Reconfiguring your home for that new dream kitchen
It’s well reported during the pandemic that people have been investing in their biggest asset, their homes. Lockdowns resulting in families spending more time together, has led to the realisation that their homes are no longer as fit for purpose as they once were – and now need. Reconfiguring your home for that new dream kitchen may just be the answer
As a result many homeowners are taking advantage of the temporary suspension of stamp duty to up sticks and move. Like where you live? Have great neighbours? Already in the catchment area for the school you want children to attend? Moving may not be what you want to do. Sometimes, the best way to maximise the potential space available for a new kitchen is to reconfigure the whole area. This often means building works are required. Knocking down walls, building an extension or opening up previously unused or unusable areas of the home to create that perfect kitchen area, are requested more than ever now.
Since the pandemic started we have seen an increased focus by clients on the configuration of their internal spaces. They’re interested in making their available space work harder for them. This is because our homes needed to become much more multifunctional than they ever needed to be before. As we enter another lockdown, we’re told to immediately work, educate the children, exercise and socialise at home. Ideas such as rooms with sliding doors and movable furniture can easily be designed into your home so it can be used for what it’s needed for at any time during the day
If you’re considering reconfiguring your home to accommodate a new kitchen, our aim is to make such renovations as simple, efficient, safe and stress free for clients wanting to improve their family’s home
The dilemma
Do you hire a builder to undertake the construction but who knows little about kitchen design or a kitchen designer who knows little about construction? Our specialist kitchen design team will see the possibilities in a space. But to achieve the client’s objective may require the re-organisation or increase of space to really deliver the kitchen of their dreams.
Which leads to clients faced with making choices and, potentially, compromises.
Which is where we seem to have filled a niche. Reviewing the 2020 jobs we’ve undertaken, a significant proportion involved reconfiguration work. As part of our complete design and installation service, we work with expert local tradesmen to carry out any small building works you may want undertaking to deliver your new dream kitchen. The benefit to clients is that they get a full end-to-end project management service from just one main contractor. And because we oversee the entire project, we ensure it’s efficiently scheduled to cause the least possible disruption
Safety
Whoever you employ to undertake your reconfiguration project, safety has to be one of your primary concerns. Few people would know that as a domestic client having work done on their home, they have legal duties under the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015. These duties are usually transferred to the contractor undertaking the work. It is, therefore, vital when choosing a company to design and install your new kitchen or undertake any property maintenance, that you choose one with the skills and experience to manage the project to the highest standards of safety.
Safety starts before work begins
The design of your kitchen has to comply with the standards required by the Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015. Every design we create is checked at least three times by at least two senior managers. This ensures we’re optimising your space, your construction is safe, meets home insurers’ requirements and that your new kitchen will fit as it should.
On-site safety management
In order to comply with on-site requirements, the most important person in our team is the project manager. He’s responsible for identifying the risks and liaising with the designers and contractors before and during every project. Vitally, he is ensures the design agreed is practical and can be implemented safely. Ours, Jim Marsh, has deep knowledge of the kitchen renovation safety requirements a project demands. This experience is borne of having been responsible for building new homes in a previous role. Jim is Construction Industry Training Board assessed, having taken and passed their demanding Site Management Safety Training Scheme. He’s also trained in asbestos awareness, having passed UKATA’s non-licensable work with asbestos course and is well versed to be able to liaise with structural engineers and Building Control so that clients can be reassured that the work is undertaken to the satisfaction of insurance providers
We are unapologetic in our commitment to safety, both within our own business but especially on site in clients’ homes. We have regularly updated risk assessments and safe systems of work covering all aspects of the company’s business. All our employees undergo regular training – provided by external consultants and in-house. We design these to ensure full understanding of the need for safety in whatever role they perform
Inspired?
At Nicholas Hythe, our aim is to make the property renovation process as simple, efficient, safe and stress free for clients wanting to improve their family’s home. So, if you’re inspired and ready to start the process of buying a new kitchen, start thinking about what it might look like and how you want to use it. Ask yourself, what do you need and want for it to function for you and your family? If you need help on deciding what style to go for, check out kitchen designs that never go out of style. Advice and design ideas are also found all over the Web, including Nicholas Hythe kitchen pictures gallery, our entire picture library and customer reviews on Google, and many other sites such as Pinterest, Houzz. Or check out our social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Then when you’re ready, why not book an appointment with us, free and with no-obligation?
