, joinery / cabinetry design, fixtures and finishes sorted first and foremost. Your builder can work with you or your designer to help keep these within your budget. You'll want this information to be as detailed as possible, this will give you the most accurate quote as well as the look and feel you're after. You don't want your builder telling you "I need your tile selection and I need it onsite the day after tomorrow" as more often than not you won't be able to get the one you really want and end up with something that you're not entirely satisfied with.

As these areas are trade heavy I would suggest you hire a builder rather than separate trades such as carpenters / specialists that way they can arrange and manage all of this for you including ordering all your fixtures and finishes, saving you the headache and time of doing it yourself. Also in most cases these days if you're not self funding your lending institute will require a builders contract.

Just remember to gather as much information as possible. The better prepared you are, the better prepared they are and the more smoothly the whole process will run.

I hope this helped answer your question.

Jade
User
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you for your response. I am getting quotes from 3 builders.
Related Discussions
Bathroom reno layout advice
Q
Comments (20)
Save the pink bathroom! The original floor and the pink bath are beautiful! And obviously appropriate to the era of your house. http://savethepinkbathrooms.com/ To give you a more spacious feel, have the door replaced with a cavity sliding door - it gives you an amazing amount of extra space, we did it in our bathroom I would replace the vanity, which is obviously not original, with a custom laminate vanity with cupboards underneath in pink (top) and grey (cupboard doors/sides) or even a boomerang pattern for the top (http://retrospaces.com.au/retro/images/laminates/Renovation/FirstLadyPink.jpg) have a skilled tiler repair any areas that need repairing and have the tiles professionally cleaned and re-grouted and re-do all of the silicone, Then replace all the tapwear with new chrome taps but in an appropriate style (like these for example http://www.caroma.com.au/bathrooms/taps/retro/retro-wall-top-assemblies) and a new glass shower screen. A really fresh coat of white paint (use the bathroom product), better lighting - put a light in above the mirror (http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/00255303/) and a fan/heater/light in front of the vanity exactly above where you'll stand when you get out of the shower. If the mirror isn't in good shape (or it may be mirror doors on a cabinet? I can't tell) then think about replacing the mirror too. You'll save a heap of money over completely re-doing the bathroom and importantly you'll be in keeping with (and preserving) the midcentury design of your home.
...See More
Price of local builders compared to project house company's?
Q
Comments (4)
We had a house built 4 years ago from a local medium price country builder at $2,000m2. It had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double garage . It was 165m2 and included: 2 pac kitchen and corion benchtop Nuline weatherboads, high pitched colorbond roof Half on slab and half on stumps Top grade spotted gum hardwood flooring 2700 high ceilings, square set double glazing to all external windows and stacker door Tinted windows throughout Extensive natural stone to exterior, ensuite and lounge and huge deck. Insulation to roof, floor and internal walls Ducted air conditioning and fans Did not include driveway or landscaping. Medium finish to bathrooms which each had a walk in shower. If you house is twice the size the high expense of a kitchen would be spread over more square metres and so the late should come down. So many variables though. When you get pricing done you need to PC (prime cost items) - set a $ amount so you can compare easily: Kitchen finish Sink and taps dishwasher, oven and hotplates Tile per m2 Carpet m2 Deck m2 Timber/engineered per m2 Laundry cabinet and vanities Tapwear Fans Bathroom heating/cooling Fireplace Air conditioning (split or ducted) bricks per m2 Skirtings Now make sure you dictate finishes: Ducted lau dry and kitchen exhausts height of ceiling height of tiles single or double glazing External cladding Number of coats of paint Number of powerpoints to each room and type, single or double, triple etc All this can be changed once the builder is chosen but it ensures an easy comparison. So when you increase the $ per m2 for your tiles, or lower them it is simply an adjustment. This page needs to be attached to the final contract and initialled. Hope this helps. This builder had built 4 houses for us (3 accommodation) and yet I did this up each time. Very smooth process.
...See More
Need advices on renovating kitchen and 2nd bathroom
Q
Comments (16)
For most projects we are engaged for we begin with what we call a "feasibility" stage of service which is structured to provide clarity in regards to what are the logical and viable project approaches. The exercise considers options/variations of a nominated project scope within the specific context and applies accurate cost projections to a considered array of scenarios/options in broad form. We find this exercise to be is extremely helpful, particularly when people are scratching their heads with how far or how exactly to best approach a renovation/extension. What it does is provide the client with accurate information and understanding of what is possible in a particular format and for what cost and can hence they are better positioned to make properly informed decisions one way or the other moving forward. Whenever a significant property/project investment is being considering we believe it makes sense to allocate a proportion of the investment to professional advice that will help focus the project direction to both best suit a particular circumstance and also result in a maximised outcome/value.
...See More
Dividing a kitchen to make a new bathroom in a unit
Q
Comments (22)
depends on how often you need the extra bathroom and how much you prepared to spend? (i'd expect a modest redecoration of the old bathroom to cost about $15,000 without changing the location of any fixtures, a new kitchen about $15,000 and the second bathroom needing new complex plumbing, new walls and unexpected extras to cost at least two or three times as much if not more (assuming the BC agrees) and, where will you do your washing?.. contrary to other ideas i would prefer to keep a laundry without the second bathroom but removing part of the wall between kitchen and living area would allow for two options for a new laundry "cupboard" and a more spacious open plan kitchen, dining and living area at a fraction of the cost of the second bathroom...(say $40,000 for new kitchen, Euro laundry, floor coverings etc) my concern with the extra bathroom is finding a connection for the new toilet into the sewer which would probably involve digging a trench in the concrete floor to bury the pipe to connect the new toilet to the sewerage under the existing toilet ..my new kitchen and Euro laundry without relocating plumbing but, if you are prepared to completely rebuild the old bathroom and kitchen and rearrange walls this idea adds an extra bathroom in an easier location
...See More
Creativelychallenged
4 years ago
i agree with what Jade has said. However for the kitchen, you will need to pick the brain of the cabinetmaker. Kitchen is largely about the cabinets. Bathroom has many trades and best managed by a builder.
PRO
Monia Basso Architects
4 years ago
Hi Bobby, I would hire a builder and make sure that you have an agreement in place that sets out the scope of works. Discuss the process with them. How they work? How they work with their clients to achieve the desired outcome? Look at some examples of work that they have done before and talk to some of their previous clients for feedback, etc...Monia
PRO
3DA Design Drafting and 3D Visuals
4 years ago
You can do separately. Kitchen designer AND Bathroom designer.
Builder can help you too, but they will project manage only as Kitchen And Bathroom are specialist trade.

OR. use a trusted Joinery Company to arrange for your kitchen. and a trusted Tiler for the bathroom. Those are the 2 main trades, they can sort out the stone mason, electrician, plumber etc

Sponsored

More Discussions

Ideas for window treatment

18

Tiny living area help

17

Kitchen design too big for my apartment?

9

Bathroom shelving

13

Floor Plan for Queen Anne Villa

19