2025 Kitchen Remodel: First Step Guide

In 2025, kitchen refurbishment is becoming an important project for many families to improve their quality of life. A modern kitchen not only improves cooking efficiency, but also makes the home environment more beautiful and comfortable. However, kitchen refurbishment is a complex and time-consuming process that requires thorough planning and preparation. In this article, we will provide you with a detailed kitchen refurbishment guide to help you start your refurbishment journey with ease.

The first article below is the first step in the process that you should start with your kitchen refurbishment.

Ⅰ. Understanding your refurbishment needs and budget

The first step in kitchen refurbishment is to define your needs and budget. Consider the following questions before deciding to refurbish:

What functions do you want your kitchen to fulfil? Is it a more efficient cooking space or a more spacious storage area?
What is your budget? The cost of a kitchen refurbishment varies depending on the materials, design and difficulty of construction, and knowing your budget can help you make a more sensible choice.
Are you willing to DIY? If you are not a DIYer, you may need to hire a professional renovator or designer.

According to market research, the cost of kitchen refurbishment varies greatly. A basic renovation (up to 10 square metres) will cost around $10,000, including demolition, wall and flooring, and basic plumbing and electrical renovation. Quality upgrades (including mid-range cabinets, rail sockets, etc.) may reach 20,000-30,000 yuan, while the cost of high-end renovation (whole-house customisation, imported main materials, intelligent equipment) may exceed 50,000 yuan.

Ⅱ. Choose the renovation style and design

After determining the needs and budget, the next step is to choose the renovation style and design. The kitchen style will directly affect your colour choice, material matching and overall layout.

1, Introduction of popular styles

Modern minimalist style: focusing on clean lines and bright colours, suitable for families who like a minimalist lifestyle.
Industrial style: using exposed brick walls, metal pipes and other elements to create a rugged and practical atmosphere.
Rustic style: using wooden furniture and floral decorations to create a warm and natural country style.

2, Design Points

Colour matching: choose a colour that is in harmony with the overall home style, such as modern minimalist style can choose white or grey as the main tone.
Material selection: durable and easy to clean materials are preferred, such as quartz stone countertops, non-slip tiles.
Space layout: follow the ‘golden triangle’ principle (cooker, sink, refrigerator to form a triangular layout), improve cooking efficiency.

Ⅲ. The removal of old things and basic transformation

Before the renovation begins, you need to remove the old kitchen facilities and carry out basic transformation.

1, Demolition of old things

Removal cost: The cost of removing old cabinets, tiles, etc. is about 300-500 RMB, depending on the size of the kitchen and the difficulty of removal.

Note: Other furniture and decorations in your home should be protected from damage during the demolition process. Meanwhile, the demolition work should be done by a professional team to ensure safety.

2, Plumbing remodelling

Plumbing renovation: the cost is about 20-35 RMB/m (using PPR pipe), to ensure that the layout of the water circuit is reasonable, safe and reliable.
Circuit reconstruction: the cost of about 1000-1500 yuan (including sockets, switches and other basic items), according to the demand may increase the cost.

Note: water and electricity renovation is the basic project of kitchen renovation, be sure to choose reliable quality materials and professional construction team.

Ⅳ. Wall and floor renovation

Wall and floor renovation is an important part of kitchen renovation, not only affect the aesthetics, but also about durability.

1, Wall renovation

Tile selection: mid-range soft tile price of about 50-120 yuan / square metre, it is recommended to choose light-coloured bright tiles, easy to clean and can increase the sense of space.
Waterproof treatment: the waterproof height of the wall should be more than 30cm (sink area can be brushed to 1.2 metres), to ensure that the kitchen is dry and leak-free.

2, Floor Renovation

Tile laying: the price of floor tiles is about 50-80 yuan / square metre (package), choose tiles with good anti-slip properties to ensure safety.
Ground levelling: before laying tiles, the ground should be levelled, the cost is about 10-15 yuan / square metre.

