Most of your remodeling budget will likely go towards the things you just can’t live without such as a sink, dishwasher and refrigerator.  Therefore, selecting quality appliances that will give you the most for your money is essential!  With the abundance of brands, styles, colors and technologically advanced machines, it’s hard to weed out the good and the bad and pick what’s best for you. 

Luckily, we put together a few guidelines to make this process much easier!

• Dishwasher – Look for brands with low energy consumption, a delay timer and an economy cycle or half-load button, all which will result in saving water and saving money.  
• Refrigerator – One feature worth paying for is a new design to prevent frost build-up.  By circulating air inside the freezer compartment rather than using a defroster, you can say goodbye to freezer burn! 
• Sink – Materials include stainless steel, which can withstand more abrasions and is hygienic and trendy, and fireclay and ceramic which are more traditional for their solidity and wide range of colors.
• Oven – Multi-functional ovens may be worth the investment.  Traditional cooking and fan assisted cooking and grilling are increasingly popular.  The combination also provides cooks with more options such as browning and thawing.    
• Range – Ranges are either free-standing or built-in.  Picking one out depends on the design of your kitchen and the features you want.  Worthwhile accessories include a cooker hood, splashback, grill, griddle plates, rotisserie, wok burner and fish-kettle burner. 
• Tap – A cost-efficient option is the three-way or tri-flow taps which take away the need for bottled water or other purification system.  New models also offer dual-flow for hot and cold filtered water.   
• Countertops – Formica and Corian are some of the most common surfacing materials, however new trends such as Luxore®, a non-porous heat and chip resistant stone, and Swanstone®, a reinforced surface with seamless joints which is moisture resistant and requires no fabricated edges, are becoming increasing popular.  
• Flooring – The cost of installing can be as much as the material and harder options such as tile can be tiresome to stand on for too long.  Softer, more absorbent materials include cork, carpet or vinyl and most of the time are less expensive.

You can find a list of planning guidelines clicking on Planning Guidelines.  However, you will also need to follow the specifications of the manufacturer of any appliances being installed.  Their standards could differ from any others, and you should also check your local code.