We have been considering a kitchen renewal for a while. It's pretty complex.
A small kitchen that works well as it is, 30 years old in good condition.
The house design is 60 years old, styles in layout have changed.

A new kitchen - about $25K. That will basically replace what is there, we would have the same 'area', same walls.
Sort of, nicer new cabinetry in same area, layout altered.

To remove a wall so dining room, kitchen and living room is one big open space, move kitchen yo where dining room is and make it bigger, put double doors out to deck - ballpark guess of $80K.
It would change the house.

My Son and (now Ex) Daughter in Law bought a “Kaboodle” kitchen from Bunnings.     They took along a floor plan with exits/entry/windows marked up and measurements and bought it all off the shelf with the design that the Bunnings’ Software came up with.  May be something to consider Sprint

Yeah, the flatpack I used:

https://dynasty-importers.com.au/product-category/kitchen-cabinets/

$4000 + sink/plumbing/installation

Better than an online flat pack is to find a cabinetry place that cuts and sprays kitchens, take your design to them and get a handyman to install. Use expansive Blum hardware because cheap stuff doesn't last.

Thanks all, there are some good comments there.

We have gone cool on $80K to spend on one area of our house. It'ld be really nice but we could not retrieve any of that money at a later date if need be.
Not sure if the house would be worth another $100K with an $80K upgrade on the kitchen/dining room.

I am not interested in putting an a kitchen myself.
I like to use experts who have installed 50+ kitchens before and give me a 10 year guarantee.
Their work will be better than mine.

Interestingly a kitchen shop contacted me, said they have a 50% off cabinetry for a limited time. Prob to the financial year.
Cabinetry is the big ticket item for a kitchen, so maybe get a new kitchen from them. Similar in layout to the old one. The existing layout is pretty much ideal ofr the area. Add a few 'new' ideas.
I really like the marble look laminate, very taken with it.

https://www.laminex.com.au/article/seaside-luxury-apartment-design-in-palm-beach

Possible kitchen chains - get the old girl back in and shut the door....

Induction is good but can mean new pans, another cost. Induction can’t simmer—just cycles on/off.

I am getting a eye-level oven and a new cooktop, whatever is efficient without costing the earth. Meantime might move the induction plate once my new workbenches are in place, a place I can make brekky: induction plate for porridge etc, coffee machine, jug, toaster, roasty toasty maker nearby.


This week will empty the built-in cupboard in the kitchen, transfer the contents of the under the counter cabinets and my pantry shelves there, ready to have all ripped out, with the kitchen bare see where mice might come in and block the holes well—an old house, bound to be some holes. In my brewshop I bought a bag of ready-mix cement to plug holes in base of brick walls—ended up stuffing steel wool in half inch gap between two horizontal timbers FOUR METRES off the ground!

Sprintcyclist wrote on Jun 8^th, 2024 at 5:07pm:


Another thing you can do is visit kitchen showrooms,  independent cabinet makers work best, find a kitchen that is similar in size to yours, that you like,  and see if they'll give you a good price on the display model. It's still a new kitchen that's only been a shop display,  and they'll adjust it to fit perfectly into your space when they install it. 
My old man used to do this when he was renovating rentals for his clients and he'd get full kitchens for peanuts. Cabinet makers need to update their displays with the latest and selling you the old display is better then throwing it away.