Canadians spend $30 billion a year renovating their homes, and the majority of that money is spent in the most popular room in the house: the kitchen. Projects can range from full demos and rebuilds, which can start at $15,000 and explode into six figures, to simple upgrades that are much easier on the household budget. Even a few small projects can breathe new life into an old kitchen.
Add a soft glow under cabinets
Installing task lighting underneath your kitchen cabinets requires patience and skill, but the results will illuminate your countertop, creating a safe and sleek workspace in the kitchen. Under-cabinet lighting can be installed in a couple of hours—or days—depending on the type of lights, the location of your existing outlets and whether or not you need to install a switch. A resourceful solution is to fish cable from an existing outlet up into the inside of a cabinet. Install a surface-mounted electrical box with an outlet to plug in a low-voltage lighting transformer. Running the low-voltage cable to each light, inside or under the cabinets, will work, and it avoids fishing through walls. Most important, turn off the power before you get to work or it will be lights out for you.
Get in hot water
Some like it hot…instantly. A hot-water dispenser is a convenient and inexpensive kitchen upgrade. Most dispensers cost $150 to $300 and require one to two hours to install. Not every sink is suited for a dispenser. You will need room under your sink for the small tank. Installation will be easier for you if you already have an electrical outlet under your sink. If not, you will need to install one yourself. (If you don't feel comfortable with this step, call an electrician.) Make sure you have a drill and an appropriate bit for drilling the sink or use a chassis punch, 1⁄2" and 9⁄16" wrenches, screwdrivers, a pipe cutter, safety goggles and a saddle valve.
Introduce a new hood to your range
A range hood adds both aesthetics and function to any kitchen. Fans range in price, anywhere from $200 to $2,000, depending on the model and features. Most range fans will include installation instructions in the box. If you have an existing electrical and duct system, this installation is relatively simple. But running a new electrical circuit and ducting can be a complicated undertaking, even requiring structural changes. Check out your existing system before purchasing your fan to make sure you don't get blown away come installation time. Also, if your kitchen already has a range hood, it is a good idea to look into where that sucked-up air is being spit out. If it is being vented back into your home, it is not up to sniff or snuff.
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