Cooking the rebuild books

New cupboards, new lighting and a paint job transformed this kitchen for $3500. Photo / Supplied

Low-cost home renovations can give a high return when a home is sold or rented.

The trick is getting maximum impact for your money.

When renovating for profit rather than enjoyment, it is critical to get the kitchen right, says interior designer Jane Eyles-Bennett.

You need a balance between spending the appropriate amount, renovating for the right audience and to suit the location, and modernising as much as you can within these parameters.

Too often for DIYers, the answer to renovating a kitchen is to pull it out and start again.

This can be a waste of money. Depending what you're planning to do with your property, there are dozens of strategies for upgrading the kitchen, starting with a $500 "trick up", says Eyles-Bennett.

Her golden rule is to spend only 1-1.5 per cent of an investment property's pre-renovation value on the kitchen, more if it is your own home or if you're in a good area and also updating the rest of the property.

The better the area, the closer to the upper limit you can aim. In lower growth areas, spend the minimum allowance of 1 per cent or less. This includes the entire renovation, not just cabinetry.

The key to keeping costs down, she says, is to identify the main components that let the kitchen down and renovate those things only.

"You can create a spectacular-looking kitchen for a fraction of the cost of a new one - as long as you choose the right parts to change and are smart about what you do."

Cabinetry

Cabinetry is the focal point and there are dozens of different renovating options - from DIY re-surfacing (not recommended for benchtops), professional resurfacing, replacing the doors and/or benchtop (and retaining the carcass/base to save costs), or just updating the door handles and splashback.

Costs range from $500 to several thousand but, done well, will add a lot of value.

Flooring

Flooring is important but not essential when your budget is tight. Spend money on things at eye level first. Don't be scared to use vinyl - there are lots of smart, modern products that will upgrade your kitchen for a fraction of the cost of timber or tiles.

Lighting

Good lighting adds dimension and sparkle. Fluorescent lights emit a dull, flat light, so replace them if possible. Spotlights create warm pools of light on surfaces, giving lift and life to a dark kitchen.

Appliances

You don't need to buy the most expensive European appliances for a great result - just ensure they have a guarantee.

Sometimes cleaning the existing appliances will suffice. Replacing damaged or missing knobs will save having to buy a new appliance.

Caviar looks, cabbage budget

Instead OF spending $10,000 or more replacing the kitchen, existing cabinetry and flooring was retained. New cupboards, new lighting and a paint job transformed it for $3500.

Replacing the benchtop, cabinetry handles and splashback can improve a kitchen. Lighting is underestimated in renovating.

Think about what you spend in relation to what you expect to get back. On a low-value property in a low socio-economic area, go for long-lasting, low-cost products. Compromise aesthetically, but don't over-capitalise.

In a higher socio-economic area, spend more since it is harder to over-capitalise. Select hard-wearing, good-looking products.

Restrict your spending if you have a high-value property in a low socio-economic area. With rentals, renovate with high-wear products. Keep costs down but don't let aesthetics suffer too much.

On a high-value property in a high socio-economic area, specify great-looking, durable products and materials. They don't need to be expensive, but can cost more than for renovations on lower-value properties.

Key to any renovation is planning:
* What you are going to do.
* Who is going to do it (painter, plumber, cabinetmaker, electrician).
* What it is going to cost (labour and materials).
* How long it is going to take.
* When it can be done.

Giveaway

We have 10 DIY renovating e-kits to give away courtesy of renovations expert Hotspace Consultants. Each renovating e-kit contains six guides and templates to help you design and manage your own property renovation. Register to go into the draw online at www.HotspaceConsultants.com by requesting a copy of its free renovating guide, Inspiring Renovation Ideas, using the words Herald on Sunday where the online form asks "where did you hear about Hotspace?". The draw will be made on December 17 and winners will be notified by email.