More families and couples no longer just prepare meals in kitchens, they also visit with each other there and often entertain there as well.
That's why before homeowners decide to have their kitchens renovated, they should seriously consider having professional kitchen designers take a look at their existing kitchens first.
And the nice thing about hiring such designers is that they often will draw up an initial kitchen design for free, says a Winnipeg kitchen renovation expert.
Art Pauls, owner of Gateway Kitchen & Bath Centre, says it's important for homeowners to have a total plan and design drawn up for their proposed new kitchen before any work is done because kitchen renovations can prove to be expensive.
"People may get a price on a kitchen of $10,000, get into the renovation, and then realize after the work's started that the total renovation may cost $20,000 or $25,000," Pauls says.
"You really should go to someone who does a complete renovation package so that they can deal with your plumbing, your electrical work, your flooring, your painting, your cabinetry and all of the work that's required."
Wayne Barnett, a spokesman for Winnipeg's Kitchens Plus, says there are a variety of good reasons why people should consider having their kitchens renovated.
For one practical reason, renovations to kitchens and bathrooms -- more than renovations to any other rooms in homes -- add resale value to homes.
