Kitchen Renovation in Evaton

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.

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.

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.

Yes, and it is the single biggest saver. Keeping the sink, stove, and appliance positions avoids rerouting water, waste, gas, and heavy electrical circuits — which means less demolition, fewer trades, and no re-certification of services. Spend the savings on better cabinets and benchtops, which you touch every day.

Flat-pack (IKEA-type) is the budget floor and works well in standard-shaped rooms with a good installer. Semi-custom modular ranges fit most kitchens at mid price. Fully custom joinery costs a large premium and earns it only for awkward spaces, non-standard heights, or specific design goals. The door and drawer hardware quality matters more to daily life than the box construction.

All-inclusive kitchen renovations typically run R63,000-R190,000, with cabinetry at R25,000-R55,000 and countertops R8,000-R25,000 of that; luxury projects in major metros reach R280,000-R450,000. The rand's effect on imported appliances makes local-brand choices the main budget lever.

Many owners add gas hobs for load-shedding resilience — but the installation must be done by a SAQCC-registered gas practitioner with a certificate of conformity, and cylinder placement rules apply. Budget the certified installation and CoC, not just the appliance.