Bongo Blog

Supporting Break is something Norwich/Norfolk has done for several years now and this year the charity supports its 50th Anniversary! Over the years we've all enjoyed the different GoGo animals including Dragons, Gorillas and now Hares! This year we wanted to get involved so we decided to take part in an NBK Hare Hunt ... we had 1 hour to find as many Hares as we could ... here's how we did ...
Hare Comes the Sun
Art-Hare
Foxy's Tale
Binary Hoppositions
Hare-um Scare-um
George the Watchmaker
Tessellation
Hare-y Spider
S-Hare
Cafe Pure

In July's issue of The EDP Norfolk Magazine, Gareth had the pleasure of being this issue's 'Out of Office' interviewee. So if you want to know more about Gareth and what he likes to do out of the office then click the image or here to find out more.

So you’ve decided you want to renovate your bathroom or kitchen, meaning you’re about to begin the journey that will transform your home, how exciting! Renovating any room in your home is a highly considered project, one that involves many choices and decisions. Our homes are our sanctuaries, the place we feel most comfortable and relaxed, so before you start looking at colour themes, furniture and all the other elements of your renovation, you may be thinking ‘How long will this take me?’ … Every home and every room is unique and different, so it would be unrealistic to tell you exactly how long your bathroom or kitchen is going to take, however, we can give you a guideline and going on our expertise knowledge and experience hopefully give you a bit more clarity around how long bathroom and kitchen renovations take to be completed and why. So let's get started! The first day of your renovation has arrived, you have been working with a transparent and experienced company to plan your lovely new kitchen or bathroom and it’s all about to become a reality. On average, we advise that a kitchen renovation can take anywhere between 3 - 5 weeks, where a bathroom renovation can take between 2 - 3 weeks. Of course this can vary depending on several factors; room size, design, building work, unforeseen complications, additional works, the building fabrics and much more. Here is an insight to some of the factors that can both speed up and slow down your installation.
Why would my bathroom or kitchen need building work?
There are multiple reasons your installation may have building works involved; for example the addition, removal or relocation of walls and windows. This type of work must be completed first which would add time to your installation schedule. A well organised company will take this into account when planning your installation which means you are fully aware in advance of the extra time needed to complete your project.
I live in an old building, can I still have my bathroom or kitchen renovated?
The business you’re working with should always be sympathetic to the fabrics of a building, especially older ones. All buildings are at risk of being damaged whilst being worked on, but with an older building there are several other factors which come into play. The company you’re working with should highlight these to you but if you think they have not taken it into account or been considerate enough then do raise it with them as it’s important. As long as the work is done correctly and in accordance to the age of your building then yes you can still have your home renovated.
How can additional work come up during an installation?
Additional works can be due to either yourself or your room. During your installation you may decide you would like to add another window into your room or simply have the company you are working with also complete the decorating for you, this will extend your renovation time, however, you don’t do this everyday so it’s worth it to get your room completely right and achieve that dream finish. If you decide this before you’re installation begins then the time needed can be calculated into your project, as an example; the decorator may be able to start their work whilst another part of your installation is being completed.
How can additional works be needed due to your room?
Well, when removing your current furniture your fitters may find a plumbing/piping issue or discover electrical issues that would not have been known beforehand. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about this but if you’re working with a company that has an in-house team they’ll be able to pull in the correct and qualified member of staff needed to deal with this promptly and reduce any additional time on your project that is needed to rectify the discovered issue. A Project Manager will take the hassle and stress of this away from you and keep you in the loop.
How can I speed up my renovation?
The best way to speed up your bathroom or kitchen renovation is to be organised. Most experienced and quality companies will have a 3 - 4 month lead time. You’re excited and eager to have your room renovated but don’t be put off by the wait, take this as a positive. If a business has a long lead time it means they are a quality and therefore busy business, it also means you have plenty of times to explore colour themes, tile choices and all the other finer details you want to get right. If a company has a short lead time, have a look at customer reviews and even question them as to how they are able to do the work so quickly. There’s no harm in checking out a company or trader before you use them, it’s your home and your money and you want to make sure you have a respectful, experienced and transparent team in your home for the several weeks your renovation will be taking place.
I hope this has helped to answer any questions you may have had around the time scale of a bathroom or kitchen renovation and if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly, experienced and in-house team. We’re open Monday - Saturday and have 4 stores located around Norwich and Diss - click here to find us and get in touch.
Rachel x