Herringbone's Tips For Making Full Home Renovation Projects A Success

Did you know we design and make a lot more than kitchens? Stream-lined whole house bespoke joinery projects including kitchens, utility, pantry, dressing tables, bars, sideboards, wardrobes, bunkbeds, entertainment units, bathroom storage, wine racks etc. have increased tremendiously.

We love that our clients are wanting more from us and we have loved to frequently take on full projects for clients who want a bespoke and streamlined feel throughout their home. As part of your kitchen project Herringbone now often makes bespoke furniture for the rest of the house too.

Tips For Making Your Renovation Project A Streamlined Success

Home improvements come in all shapes and sizes and Herringbone Kitchens have done them all. We’ve worked closely with clients to achieve their dream projects from the get-go. Here are a few of our dos and don’ts for achieving a successful renovation project:

Planning, Do: A brief discussion with your planning department won’t harm as a first step, but in most cases, you will need to consult with an architect to produce initial drawings for planning (planning takes around 8 weeks - if you have cooperative neighbours). Getting a recommendation for an architect is crucial.

Planning, Don't: It is normal for builders’ quotes to vary massively, so don't go with the first quote you get. It will depend on how busy they are, what else they have in your area, how much they want the job and how well they think you’ll work together. Remember - cheap is not always best! It is important to have a good relationship with your builders and strong communication, this will help during the issues that will inevitably arise during every project. 

Design, Do: It is a good idea to get an initial design and quote from your chosen kitchen and furniture company early in the planning process, after you have planning permission ideally. This ensures you won’t run into design limitations further down the line. Do think about how the spaces will work for your current and future lifestyle and invest in storage, furniture that can grow with you and last for a long time. 

Design, Don't: Don't let colour be the last thing you think about. Using complimentary colours or materials to link living spaces together will help the design to flow. A well-placed island or peninsular can define the separate spaces. Fitted furniture, artwork and lighting will also help to add your personal style and character to the space. 

Installation, Do: Make sure you have a concrete timeline in place from the start – this includes your planning, builder, designer and furniture maker. It is important that everything is lined up to avoid too many delays.

Installation, Don't: Try to not change your mind too much. Changing your mind will delay things, for example, adding or changing designs or materials are not always quick jobs. Speak your mind and have a close relationship with your designers and builders, pop in often and try to enjoy the process together.

There are always going to be challenges when doing any kind of home renovation however, if you try to stick to the timeline as much as possible the different trades you have involved are more likely to be able to achieve everything smoothly - good luck!