Print this page

How to Design a New Kitchen Without Overspending

Written by Posted On Monday, 23 September 2019 07:37
How to Design a New Kitchen Without Overspending

Your kitchen is likely the hub of activity in your home. It's where you gather with family and friends, prepare food, help the kids with their homework and drink a quiet cup of coffee in the mornings. A great kitchen can make a home and even improve resale value. An outdated, ugly kitchen grates on a homeowner's nerves until they know they simply must design a new kitchen.

The average kitchen remodel costs between $12,633 and $35,118. Factors such as the size of your kitchen and the types of materials chosen impact the expense of the project. While you might want a beautiful new kitchen, investing that much cash into the endeavor is daunting. Fortunately, there are some ways you can revamp your kitchen without overspending. Here are five budget conscience ideas for sprucing up your kitchen no matter how small your budget.

1. Paint the Walls

Over time, the paint on your kitchen's walls becomes coated in grime and grease and the color fades or is no longer trendy. A fresh coat of bright paint does wonders to put a fresh face on your kitchen and only costs you a few gallons of paint, brushes, rollers and your time. You could hire professionals to complete the job, but you can also easily paint yourself if you take your time and invest in corner edging tools, tape and drop cloth.

2. Reuse Materials

Maybe your cabinets are outdated or you hate their color and want a trendier option, such as gray or white. The cost of cabinets is often one of the biggest costs of a kitchen remodel and can eat up your budget in a heartbeat. Instead of completely replacing your cabinets, reface what you already have, adding new doors and hardware. Refacing allows you to change the look and color of your existing setup without investing as much as you would in brand new cabinets. 

3. Keep Your Layout

Maybe you'd like to move your kitchen sink under the big window in the corner, but consider the cost of revamping your entire layout and moving plumbing or gas lines. It often isn't worth the expense. Can you live with your kitchen laid out the way it is so you can invest more in your countertops or new flooring? How often do you stand at the sink that you absolutely must have your sink under that window? Would a beautiful backsplash suffice instead?

4. Shop Remnants

Maybe you dream of beautiful granite countertops like you've seen on the home improvement shows. The cost of granite adds up, however, most suppliers offer remnants at a deeply discounted cost. The remnants are what's left after granite companies complete other jobs, so they aren't suitable for a huge island, but you may be able to find pieces similar enough in color to use some pieces and save.

Talk to your local granite seller about what they have available at a discount. You may be able to find pieces with slight flaws. If you get creative, you can likely place any flaws in a back corner where they won't be easily seen and still have the beautiful counters of your dreams but at a fraction of the cost.

5. Shop Scratch and Dent

If you need to replace your appliances, ask to look at dented pieces. Keep in mind that a dent on the side of a fridge may be hidden, but will save you on the full cost of a new appliance. You should still get the same warranty, you'll just have a slightly more weathered appliance. Of course, you should still inspect scratch and dent pieces carefully and avoid any with major flaws that could impact the aesthetics of your kitchen remodel.

Become Your Own Contractor

When you redo any room in your home, there will be some things you need to hire professionals for and some things you can do yourself. You can easily gather estimates and read reviews before choosing those who work on your kitchen. Remember the lowest quote may seem attractive but actually may cost you money if the person isn't experienced and you have to hire someone to fix what they mess up. Be smart about who you hire and how much you spend on each portion of the project and you'll wind up with the kitchen you want at a fraction of the price.

Rate this item
(0 votes)
Holly Welles

Holly Welles is a real estate writer with her thumb on the pulse of industry trends. She runs her own residential real estate blog, The Estate Update, where she shares advice for renters and homeowners alike.

www.theestateupdate.com

Latest from Holly Welles

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries