As your family grows and your lifestyle changes, you may find yourself outgrowing your current space. Deciding whether to move or remodel your home can have a significant impact on your finances. If you’ve decided to remodel, it’s a good idea to start with the room that will add the most to your home’s equity. In most homes, that room is the kitchen.
Whether you want to update a few of your appliances or completely transform your kitchen, there are always ways to save money and still preserve your vision.
According to HomeAdvisor.com, the average kitchen remodel costs around $25,000, but this can vary widely. Kitchen remodels can cost over $100,000 if you are planning a major overhaul.
Because this is such a major investment, it’s important to save money where you can. Here are our top seven kitchen remodel tips for saving money while getting the space of your dreams.
1. Plan ahead
Many people who start a kitchen remodel but fail to plan end up making mistakes that cost them. The last thing you want is to run out of money with a half-completed kitchen remodel - especially when you have a busy life and family to feed.
For example, if you are planning to remodel your kitchen piecemeal, you might think it’s a good idea to start with replacing the cabinets and countertops. But, if you do not consider the flooring you want to install in the future, you can end up with a serious problem.
If you plan to install flooring that has depth to it (i.e. wood flooring or tiles) and you install it after your cabinets, they may end up sitting at the wrong height. Be sure to consult with a contractor or the employees where you are buying the cabinets or flooring. They might suggest that you put plywood under your cabinets to lift them slightly.
Planning also means that you can budget properly. If you think through your entire remodel and account for the appliances and materials you need, there will be fewer surprises.
2. Shop around and order ahead
As with most things in life, the best way to avoid getting ripped off is to shop around. Knowing where you can get the best deal and ordering ahead is a great way to avoid surprises. Luckily, the internet makes it easy to shop from pretty much anywhere.
Just 30 minutes a day spent comparing deals – whether it’s in the parking lot waiting to pick your kids up or at night after your kids are in bed – can save you a lot of money.
This helps you to avoid a situation where the budget-friendly tile of your dreams is out of stock. If it is, you might be forced to make a quick decision. That decision might end up costing you more. Ordering ahead means you have all the pieces when you need them.
3. Refresh rather than replace
Reduce, reuse, recycle. It’s a great way to decrease your carbon footprint and save money! If you have wood cabinetry and are happy with its integrity, sanding it down to refinish it can save you thousands.
Sometimes, a little paint and new hardware are all it takes to breathe new life into your existing cabinets.
4. Take up some DIY projects
If you have the time, taking on some of the remodeling tasks yourself can save big time.
For example, if you know a wall will need to be demolished, doing it yourself can simultaneously help you release some stress and save you some money. Just make sure you do it safely.
Painting, changing light fixtures, retiling your backsplash, refinishing cabinets, and changing the hardware are all relatively simple DIY projects.
The great thing about the internet is there is a wealth of information at your fingertips. Searching tutorials on how to refinish cabinets will put an expert right on your screen, making these projects a lot more feasible.
If your kids are school-age, DIY projects can be fun for them, too. Engage them in simple projects and watch them swell with joy at taking on a grown-up task.
5. Don’t change your layout
One of the best ways to save thousands of dollars on a remodel is to avoid altering your kitchen layout. The water, gas, and electrical are all connected to your current configuration. Re-arranging this layout suddenly makes a straightforward kitchen remodel much more complicated.
6. Buy refurbished or repair your appliances
Refurbished appliances are used appliances that have been fixed, updated, and passed manufacturer tests.
Refurbished appliances can have some cosmetic issues and shorter warranties, but often you can get a great deal on an appliance that might have otherwise been out of your price range. Besides, with a busy family and kids around, your stainless steel appliances could become scratched up in no time, anyway!
You can also save a lot of money by getting repairs done on your existing appliances. If your appliances are not that old but are causing you some issues, you can repair them rather than replace them.
Be sure to weigh the cost of repairing vs. buying new. If the cost to repair is more than 50% the cost to replace, replacing is probably better in the long run.
7. Sell old pieces of your kitchen
Just because your kitchen no longer fits your life doesn’t mean the pieces are worthless!
You can make money on the internet by selling your kitchen cabinets, old appliances, and fixtures. This can help recoup part of the costs of remodeling your kitchen.
Saving Money With Kitchen Remodeling Tips
These seven tips will certainly help you take control of your kitchen remodeling budget.
Still on the fence about embarking on a remodeling project? If you’re still debating whether remodeling is right for you, we’ve compiled a guide to help you decide. Check out our blog post on remodeling vs. moving.