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An open kitchen is a hot home feature right now, and homeowners all across the country are extending their kitchens to include a living space. Unfortunately, many are seeing disastrous results due to poor planning and other complications.

Kutchen Haus offers the following tips to help you avoid a kitchen extension disaster:

1. Look for inspiration
This may sound simple, but look in magazines, on the TV and in kitchen showrooms, ideally with lifestyle room-sets for different kitchens that you like. You may see something you like, that you haven’t seen before which is just perfect for you.

2. Meet your kitchen designer before you start
All too often we meet customers who have decided to extend their property and want a new kitchen. Great! However, rather than speaking with a skilled kitchen designer prior to starting the building work, they plough ahead and in some cases, actually finish the build. This is not the best way to undertake a kitchen extension as the kitchen plays such a pivotal role in the whole scheme, so you must talk to a designer first. They will see things the builder won’t, plus

they will also be able to tell you what is possible with your room dimensions.

3. Make a kitchen wish list
It may sound simple enough, however customers struggle time and again, to understand that they can no longer have an island in their kitchen, as their dimensions or budget will not allow it. By making a list of your ‘must haves’ and ‘would like to haves’ you can avoid making compromises on key areas. Also think about worktops, appliances, flooring and lighting here. If you need to cut costs down later on, this list will help so much though a process of elimination. You may want the granite worktops for example, but the wine fridge can go.

4. Agree your kitchen design before the building plans
As previously mentioned, your kitchen should be as important as the building work so ensure you have everything thought through. It is so much easier to move windows and doors on a design that it is during the build itself.

5. Avoid building work changes
Changes made during the building work also eat into your kitchen budget. Try and avoid this happening so that you don’t have to cut costs down on the kitchen later on. After all, your dream kitchen is the main reason for the extension.

Above all, take the time to think, research and speak to professionals.

Source: http://www.kutchenhaus.co.uk

3. How much money is in the capital reserve account and how much is funded annually? The capital reserve fund is like an insurance policy for the inevitable capital repairs every building requires (like a new roof on the building). As a general rule, the fund should contain at least 10% of the annual revenue budget, and in the case of older projects, even more. If the capital reserve account is poorly funded, there is a higher risk of a special assessment. Get a copy of the last 2 years budget, the current reserve account funding level and any capital reserve study.

4. Are there any contemplated or pending special assessments? Special assessments are one-time fees for capital improvements payable by every unit owner.  Some special assessments can run in the thousands. You need to be aware if you are buying a special assessment along with your unit. It’s a good idea to ask for the last 2 years of condominium meeting minutes to check what’s been going on with the condominium.

5. Is there a professional management company or is the association self-managed? A professional management company, while an added cost, can add great value to a condominium with well run governance and management of common areas.

6. Is the condominium involved in any pending legal actions? Legal disputes between owners, with developers, or with the association can signal trouble and/or a poorly run organization. Legal action equals attorneys’ fees which are payable out of the condominium budget and could result in a special assessment.