Ⅴ. Ceiling and lighting design

Ceiling and lighting design is the key to enhance the beauty and practicality of the kitchen.

1, Ceiling selection

Recommended materials: kitchen ceiling is recommended to use aluminium or waterproof gypsum board, easy to clean and durable. The price range is about 70-110 RMB/m2.
Installation cost: ceiling installation cost depends on the material and area, usually between 500-1500 RMB.

2, Lighting design

Lighting layout: kitchen lighting should be evenly distributed, including the main light and auxiliary lighting (such as LED lights under the cabinet).
Lamp selection: choose energy-saving and moderate brightness lamps and lanterns to improve cooking comfort.

Ⅵ. Cabinets and countertops custom

Cabinets and countertops are the core part of the kitchen, directly affecting the cooking experience and storage space.

1, Cabinet customisation

Material selection: Cabinet panels should be moisture-proof and durable, such as multi-layer solid wood or particle board.
Customised cost: the cost of customised cabinets depends on the material and size, generally between 3000-12000 yuan (carpentry to play the cabinet plus the finished countertops and door panels is a cost-effective solution).
Design points: reasonable planning of storage space, according to the height of the family design countertop height (usually between 80-90cm).

2, Countertop selection

Material recommendation: Quartz stone or artificial stone countertops are durable and easy to clean, ideal for kitchen countertops.
Installation cost: Countertop installation cost depends on the material and size, usually between 1000-1400 RMB/extended metre.

Ⅶ. Kitchen appliances and intelligent equipment

Modern kitchens are inseparable from a variety of electrical appliances and intelligent equipment, they not only improve the cooking efficiency, but also make life more convenient.

1, Selection of kitchen appliances

Necessary appliances: range hoods, gas stoves, dishwashers and other essential kitchen appliances.
Brand recommendation: choose well-known brands and cost-effective products, such as Aotian range hoods, gas stoves and so on.
Installation requirements: Determine the size of the appliances and installation requirements in advance to ensure smooth construction.

2, Intelligent equipment upgrade

Intelligent socket: Reserve the position of intelligent socket to facilitate future upgrading of intelligent oven, voice-controlled lighting and other equipment.
Intelligent home system: Consider installing intelligent home system to realise remote control and intelligent linkage of kitchen appliances.

Ⅷ. Construction Supervision and Acceptance

In the renovation process, construction supervision and acceptance is an important part of ensuring project quality and safety.

1, Construction supervision

Regular inspection: Regularly check the progress and quality of construction to ensure that the construction team follows the plan.
Communication and co-ordination: Maintain good communication with the construction team to solve any problems arising during construction.

2, Project Acceptance

Plumbing test: After the completion of plumbing and electrical renovation, conduct plumbing and electrical tests to ensure that there is no leakage or leakage of electricity.
Overall inspection: After the renovation is completed, the kitchen is inspected as a whole to ensure that all facilities are functioning properly and the aesthetics are up to standard.

Ⅸ. The renovation of the maintenance and maintenance

Kitchen renovation is complete, but also need to do a good job of routine maintenance and maintenance work to extend the life and maintain the aesthetic degree.

1, Cleaning and maintenance

Regular cleaning: regular cleaning of the kitchen countertops, walls and floors, to keep clean and tidy.
Anti-fouling treatment: Anti-fouling treatment for easy-to-fouling areas, such as the use of anti-fouling mats or anti-fouling paint.

2, Daily Maintenance

Checking electrical appliances: Regularly check the operating status of kitchen electrical appliances and repair or replace damaged parts in time.
Anti-moisture and anti-mould: Pay attention to the moisture and mould prevention work in the kitchen, and keep it ventilated and dry.

Ⅹ. Conclusion

Kitchen renovation is a complex and time-consuming process, but as long as you do a good job of careful planning and preparation, you can easily start the renovation journey. We hope that the first step guide to kitchen refurbishment provided in this article will help you to have a modern kitchen that is both beautiful and functional. Remember to remain patient and attentive during the refurbishment process and enjoy transforming your home!