I am planning a kitchen renovation where the current kitchen will be torn out. I'm a bit unsure about how much actually needs to be torn down for the best result, so I'm hoping for good advice from here ;-)
My first idea was to tear out the kitchen and also take down the chipboard on all the walls to simplify the electrician's job of installing new electricals where needed, and then put up plywood + drywall. The alternative is to leave the chipboard and just apply renovation drywall, hoping the electrician can handle the wiring anyway. Is it easy to install new wiring in a wall without tearing down the boards? I imagine it might be tricky, especially if you need to get past the studs and such? Electricity is already present in all the walls (sockets, lamp above the sink, etc.), but probably some new wiring will be needed for outlets near the sink, etc.
The same question applies to the ceiling: either lower it to install spotlights/speakers, or cut holes in the existing ceiling (chipboard) and use spotlights that don't require a pot, etc.
How would you do it? Tips are gratefully received!
My first idea was to tear out the kitchen and also take down the chipboard on all the walls to simplify the electrician's job of installing new electricals where needed, and then put up plywood + drywall. The alternative is to leave the chipboard and just apply renovation drywall, hoping the electrician can handle the wiring anyway. Is it easy to install new wiring in a wall without tearing down the boards? I imagine it might be tricky, especially if you need to get past the studs and such? Electricity is already present in all the walls (sockets, lamp above the sink, etc.), but probably some new wiring will be needed for outlets near the sink, etc.
The same question applies to the ceiling: either lower it to install spotlights/speakers, or cut holes in the existing ceiling (chipboard) and use spotlights that don't require a pot, etc.
How would you do it? Tips are gratefully received!
Difficult to say without knowing exactly how new outlets etc. need to be positioned in relation to the existing ones.
Of course, the neatest solution would be to tear down the walls and redo everything. I assume that the electrician will lay the wiring on the outside of the wall otherwise. One option could be to run it under the upper cabinets, so you don't see it even if it's exposed.
In the ceiling, I would probably install spotlights in the existing ceiling, using LED spotlights that don't require a can. Ceiling height is very valuable, in my opinion.
Of course, the neatest solution would be to tear down the walls and redo everything. I assume that the electrician will lay the wiring on the outside of the wall otherwise. One option could be to run it under the upper cabinets, so you don't see it even if it's exposed.
In the ceiling, I would probably install spotlights in the existing ceiling, using LED spotlights that don't require a can. Ceiling height is very valuable, in my opinion.
Yes, right now it's mostly leaning towards tearing down and putting up new wall panels. The advantage of this is that it simplifies things for the electrician, I can take the opportunity to check the status of the outer wall (to see that there are no signs of moisture, etc.) and I can take the opportunity to (possibly) add insulation to the interior walls for soundproofing purposes.thomasx said:Difficult to say without knowing exactly how new outlets, etc., should be positioned in relation to the existing ones.
Thank you for your thoughts
Yes, the best option might be to tear down the walls and redo them. I assume the electrician will lay the wiring on the surface otherwise. One option could be to run it under the cabinets so that it's not visible even if it's exposed.
In the ceiling, I would have put spotlights in the existing ceiling, and in that case, gone for LED spotlights that don't require a pot. Ceiling height is very valuable, I think.
Regarding the ceiling, I think that if I lower it and put on, for example, Huntonit panels, I won't have to 1. fill/paint the existing ceiling and 2. I can easily install spotlights and possible ceiling speakers without the electrician having to fish out wires in the existing ceiling. The downside is that I will lose a few cm in ceiling height. I don't have much knowledge about which LED spotlights are available today that don’t require a box or pot, but it feels a bit risky to install spotlights in a ceiling where the insulation is directly above the panels.
I probably wrote this post mostly to "think out loud" since I've been going back and forth. I recently found a series of threads by the user "snowjim" who seems to have done a lot of what I'm considering (and also in a house built in 1970, just like mine)