Page 24 - REN July-Aug 2021

Should You DIY Your Kitchen Renovation?

Wendy Helfenbaum courtesy Realtor.ca
ired of cooking in your cramped kitchen? Are your circa-1980 cabinets ready for the dumpster? A new kitchen
can help boost property values and greatly improve your overall enjoyment of the home. The catch? A kitchen
Tremodel isn’t a weekend project.

Depending on how involved your plans are (replacing cabinet doors vs. gutting the whole room), your project can
either be affordable and simple, or expensive and complicated. Here’s how to figure out whether you have the
resources to go the DIY route or if you’re better off hiring a professional.

Evaluate your goals and your skills
Kitchen renovations take money and time, says Brandon Fuchs, owner of North Canadian Construction Group (NCC),
which operates in Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
“You have to determine: are you planning on selling your home
and just renovating it to freshen it up, or is this your forever
home?” he says. “And if you’re in an expensive neighbourhood
and you do the kitchen yourself, the quality of the work you’re
producing might be a deterrent when you sell your home.”
Feeling confident about your abilities? You’ll still need to consider
equipment. If you don’t own the proper tools, factor in the cost of
renting or purchasing what you need.

Consult a designer
Fuchs admits when he first launched his contracting business, he
didn’t appreciate the value of working with a designer. He has
since changed his mind.

24 | REAL ESTATE NOW | denise@BCislandhomes.ca