Kitchens are the single most important room in the home when it comes to valuation. As a social space that is well-loved and well-used, the location of the kitchen is of the utmost importance. However, from time to time the kitchen rests in an awkward place, potentially lacking light, space or just isn’t ideally located. You might feel as though moving your kitchen proves impossible, but this job can be easily completed and lead you to the kitchen of your dreams.

Since this is your home, it is important to create a space that best serves the needs of your family, making sure you have a kitchen that works in the overall design as well as for personal needs. If you’re ready to tackle this renovation project, follow our tips and tricks for relocating your kitchen!

Reasons to Relocate Your Kitchen

There are plenty of reasons why you may choose to relocate your kitchen to a different area of the home. If your kitchen is not serving your needs daily, then it is worth considering a relocation. Think about size, layout, space and its relationship with the rest of your home. Potentially, you want to add an extension onto your home, and you’d like your kitchen closer to your living and dining areas. Consider the habits of your family and whether a relocation would aid in the flow of your household.

Collect Renovation Permits

Although it may seem like a myth, the kitchen can be easily moved to any other room of the home. However, not all renovations can happen without the paperwork. Permits to renovate residential properties may be required, and these will directly depend on the province or municipality where you live. Make sure to do plenty of research regarding provincial rules and regulations before taking on this project.

Further, make sure that the contractor or professional you hire comes equipped with the correct permits for your kitchen relocation project. Moving your kitchen may require structural changes to your home, as well as the reworking of electrical, mechanical or plumbing.

A building permit will govern the structural bones of your renovation, addressing changes made in floors, walls and ceilings. Insulation requirements for a kitchen are more demanding than other rooms, as this space has a higher risk of fire. A plumbing permit will allow for water inlet and drainage in your new kitchen, and the mechanical and electrical permits will cover heating, ventilation, and energy supply. Once you have obtained the correct permits for building, plumbing and electrical work, you’re all set to begin relocating the kitchen!

How to move your kitchen to a different room

source: Flickr, Jennifer French

The main reason to relocate a kitchen is to make sure that it suits the needs of yourself and your family. It is vital in the stages before the relocation that you know exactly how you want the space designed, as well as appliances and accessories that will be integrated into the space.

Relocating a kitchen can be as costly or as complicated as you make it. One of the glaring issues during relocation is the plumbing or pipework. If you’re moving the kitchen to a completely new section of the home, you’ll need to run plumbing to the new space for a sink, dishwasher or other items that may require access to water.

If you have access to the underside of your floors or basement, moving the plumbing should be straightforward. If not, this job may be a little bit more complex. Of course, this will also depend on how far the pipes must be run and how many things need to be plumbed in. If you must tear up the floors, moving your kitchen from one room to another will be much more expensive.

Further, there may be a fair amount of electrical work involved, which can get expensive if the house is older, as a newer kitchen must be brought up to code. For best results overall, we recommend that you contact a professional.

Of course, when moving your kitchen, you’ll also have the old space left behind resulting in the potential for damaged walls, replaced flooring, changing fixtures, repainting and so on. Of course, moving a kitchen is not a small job. However, if it will improve the valuation of your home while making your life more comfortable, it’ll be well worth the work!