Kitchen renovations in Adelaide that work as well as they look

The order matters. Pipes, cables and ducting must be in place before walls are sheeted, and the cabinet drawings must match those positions. Many kitchen problems trace back to trades working from different plans, which is why one builder coordinating the job helps.

Think in work zones as well as shape: preparation, cooking, cleaning and storage. Put the dishwasher beside the sink and near the crockery drawers, and keep the fridge at the edge of the work area so others can reach it without crossing the cook.

• Galley: two parallel runs, efficient for one cook and common in the narrow rear kitchens of older homes
• L-shape: two adjoining walls, open to dining or living and easy to pair with an island
• U-shape: three runs with plenty of bench space; a peninsula on one side opens it to the living area
• Island: extra bench and seating, with plumbing and power simpler to run under a timber floor than through a concrete slab

In older homes, a butler's pantry renovation often borrows space from an old laundry, a hallway nook or part of a bedroom. Moving walls to create it is building work like any other, and a second sink needs a practical drainage route. A cooktop in the pantry needs its own ventilation, ideally a rangehood ducted outside.

In many Adelaide villas and bungalows, internal walls are solid masonry or support the ceiling and roof, so they can't simply be knocked out. We'll point out walls that look structural at the first visit; the engineer specifies the beam and supports, and we prop the structure while we work.

Whether your project needs development approval (planning consent, building consent or both) depends on the work and the zone and overlays that apply to your property. You can check them in the SA Property and Planning Atlas (SAPPA) or on PlanSA. Internal, non-structural bathroom and kitchen renovations often don't need development approval, but structural changes can — check before you start.

Bright doesn't prepare or lodge development applications; your designer or drafter can. In a kitchen and living renovation, we also resolve the details where two rooms become one: flooring where the wall stood, ceiling heights, cornices, and switches and power points from the old wall.

Since 1 July 2024, work health and safety laws in South Australia and across Australia have banned the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs (artificial stone containing 1% or more crystalline silica), and imports have been banned since 1 January 2025.

An existing engineered stone benchtop can stay where it is. If it needs to be removed or modified during a renovation, the business doing that work must notify SafeWork SA beforehand and control silica dust.

Alternatives include natural stone, porcelain and sintered surfaces, laminate, timber and stainless steel. Many of these still contain crystalline silica, so they must be cut and installed with proper dust controls.

Bright doesn't make or supply benchtops. Your benchtop supplier measures once the cabinets are in, and we coordinate the timing and have the sink and cooktop services ready.

• Ventilation: a ducted rangehood clears steam and grease more effectively than a recirculating one. Long duct runs with several bends reduce performance, so plan the route early.
• Appliances: integrated fridges, wall ovens and coffee machines have specific cut-outs and connections, and a plumbed fridge needs a water line.
• Splashbacks: tile, glass and slab all work. A window splashback usually means a new or enlarged opening in an external wall, which is structural work.
• Lighting: combine ceiling lights, task lighting under wall cabinets and pendants over an island, with switch positions settled before plastering.
• Storage: deep drawers are easier to use than shelved cupboards. Add a bin drawer near the prep zone and an appliance cupboard with power inside.

Before rough-in, we check the cabinet drawings against plumbing, gas, power and ducting positions, and agree with your cabinetmaker whether flooring goes down before or after the cabinets. It helps to bring your plans, your appliance list with model numbers, and your benchtop and splashback selections to our first conversation.

• Set up in the laundry or dining room, and use the laundry trough for washing up
• Cook and freeze meals ahead, and use a barbecue, slow cooker or air fryer
• Pack early, label boxes and keep everyday essentials together
• Keep children and pets away from the work area
• Ask us which days water, power or gas will be off

Every house is different, so we don't publish standard prices. The main factors are:

• Structural changes, beams and engineering
• Relocating the sink, dishwasher, gas or drainage, especially through a concrete slab
• New circuits, switchboard upgrades and lighting
• The extent of cabinetry, an island, or a butler's pantry with a second sink
• Benchtop material, thickness, edges and cut-outs
• Appliances and the rangehood duct route
• Older-home issues such as uneven floors, salt damp, old wiring and any licensed asbestos removal
• How far new flooring runs into living areas, and site access