Black-and-white close-up of two decorative black cabinet handles mounted on white cupboard doors.
Reference image: cabinet handles on white cupboard doors. Doors and hardware are often among the first things weighed up when deciding what can stay.
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FAQ · TEN QUESTIONS, ANSWERED PLAINLY

Questions to ask before the first cabinet comes out.

Homeowners in Brighton usually want the same things answered early. What can stay, what has to go, who handles the plumbing and wiring, and when a price arrives. These are the answers Ivan Bodnar gives. Most of them begin with the same point: the right scope depends on an on-site assessment of the kitchen you already have.

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QUESTION SCHEDULE

Grouped the way a kitchen is assessed. Start with the room, then what’s behind it, then the trades and paperwork, then the quote.

#04 · LAYOUT, CABINETRY & PRACTICAL OPTIONS

The kitchen itself.

Layout, storage, bench space and cabinetry are covered in more detail on Layout, Cabinetry & Practical Options.

Q01

Can I keep the existing layout?

Often, yes. If the sink, cooktop and fridge already sit in sensible positions, keeping the layout can be the practical choice. The decision comes from how you need the kitchen to work: storage, bench space, cleaning and how many people cook at once. Moving the sink, cooktop or power points brings plumbing and electrical work into the scope. That work is carried out by authorised specialists. More on this in Keeping Your Kitchen Layout vs Changing It.

Q02

Can existing cabinets be reused?

Sometimes, but not always. Carcasses that are square, dry and solid may take new doors, panels or a new benchtop. Swollen board, water damage under the sink, sagging shelves or failing fixing points usually point towards replacing that part of the run. You’ll get a straight answer after the on-site assessment, not before it. See Can Your Existing Kitchen Cabinets Be Reused?

Q03

What needs to be removed?

Only what the agreed scope requires. Removal is listed item by item in the written quotation, so you can see what is being kept, what is being replaced and why. Some items, such as old splashback tiles or a benchtop, only show the condition behind them once they come off. That’s why the quotation explains what was visible at assessment.

#05 · SURFACE PREPARATION & SUITABLE MATERIALS

Behind the visible finishes.

Q04

What may be found behind the cabinets?

Common findings include moisture around the sink run, damaged or unsuitable wall substrate, out-of-level floors, and services that are hard to reach or in poor condition. An inspection cannot reveal every concealed issue. If something turns up once the cabinets are out, Ivan explains what was found and the practical options before work continues. Read What May Be Found Behind Kitchen Cabinets.

Q05

Can the splashback or floor be done first?

They can be done as separate jobs. The order still matters, though. If you replace visible finishes before checking moisture, substrate suitability, service access and underlying damage, you can end up redoing work. A new splashback needs a sound, flat wall, and an uneven floor affects how cabinets sit. Start with Replacing a Kitchen Splashback, Dealing With an Uneven Kitchen Floor and Why Surface Preparation Comes Before New Finishes.
A tradesperson works inside a kitchen sink cabinet, connecting white drainage pipes and plumbing fittings.
Reference image: under-sink drainage pipework inside a kitchen cabinet, one of the places checked for moisture and service access.

Q06 · #06 LICENSED TRADES

Will plumbing or electrical changes need licensed trades?

Yes. Licensed plumbing and electrical work is carried out by appropriately authorised specialists. Ivan does not perform it himself. That includes relocating a sink, adding circuits or moving power points. The work is identified at assessment so it is part of the plan from the start. See Licensed Trades & Regulated Work and Plumbing and Electrical Changes in a Kitchen Renovation.

Q07 · OVERSIGHT

Can a sole trader manage the scope?

Ivan Bodnar is an independent sole trader with approximately 15 years’ personal renovation experience. You deal with him directly from the first discussion and site assessment through the renovation. He assesses the kitchen and oversees his part of the work. If a proposed scope needs disciplines outside his role, he tells you at the assessment. More in About Ivan Bodnar.

Q08 · PAPERWORK

What registrations and approvals apply?

It depends on the project. Permits, registration, insurance and licensed trade requirements vary with the scope, so contract, insurance and approvals wording is checked for each job. Ivan does not claim unverified trade licences or builder registration. Structural engineering, architecture, building certification and asbestos removal are outside his work and need the appropriate practitioners.

#03 · WRITTEN QUOTATION

Last questions, then the next step.

Q09

When will I receive a written quote?

After the on-site assessment, never before it. The assessment and the quotation are both free. Ivan first discusses how the kitchen needs to work. He then inspects the existing condition, considers layout, cabinetry, finishes and services, and prepares the written quotation from what he has seen. How each stage works is set out in On-Site Kitchen Assessment and Written Quotation.

Q10

Do you work outside Brighton?

This site covers kitchen renovations for properties in Brighton, Victoria. Other Melbourne work may be considered separately. Bathroom, laundry, tiling, flooring, plastering and painting work are related capabilities, listed on Kitchen Renovation & Related Services. See also Service Area: Brighton, Victoria.

Have a question that isn’t listed here? Describe your kitchen through the Request a Kitchen Renovation Quote page, or browse the Kitchen Renovation Guides.