If your appointed contractor is to do an effective job of remodelling any part of your home, then they will need to have a plan that is as thought-through and thorough as possible. If you leave some parts of the project open-ended, then the contractor either has to stop working until you make up your mind as to how you would like to proceed or take a guess which could mean a large bill for stopping and putting errors right. In other words, the more detail you can put into your initial kitchen design, the better. What are the most important aspects to get right?

• Size and Scope

When you fit a new kitchen, it is usually a simple matter of exchanging old kitchen units for new ones and adding new features. This is not the case with a remodelling project, however, since this sort of work is usually much more extensive. Therefore, you need to establish any structural changes that will occur. Will windows be moved or added? Do stud walls need to come down because you are going to use space from an adjacent room? Will the kitchen occupy part of an extension meaning that an external wall might need to be removed? There again, you might choose to fit your kitchen in an entirely new location if the project is part of a wider remodelling scheme. Before proceeding, determine the exact extent of your new kitchen including all of the building works that'll be needed to achieve it.

• Layout

Once you know where and how big your kitchen will be, it is time to think about the all-important layout. Remember that remodelling projects can use the same kitchen design as before, if you want – there is no good reason to abandon a layout that already works well, after all. That said, your layout should include the location of all of the kitchen appliances and cabinets, as well as where you want your lighting fittings to go. This is something that many kitchen designers fail to include at an early stage despite their importance to a remodelling project.

• Kitchen Diners

If you want to remodel your kitchen to make a more social space, then knocking through it to your dining room may be a wise move. Don't decide this is for you once the project is underway or you may need to effectively start from scratch, wasting your time and money. Therefore, plan for your entire living space as a single entity and try not to become too kitchen-focused even though that might be your priority room right now.

Companies like Brindabella Kitchens can help with your kitchen design and remodelling.