Kitchen Renovations near you

Most kitchens are built around the path between the refrigerator, the sink and the cooktop. Keeping those three close without crowding them, with counter space beside each, makes daily cooking easier. Beyond that, think in zones: a prep zone near the sink, a cooking zone with landing space on both sides of the range, a cleanup zone with the dishwasher next to the sink, and dish storage close to where the dishwasher is unloaded.

Cooking releases moisture, grease, odours and, with a gas range, combustion products. A range hood ducted to the outdoors removes them; a recirculating hood only filters grease and some odours and sends the air, and the moisture, back into the room. Wherever a ducted hood is possible, it is the better choice. The hood should cover the cooking surface, the duct should be as short and straight as practical and end at a sealed exterior hood with a damper, and a quieter fan is one you'll actually turn on.

Bigger is not automatically better. A very powerful hood pulls a lot of air out of the house, and in an airtight home that air has to come back from somewhere. Natural Resources Canada warns against running several powerful exhaust devices at the same time, such as a high-capacity range hood and a clothes dryer, because the house can become depressurized and chimneys can backdraft, spilling combustion gases from fuel-burning appliances indoors. When you install a new range with a powerful exhaust fan, NRCan's advice is to get expert help balancing it on the air supply side, which may mean a make-up air system, so bring your HVAC contractor into that decision.

Modern kitchens draw a lot of power: an electric range or induction cooktop, a wall oven, a dishwasher, a microwave, a refrigerator, a range hood, under-cabinet lighting and small appliances on the counter, sometimes all at once. Many of them need their own dedicated circuit, and a renovation is the moment when an electrician checks whether the panel and the service coming into the house can carry the new load. That assessment and the wiring itself belong with a licensed electrician.

Swapping cabinets and a countertop in the same layout often needs no permit, but moving or removing walls, relocating the sink, adding drains, running a new gas line or changing the electrical service usually does, and requirements vary between municipalities. Removing a load-bearing wall needs a structural design, and gas work must be done by a qualified gas contractor; in Quebec, it requires a contractor with the appropriate RBQ licence whose employees hold a competency certificate issued by Emploi-Québec. Confirm the permits before demolition so inspections can happen before walls and ceilings are closed.

Losing the kitchen disrupts a household more than almost any other renovation, and planning ahead makes the time without it much easier. Set up a temporary kitchen in another room with the refrigerator, a microwave or countertop appliances, a kettle and a tub for dishes, ideally near a laundry sink or bathroom for washing up. Ask the contractor how dust will be contained, which days the water, power or gas will be off, and where materials and debris will be kept.