Kitchen Renovation in George Town

On-site work for a straightforward same-layout kitchen runs 2-4 weeks; layout changes with plumbing, gas, or electrical rework push it to 4-8 weeks. The hidden timeline is before day one: custom cabinetry commonly has 4-10 week manufacturing lead times, so order early and only demolish once delivery is confirmed.

Cabinetry — it typically consumes 30-40% of the budget, more than appliances or benchtops. After cabinets: whether you move plumbing or gas, appliance tier, benchtop material, and layout changes. A same-layout renovation with mid-range cabinets is routinely half the price of a relocated kitchen with custom joinery.

Open every door and drawer and check alignment and soft-close action; run the tap and check under-sink connections for weeps; test every appliance and outlet; check the benchtop for chips and sealant lines; confirm the splashback is sealed; and collect appliance warranties plus gas and electrical compliance certificates before releasing the final payment.

Ordering cabinets before finalizing appliance models; demolishing before cabinet delivery is confirmed; skimping on drawers (they beat cupboards for base storage); too few power outlets; no dedicated circuits for ovens and induction hobs; and treating ventilation as an afterthought — a recirculating hood where ducting was feasible is a permanent regret.

Kitchen cabinet packages run roughly RM8,000-RM18,000 (about RM250-RM600 per foot run depending on materials), while full kitchen renovations typically land RM15,000-RM50,000 and premium projects RM45,000-RM100,000. Wet-kitchen extensions on landed homes add structural and permit costs on top.

Malaysian homes commonly split heavy cooking (wet kitchen, often an extension at the back) from light prep and display (dry kitchen). Renovating a dry kitchen is mostly cabinetry work; building or extending a wet kitchen involves structure, roofing, and drainage — meaning PBT-approved plans and roughly double the per-square-foot cost.