Kitchen Renovation vs Kitchen Makeover: What's the Difference?

A kitchen makeover keeps your existing units and layout and refreshes what you see: new doors, worktops, handles, paint, splashback and lighting. A kitchen renovation replaces the units and often the layout too, which can mean moving plumbing and electrics, replastering, new flooring and sometimes taking out a wall.

Which one makes sense comes down to two questions. Are the cabinets behind the doors still in good condition? And does the current layout actually work for you? This guide covers what each option involves and what to check before you decide.

What a kitchen makeover includes

A makeover works with what is already there. The cabinet boxes (the carcasses) stay, and so does the layout. Typical makeover work includes:

• New doors and drawer fronts made to fit the existing carcasses
• New worktops
• New handles
• Painting the walls, and sometimes the units
• A new splashback or wall tiles
• New lighting, such as under cabinet lights
• A new sink and tap in the same position

Because the water, gas and power stay where they are, a makeover is usually quicker and the kitchen is out of use for less time.

What a kitchen renovation involves

A renovation starts from a stripped room. The usual stages are:

• Stripping out the old units, worktops and tiles
• Planning a new layout
• Moving pipes, waste and electrics to suit the new layout
• Replastering walls and ceilings where needed
• Laying a new floor
• Fitting new units, worktops and appliances
• Tiling, decorating and finishing

Some renovations go further and open the kitchen into a dining room. Taking out a load bearing wall needs building regulations approval, and usually a structural engineer to design the beam and supports. Gas pipework can only be moved by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and some electrical work, such as adding a new circuit, is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations.

When a makeover makes sense

• The carcasses are solid, dry and square, and the doors line up when closed.
• The layout works. You can move between the sink, hob and fridge easily and there is enough worktop.
• You are happy with where the appliances are.
• You want the kitchen out of action for as short a time as possible.

When a renovation is the better choice

• The units are swollen or stained from water, usually under the sink or next to the dishwasher.
• The layout does not work: too little worktop, awkward corners or appliances in the wrong place.
• You want to open up the room, add an island or change where the sink goes.
• There are not enough sockets, or the wiring and plumbing are old.
• Replacement doors are hard to find for your units because of their age or sizes.
• You want a new floor throughout, which is easier with the units out.

What to check before you decide

1. Look inside the sink unit. Swelling, staining, mould or a soft base are signs of past leaks. Chipboard that has blown will not hold new doors well.
2. Check the carcasses are level and square. Doors that will not line up, sagging shelves and loose hinge fixings point to tired units.
3. Measure the carcasses. Replacement doors need to match the carcass sizes and hinge positions. Note the brand if you know it.
4. Look for damp on the walls behind and around the units. If there is a problem, it needs fixing either way.
5. Think about the worktops. Quartz, granite and marble are heavy and need sound, level base units underneath.
6. Be honest about the layout. If the same things annoy you every day, new doors will not fix them.

How ATR can help

Our kitchen work covers the full job, from stripping out the old kitchen to tiling and finishing. We fit Wren, Howdens, B&Q, Wickes and other kitchens, flat pack or ready built, and fit worktops in quartz, granite, marble, solid wood and laminate. If you are not sure whether your kitchen needs a makeover or a full renovation, we can look at the units and the layout on a free, no obligation visit and talk it through with you.

See our kitchen renovation service, or our tiling and finishing work for splashbacks and walls. If you are planning the timings, read how long it takes to fit a kitchen. We are based in Grays and also cover Upminster and the surrounding area. Call 07795 673584 or ask for a free quote.