Kitchen and Home Remodeling on a budget

As a kitchen designer, I speak to people every day that really don’t just want a new kitchen but are in desperate need of one.  Many of them come to me with a budget of under $10,000. With the national average of over $40000, it’s easy to see why so many people think a new kitchen is out of their reach. It isn’t.

1. Evaluate you real needs.
2. Know what labor you are capable of doing it will save you money.
3. Know how much you really have to spend.
4. When the designer is discussing your remodel with you interview her carefully.
5. Beware of pricing shown on displays. They are basic pricing only.

First evaluate your real needs. Is the flooring in good condition? If it is leave it and design around it! The designer can design your new kitchen in the same area “footprint” as the old cabinets and still increase your overall storage capacity. You can still have the pantry you longed for but didn’t think would fit. This can save you several thousand dollars. 

You also need to assess the lighting in the room.  Is it adequate? Do you need to add ambient lighting? Task lighting? This is a very important aspect of your kitchen remodel. Lighting is the make or break point of design and can be just as important as the design style and storage.

Now you need to decide what storage you really need. Do you want to put in taller cabinets to gain a shelf all the way around your kitchen or is crown molding more important to you?  You don’t get to have both if your ceiling is only eight feet high. Is your style more modern? Traditional? Or somewhere in between?  If you carefully decide these things it will help make your dream kitchen a reality.

Second, know what labor you are capable of doing. Are you capable of removing your kitchen yourself? Can you install the new cabinets? This can save you a fortune. The average installation in my area runs somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000 so if you can do it yourself you can save.

Countertops are another thing all together. I don’t recommend the average Do It Yourselfer try to install granite countertops. It is easy to break and would be a very expensive mistake. The solid surface acrylic countertops must be installed by a licensed installer or you void the very generous warranty.  If you are choosing an engineered stone like quartz countertops, I also recommend having it professionally installed because it can run as much or more than granite and you wouldn’t want to make a $4,000+ error.

If the power is there for lighting then it is an easy do it yourself project. All you have to do is follow the directions in the lighting fixtures box for the installation you choose.  However, if you don’t have the power lines available in the kitchen when you begin the project my best advice is hire an electrician to do the base wiring from your electrical panel since in most areas you must pull a permit to alter the electrical box. Beyond the permitting issue, if this step in your remodel is done incorrectly it is a fire hazard. Electrical fires are very common and mostly caused by faulty or improper wiring. I would never take the chance in my own home and I don’t recommend it for others.

Third, and the most important, know how much you have to spend before you even start shopping. Knowing your budget is tantamount to having a successful and beautiful kitchen without worrying if you are going to the poor house.  There are lines of cabinets to accommodate all budgets.  For example, I did forty feet of cabinets for about $3500. This is because I used the stock line of cabinets at my local large box retailer. If I had chosen a different line of cabinets the price could have been easily three times that.  I set my budget and stayed with it. In this way I was able to afford the new appliances I wanted as well as the granite countertops I was in love with.  (See the pictures) If I had spent much more on the cabinetry I would not have been able to do the rest.

Forth, interview the designer’s at the store to find out their experience and expertise. You also want someone who can see your vision. If you prefer and ultra modern and the designer can’t see your vision, then speak with someone else at the store. You need to make sure you are in the right hands to create your dream. It is the designer’s job to bring your dream alive if you walk the kitchen and wish you had done something else it is the wrong kitchen for you.

Lastly, when looking at the displays in the store pay close attention. The pricing you see, is not exactly what it seems. When you look at the beautiful display with the large stacks of molding, glass doors everywhere, and every extra inside the display that you can imagine, it may not be exactly the price you see. Usually, the price you see is for a basic kitchen and the display is much more.  Every extra comes with a price tag. It can be as little as thirty dollars for an eight foot stick of molding to over five hundred dollars a stick depending on how intricate it is.

If you follow this advice it will make it easier for you to accomplish the kitchen of your dreams without going into debt. I have helped customers to achieve the kitchens of their dreams for as little as $4000.00. If you are willing to put the time into research and discussion with the designer it can be worth it. Make sure you let the designer know how much you have to spend.  They need to know this so that they can keep you in a budget you can afford. This is the best way I know to get your dream kitchen without going broke.