The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any home. It is a hub of activity and focal point for the rest of the house or apartment.
Whether you’re looking to maximise your space for storage, invest in state-of-the-art appliances, or give it a more modern look, renovating your kitchen can be one of the best improvements to your home. It can also add value that may make it more competitive should you wish to enter it into the Canberra property market.
A lot goes into renovating a kitchen, from coming up with a functional design to installing the hardware. Rather than trying to do it on your own, consider hiring a professional service to help you throughout the process.
Given how important the room is in our daily lives, trying to choose a good and trustworthy kitchen renovation company in Canberra might seem daunting. In this article, we’ll outline the most important factors to consider when looking for a kitchen renovator, and give you a list of some of Canberra’s best services.
What makes a great kitchen renovation company?
How do you actually pick the good guys from the bad? Keep an eye out for the following must-have traits of the best kitchen renovation companies:
- Eye for detail. The best kitchen renovation companies don’t cut corners. Instead, they pay attention to every last detail. You don’t want to be left with an uneven surface or a leaky tap!
- Skills and experience. When renovating your kitchen, you want the hard work completed by skilled professionals who have extensive experience working on all kinds of kitchens. Check out the kitchen renovation company’s portfolio to see what previous work it has done and whether it meets your expectations.
- Reliable and efficient. Having your kitchen redone can be disruptive. The best kitchen renovation companies in Canberra can work around your needs. Make sure your deadline is clearly communicated and the timeline is being met.
- Effective communication. Sometimes, timelines don’t go to plan. The best kitchen renovation companies will always communicate any delays or issues effectively. In addition, they might advise against your original design plans for functionality issues and the like. If they are not afraid to give you sound advice with good reason, then you can be sure they are effective communicators.
- Well priced. Kitchens aren’t cheap, and more often than not, you get what you pay for. That said, you shouldn’t have to choose a kitchen renovation company that charges an arm and a leg. Shop around to see how different companies compare to find the one that works within your budget.
The best kitchen renovation companies in Canberra
Riotact’s editorial team has combed through 20 years of on-site comments to compile a list of the most recommended businesses according to you.
To be listed in our Best of Canberra series, each business needs to have consistently received positive feedback on Riotact and maintained a minimum average of 4/5 stars on both Google and Facebook reviews.
Mark Sheppard Bathrooms and Renovations
Homeowners undertaking a kitchen renovation want their vision brought to life by someone they can trust. Mark Sheppard Bathrooms and Renovations (MSBR) is Canberra’s only fixed-price renovator, which means no hidden costs and no surprises.
As 'Canberra’s most trusted partner in redefining the essence of living spaces', MSBR understands the true weight of their mission - to design and deliver renovations that make each home they work on a sanctuary for those living within.
This family business is leading the local renovation industry using an online project management tool to provide daily updates and photos, making each project fully transparent, trackable and shareable. Through the tool clients can also choose, approve and alter their design and products.
A dedicated interior designer helps plan each dream space, and will even go shopping with clients to help them pick the perfect products. All tradespeople are fully qualified and the majority are employed directly by MSBR, rather than subcontracted. The company also guarantees its work with an industry-first 20 year waterproofing warranty.
MSBR specialises in quality renovations of kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and full homes. It's an end-to-end service from design to build that has garnered plenty of attention, with clients across Canberra singing the team's praises.
Riotact commenter Paul King says, "Mark and his team were recommended to us by a friend. From start to finish, Mark and his team were professional, courteous and obviously well trained. If they said they were attending on a certain day, you could be guaranteed the team would be on site. Mark would only accept absolute perfection."
Salt Renovations
The expert team — with over 50 years’ collective experience — transforms kitchens with space-solution designs, creating beautiful, practical, inclusive and welcoming spaces.
Salt Renovations revitalises kitchens with a five-step process targeted to meeting client goals. The project manager, operations manager and designers work as a united team to make kitchen renovations as flawless as possible.
Each project is managed with attention to deal, from design through construction and to completion. The process starts with a no-obligation, in-home consultation on existing plans, initial concepts or new ideas.
Salt Renovations, with exceptional communication strengths, works closely with clients on features, materials and possibilities. Professional designs include practical considerations to task zones and lifestyle needs, provide extra storage and provide the latest technology. Food, utensils, appliances and functional areas are logically laid out, making tasks easier.
Clear and detailed fixed-price quotations give clients peace of mind that projects will be handled efficiently and not go over budget. Salt Renovations next executes all projects with meticulous care and a commitment to excellence. At project handover, Salt Renovations is on hand to address client queries.
Check out the gallery of photos online for kitchen renovation inspiration and ideas.
On Google, Bruce Comber wrote, “The Salt team included an online project plan where you can view the schedule, see the proposal and cost breakdown, the contract, the plans, etc, exchange messages and questions and see the responses, review quotes and documents. It is all extremely accountable; you know what is going to happen and when, and what it is going to cost. Their team properly engage you and manage the project, all the way through. Any variations were up-front, open and agreed upon…We love using our new spaces and it has brought us fresh enjoyment of our home. We wish we’d known of Salt earlier! We cannot fault Salt and would recommend them without hesitation.”
