Staying within your budget in your kitchen renovation can be very tough. All the things you want in your ideal kitchen remodel could shoot the project’s price tag way more than you planned. While you can complete an overhaul for under $10,000, many major projects will cost you exponentially more. It’s time to find paths to savings.
You may not ever have a perfect kitchen, but some minimal modifications can drastically lower the price. As you would think, the more components you include, the greater the cost of the kitchen update will be. Read on to find valuable tips to save tons on your big kitchen remodel!
Look for Budget-Savers in Items Like Countertops
Countertops have evolved and improved in quality and can often surprise homeowners with their cost, pushing the kitchen to remodel above the budget cap. However, the countertop can transform the kitchen’s visual appeal, provide a striking contrast, and offer a reliable, durable surface (depending on the material).
Quartz is utilized in more and more kitchens today and comes in many varieties so that it even looks like marble countertops. Now, you could pay a lot more for top-notch counters like Caesarstone, but that will wipe out many people’s accounts. The counter material can be a smart purchase or the component that tips the scales. If the price tag is too much for your desired material, there are quartz counters that are very similar to expensive materials to be found.
Keep Drawers Simple
Drawers are the ideal pieces for storage. The ease of use, sturdiness and various size choices make these items essential for every kitchen, no matter the layout. However, remodelers should not go overboard with too many drawers. Most renovators need only one drawer bank to store large pots, baking sheets, and bulky pans. Having more than one drawer bank is too much, especially bulky and extra-large ones. You can find larger drawers to achieve your storage goals, but multiple drawer banks are overkill – to your kitchen and your expenses. If you buy more, you will find those costs piling up much quicker than planned in your original budget.
The Secret Cabinet Money Saver: Ready to Assemble Cabinetry
Quality custom kitchen cabinetry that is tailor-made for homeowners is the highest cost for those undergoing a kitchen upgrade. These cabinets offer choices far beyond what you can envision: customizations such as raised-panel doors, specific-sized glass doors, and even individually prepared paint shades are possible with custom cabinetry. However, the price for these products will be way higher than a more standard kitchen renovation project. Unless you have a substantial budget, there are other directions to go with your cabinetry.
Unless you are a professional kitchen designer trying to boost the resale value of a home, the costs will likely inhibit you from going with custom cabinets. A typical renovator trying to upgrade a home can easily go with ready to assemble cabinets and save cash for other makeover aspects. RTA cabinets are the Goldilocks of kitchen cabinets: just right in terms of quality, value, and versatility. Not only do these products hold up over time in your kitchen, but they also look amazing and can work as a centerpiece for your entire room. They come in all different styles and sizes even in the popular gray shaker cabinets.
Cabinet Hardware Offers Savings Opportunities
Cabinet hardware should mix practicality and elegance to enhance kitchen cabinet doors. If you select premium, expensive, and flashy hardware, you are drawing the eye away from the main pieces of your kitchen – the cabinets. Cabinet handles should not be a significant expense in your remodeling project. Buying expensive handles can destroy your budget. These are often the types of smaller pieces that can surprise you. They are not a component that you would think would significantly increase the total price tag, but they can. Go for modest handles without overspending. Many people will be happy going for simplicity with a price that won’t take out their finances.
Slow Down on the Individual Flairs
The more modifications you make during your kitchen remodeling project, the more your budget will be strained. On the other hand, the more streamlined your project, the less likely you will overspend your initial goals. This idea also transfers over to your cabinetry, as fewer customizations will result in a less expensive cabinet.
Even though the majority of homeowners will go with the cabinets they found at the big-box retailer, many kitchen designers are trying to elevate their cabinets even more. These customizations may include crown molding, constructing a platform for island cabinets, or altering a cabinet to squeeze into its spot due to a barrier. Doing these alterations means extra labor costs on top of installing cabinets and will, of course, be added to the total when figuring labor prices.
There are a few times where you’ll need to make alterations. Some of these examples include water lines, gas lines, soffits, and wall obstructions. Water and gas lines may not be practical to move due to construction limitations. Cabinet installers will need to cut a hole in particular cabinets to make room for pipes that connect to specific points. Soffits and wall obstructions can be modified with a filler. These cases can be fixed simply enough, but adding on too many unnecessary details and modifications may wipe out your budget.
Try Not to Fall Victim to Trends
Some homeowners want to be a part of the latest fads and trends going through kitchen design, even if they don’t fit into the design scheme they have in mind. Whether it is in appliances, countertops, backsplashes, or cabinets, trends can be costly to take part in. Lavish components lead to high prices. Movements such as the latest sink or lighting designs can break your budget compared to an ordinary sink or appliance.
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to keep costs down on your next kitchen renovation project. Go with superior RTA kitchen cabinets, look for value-conscious drawers and countertops, but beware of the many traps you will likely find in your renovation journey.
