A kitchen renovation involves more than choosing cabinets and benchtops. You’ll also need to make decisions about layout, appliances, services, budget and how the work will fit into daily life.
Working through these choices before construction begins can help you give your renovator clearer instructions and reduce last-minute changes. Use this checklist to organise your thinking. You don’t need every finish picked on day one, but it helps to settle the important details before they affect orders, trades or the budget.
1. Decide what the renovation includes
Be clear about whether you’re updating finishes or replacing the kitchen. A cosmetic refresh might involve painting, new handles or replacing appliances. A full renovation could include new cabinetry, flooring, plumbing, electrical work or changes to walls and windows.
Write down what you want changed and what you hope to keep. This gives you a starting point for conversations with your renovator and for comparing quotes.
2. Set a budget and allow for the unexpected
Make a budget that accounts for more than cabinetry and appliances. Include demolition, installation, plumbing, electrical work, flooring, splashbacks, painting and any design or project-management fees.
As a general guide, consider keeping a contingency of around 10–15% for unexpected costs or changes. The right amount can depend on your home’s age and the scope of work. For more detail on typical cost factors, see our guide to kitchen renovation costs in Australia.
3. Think about how you use the kitchen
Before choosing a style, consider who uses the kitchen and what happens there each day. Do you cook together? Need room for children to do homework? Store bulk groceries or small appliances?
Note the things that currently work well and what causes frustration. These everyday observations can help guide layout and storage choices.
4. Confirm the layout and workflow
Decide where the sink, cooktop, fridge and main preparation areas should sit. A traditional work triangle can be a helpful starting point, but modern kitchens may need several work zones, particularly if more than one person cooks.
Consider how people move through the room, where doors and drawers open, and whether an island might obstruct traffic. Our guide to the kitchen work triangle explains the basic idea.
5. Plan storage around what you own
Take stock of what you need to store: cookware, food, dishes, appliances and cleaning supplies. Think about whether deep drawers, a pantry, pull-out storage or an appliance cupboard would suit your household.
A storage plan based on your actual belongings is more useful than guessing. Make sure there’s also a practical home for rubbish and recycling.
6. Choose appliances before cabinetry is finalised
Appliance sizes and installation requirements can affect cabinet dimensions, power, ventilation and clearances. Choose your preferred models early enough for your renovator and trades to check their specifications.
Confirm details such as door swing, required gaps, power supply and whether the appliance needs water or gas. If you’re still comparing options, ask how each choice affects the layout and total budget.
7. Confirm cabinetry details
Decide on cabinet heights, door style, internal storage, handles and finish. Check that the plan accounts for appliances, corners, drawers and any items you use regularly.
Ask to review the final cabinet plan and confirm dimensions before manufacture. Custom cabinetry is made for your space, so changes after production begins can be difficult or costly.
8. Choose your benchtop, sink and splashback together
These elements meet at important junctions and can affect each other’s dimensions and installation. Confirm the sink type and position, tap location, benchtop material and splashback finish before final measurements are taken.
Consider maintenance as well as appearance. Different surfaces can have different care requirements, durability and price points. Our guide to stone versus laminate benchtops can help you compare common options.
9. Decide what’s happening with the flooring
Work out whether the existing floor will stay, be repaired or be replaced. If it’s changing, confirm how the new floor will meet cabinetry and adjoining rooms, and whether its thickness affects appliance clearances.
The installation sequence can vary by project. Ask your renovator how flooring and cabinetry will be coordinated so the finished edges and levels are considered in advance.
10. Plan lighting and power points
Think about the lighting you need for food preparation, general use and dining. Under-cabinet task lighting can help illuminate benchtops, while switches should be convenient to reach.
Make a list of appliances and where you’d like to use them. Discuss power point locations with your electrician before work starts, taking cabinetry, splashbacks and appliance positions into account.
11. Confirm plumbing, gas and ventilation requirements
Decide whether the sink, dishwasher or cooktop is moving. Changes to plumbing or gas can affect cost and may require appropriately licensed trades and notifications, depending on the work and where you live.
Also decide how cooking fumes will be managed. Ask your renovator and relevant trades about rangehood options, ventilation and what is practical in your home. If you’re considering induction, confirm electrical requirements before settling on the appliance.
12. Check approvals, strata rules and existing conditions
Requirements vary between states and territories, councils, building types and project scopes. Before work begins, check whether your plans need approval or inspection. If you live in a strata property, ask the owners corporation about approvals, work hours and waste arrangements.
The National Construction Code sets requirements for building work, but the applicable provisions and approval pathways depend on your circumstances. Ask your local council or building professional what applies. If your home is older, discuss potential hazards such as asbestos before demolition.
13. Agree on the written scope and responsibilities
Before signing, check that the contract or written scope explains what’s included and excluded, the products being supplied, payment arrangements, how changes are handled and who coordinates each trade.
Clarify responsibilities for approvals, waste removal, protecting the home and reconnecting appliances. A clear agreement gives you and your renovator a shared reference if questions come up.
14. Check selections, availability and delivery timing
Record product choices, including model numbers, finishes and suppliers. Ask about availability and expected delivery dates for items such as appliances, cabinetry, benchtops and tapware.
If a product is delayed or unavailable, find out how that could affect the schedule before approving a substitute. Making selections early gives your renovator more time to coordinate orders and installation.
15. Plan for the renovation period and handover
Ask your renovator what the likely sequence of work is and what could affect timing. Agree on site access, parking, delivery arrangements and how the work area will be separated from the rest of your home.
If you’ll be living at home, plan where you’ll prepare food and wash dishes during the renovation. At handover, allow time to check that appliances, taps, lights and drawers work as expected, and to collect relevant manuals and compliance documents.
Your pre-renovation quick check
Before work begins, make sure you have:
- A clear scope and a budget with contingency
- A confirmed layout, storage plan and appliance schedule
- Cabinetry, benchtop, sink and flooring decisions coordinated
- Lighting, power, plumbing, gas and ventilation discussed
- Approvals and strata requirements checked where relevant
- A written scope, selections record and agreed work arrangements
- A plan for cooking and daily routines while the kitchen is out of action
You don’t need to become a renovation expert to make informed decisions. Your role is to understand what matters to your household, ask questions and work through choices with your renovator.
These steps reflect lessons drawn from more than 500 renovations. For more practical planning guidance, visit Own Your Reno and explore the kitchen renovation guides on our site.