Timeless Projects
Everyone's home is their castle. They want to feel comfortable and happy in their own space. They also want a relationship with a builder they can trust, who will take the stress away and ensure their build comes to life exactly how they envisioned.
These are the motivating factors in Timeless Projects' work.
Client focused, fully transparent and ready to give homowners the peace of mind they deserve, Timeless Projects is a family-run business with a small, experienced team of local renovation specialists.
Led by Josh Henshaw and Bobby Sutton, staff have mastered the art of creating beautiful, more functional spaces for the discerning client.
Timeless Projects specialises in high-end kitchens, bathrooms and complete home 'facelifts', like the one they gave Leanne Alexanders' home in early 2024.
"Our home was in need of a facelift. We wanted a more comfortable and contemporary space for us to continue to live in and to entertain our family and friends," Leanne says online.
"We knew it was a big job and therefore important to find a professional team that could understand our vision and work with us to deliver what we wanted."
Leanne now describes her home as stylish and fresh, with a renewed level of functionality that adds to its country charm and warm, homely feel.
G6 Concepts
A Canberra-grown team of renovation and electrical experts, G6 Concepts specialise in beautiful, inviting and functional kitchens that serve as a true heart of the home.
The team works closely with clients to determine their specific needs for every project, providing unique insight and advice to balance tailored requests with individual budgets.
Superior project management streamlines all renovations by efficiently organising trades, demolition, rubbish removal and more. All staff are fully licensed and insured, completing their work with care and taking pride in high quality finishes.
Owner and manager Blake has been in the industry for more than 15 years. He has successfully led his team at G6 Concepts to complete thousands of projects in Canberra, leaving plenty of happy clients in their wake.
One such client, Benjamin Byatt wrote on Facebook, “Blake and the team know their stuff. Super efficient, professional and very respectful in my home! Highly recommended.”
BACE Project Management
BACE Project Management is Canberra's one stop shop for all things building.
The BACE team offers both design and construction services for renovations of all kinds, including kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and wet areas.
With a class A building license and proven track record with local projects, BACE is all about finding solutions, not problems. Providing a positive experience for every client throughout the entire design and build process is their top priority.
Are you about to start renovating your home and need some recommendations for helpful services? Check out our articles on the best renovation companies, bathroom renovation companies, best joiners, best house painters, best flooring specialists, best carpenters, best tilers and best plasterers for some useful guides to Canberra’s top services. And, to connect your new kitchen with your smart home, check out our article on the best home automation system installers in the region.
Your experience with kitchen renovation companies in Canberra
Thanks to our commenters who have provided insightful feedback. If you believe we have got it wrong, please let us know.
Have you had experience with any of the kitchen renovation companies listed above? If so, share your feedback in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I hire a kitchen renovation company?
While it is possible to make small adjustments to your kitchen yourself, these changes will be superficial. You might be able to replace the taps on your sink, but this won't have much of an effect on your kitchen's water efficiency; you could give the walls a fresh coat of paint, but unless you can adjust the ventilation in your kitchen the walls will still be affected by smoke and steam. Hiring a professional for a full renovation allows you to make fundamental changes that will improve how your kitchen works and, in the long run, make your life much easier.
Why should I remodel my kitchen?
Your kitchen might need remodelling if you are finding it a difficult space to work in. Do you have enough storage space? Do your appliances work properly? Is it a nice room to be in, aesthetically? If it is causing you headaches of any kind, consider talking to a renovation company about design plans to see how you can make your kitchen an enjoyable place to be in.
How can I modernise my kitchen?
To achieve a modern-looking kitchen, keep an eye out for the current trends - such as open shelving, white-stone countertops, under-cabinet lighting, or lots of natural light.
You could also modernise your kitchen with appliances that are newer and more environmentally friendly. These changes will not only save you money but also keep your home green.
How much does the average Canberra kitchen renovation cost?
This is a difficult question to answer. First, consider the construction of your home. A brick veneer house with timber flooring will be cheaper to renovate than full brick walls with concrete on ground.
Next, ask yourself what kind of renovation you're doing. Will you be making changes to the layout, walls or doors? What level of quality (and expense) will your materials, appliances and additions be? Will your renovator professionally manage the entire project? Is there silica or asbestos in the home, and are plumbing approvals required?
While there's no truly comprehensive answer, a good starting point for your budget is $50K to $75K plus appliances for the average kitchen.
And remember - you get what you pay for!
Will renovating my kitchen add value to my home?
Many prospective buyers and renters don't want to move into a home that needs work, so a recently renovated kitchen is far more appealing to the wider market. Having an updated, functional, modern and aesthetically pleasing kitchen will allow you to market your home for a higher price than you might have been able to with an out-of-date kitchen, and eventually pay for the work you had done on it.