5 ways to reduce your kitchen renovation costs

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The kitchen is often referred to as “the heart of the home.” Whether it be big or small, it is the center of your family’s day-to-day living and it is where memories are made (as well as delicious meals). Perhaps you are buying a house with outdated appliances and peeling paint on the walls that you plan to renovate. Or you have spontaneously decided to renovate your home or just your kitchen. Either way, this article is for you, as we will look at five ways to reduce your kitchen renovation costs. A kitchen renovation can cost around $4,000 for small adjustments up to $100,000 for a complete makeover. However, this cost can be reduced with proper budgeting and planning beforehand. If you have the time, you can also try to do all the renovations by yourself, to reduce the number of labor costs for your renovation. After reading this article, you will be able to create the kitchen of your culinary dreams, at a low cost, for you and your family.

Keep the layout of your kitchen

Unless there is a giant wall in the middle of the room that is taking up too much space, it is best to keep the layout of your kitchen the same to reduce costs. Although having an open-plan concept is all the rage now – breaking down walls and moving the plumbing, as well as the electrical wires, call for a professional’s help which could take up half of your budget already. Doing all this also requires materials for new pipes and wires which are an added cost.

If you do decide to change the layout of your kitchen, make sure that you plan it properly so that you will not need to rearrange it again in the future. If changing the layout of your kitchen is not completely necessary, it would be best to focus on upgrading your space instead and keeping the renovation simple to save both time and money. The main aim for your kitchen renovation should be functionality and practicality, instead of design. Sometimes it will be best to make some adjustments and repairments. Others, it will be more convenient to redesign the entire space. The best repairmen will determine the right way to solve the issue you are facing. A great example of this is this Dallas plumber which can give you the insights you need. Repairments and designers together can accomplish the impossible.

Repainting cabinets

Adding a new layer of paint to your cabinets can give a fresh look to your kitchen, without you having to spend the extra costs of replacing your kitchen furniture. This can completely change the look of your kitchen, and you can choose a paint color that would suit the specific theme you may be trying to achieve.

When painting your cabinets, we recommend that you use a paint sprayer instead of a brush or roller. Using a paint sprayer will allow the layer of paint on your cabinets to be uniform and free from streaks. It can also reduce the amount of paint consumed, resulting in additional savings. There are many models of spray guns in the market, and they all have their benefits and disadvantages. When choosing a paint sprayer, consider how much work you need to do, as well as how often you plan to use it in the future. Chances are, you don’t need a professional model, but go for a simpler handheld spray gun.

In case the cabinets you have, cannot be repainted, try refacing them instead. This means that you will change the doors, side panels, and drawers of your cabinets, but you will keep the actual structure of it the same. This can save up to 50% of your costs as you will only need to buy the materials instead of replacing the actual kitchen furniture. Refacing your kitchen cabinets can also be done by yourself, and you will not need to hire anyone to do it for you, which will reduce labor costs.

Look for alternative materials

The materials needed for renovations can take up most of your budget, if not handled properly. Apart from that, you will also need to pay for the installation of these materials, if in case you cannot do it yourself. It is best to look for alternatives to specific materials such as flooring, counters, etc. to save money.

If you want to have dark hardwood flooring in your kitchen, but you cannot afford to splurge on them, then it would be best to opt for laminate wood flooring that costs less than $1 per square foot. This flooring basically looks the same as dark hardwood, but it costs less, and it is also much easier to clean than hardwood flooring.

You could also save more money by using vinyl planks that start at less than $1 per square foot or vinyl tiles that are around 50 cents per square foot. Vinyl flooring is a cheaper option that can copy the look of every flooring material – whether it be wood, tiles, stone such as marble and slate, etc.

For your counters, ceramic tiles are the cheapest option as you can install them yourself. It also has many styles you can choose from according to the theme of your kitchen; however, you will need to deal with the grout lines that it comes with. Ceramic tiles will usually cost between $5 to $7 per square foot. 

Settle for a simple design

The overall design you may be aiming for in your kitchen can decide how much money you would spend on the renovation. Although it may be tempting to follow the latest trends of having full marble counters and double islands in your kitchen, it is better to keep it simple with your renovation.

Having a kitchen that is modern, but still feels homey can create a warm and positive atmosphere in your home. Try to focus on the functionality of your space, rather than spending all your money on a design that is simply a “trend.” Aim for a design that is ageless instead, such as using neutral colors on your walls and cabinets so that it can act as a blank slate. You can then bring out the character of your kitchen through colorful decorations that can be changed over time. By choosing an ageless concept, your renovation would be worth it in the long run as you will not be tempted to renovate your kitchen again in the future.

Your kitchen is not supposed to be all about fancy and intricate designs. A good kitchen design is supposed to be user-friendly for you and your family. It should be able to support proper storage, safety when cooking, and easy access to food.

Buy only essential gadgets and appliances

Buying appliances for your kitchen may be difficult due to the number of different models and brands available in the market. You do not need the most high-end appliances to have a functional kitchen. Make sure that you do proper research on a specific brand or model before buying an appliance, to make sure that it fits with your style and budget, and that what you buy will be able to last for a long time. You can usually get a discount if you buy appliances from the same brand or package.

It is also best to buy the essential appliances only such as a fridge, oven, microwave, blender, etc. as this is what will make your kitchen functional. Other tools such as waffle irons, pasta makers, pressure cookers, etc. are not as essential for daily cooking in the kitchen, so it is not required. We also recommend that you look for appliances that are multi-functional to save both money and space in your kitchen.  

Let’s summarize

Renovating your kitchen can be a long and expensive process, however, having a proper budget and plan set can reduce the costs that are spent on renovations. Our biggest piece of advice for renovating a space is to try doing it yourself as it will lower the cost of hiring professionals. Although make sure that you do the proper research beforehand to make sure that you are installing certain materials and appliances properly. Many hardware stores also offer advice on products and materials that can help you during your renovation. You can also do some research online as you can also find many reliable resources to help you. With a little creativity and hard work, you can save money while adding value to your home. By making use of what you have and improving on it, you will be able to create a kitchen that will serve its purpose and become the centerpiece of your home.