Published by Programme B
Kitchens are the single most expensive room when it comes to remodeling. Even a few cosmetic improvements like wall paint, hardware and sink replacements, lighting and electrical upgrades can cost over $5,000. When you choose to knock down walls, buy new appliances and rearrange the layout, this can spike the price of at least $30,000.
Whether you’re hiring a pro or doing it yourself, consider these cost-saving strategies before you begin a total gut renovation. You’ll want to be sure you get your dream kitchen and stick within the budget.
1. Spend Time Planning
Expect your kitchen remodel planning to take more time than the actual construction. When you devise a well-thought-out plan, you minimize the time of kitchen redo mishaps. Additionally, it helps you to stay on budget.
Homeowners, on average, spend eight months planning their kitchen remodel. Spending this amount of time planning will prevent you from making last-minute changes, which can inflate renovation costs and decrease your return on investment.
So, here are a few tips when it comes to planning:
- Assess the current look of your kitchen: Many homeowners mistake buying an appliance that’s too big to fit through the front entrance. You can avoid mishaps like this by taking measurements of your kitchen.
- Design with functionality: Counters that can adjust in height or bottom cabinets with pull-out shelving can provide kitchen accessibility for the entire family. Essentially, these features make the kitchen work more pleasurable.
- Plan for unforeseeable circumstances: Even when you plan down to the number of nails you’ll need for your kitchen update, prepare for the unexpected. Giving project time estimate some leeway is essential. So if you want your kitchen done by the summer, plan to finish it by spring.
- Choose the fixtures and materials before you start: A contractor will be able to give you a more accurate estimate and decrease the risk of backorder delays.
- Hire a designer: Kitchen designers can help you simplify your remodeling process. They can help you make styling decisions, work around potential problems and schedule contractors.
2. Be Realistic With Appliances
You can easily get carried away when planning your new kitchen. A luxury brand refrigerator and a six-burner commercial-grade oven may be eye-catching for sure. Yet, these appliances may not fit the reality of your lifestyle when cooking.
Although appliances are essential tools for cooking and storing food, you want to organize your kitchen with design and functionality in mind.
So focus on your money in a long-term aspect in hopes of adding value to your life. Then choose brand-name appliances you trust through online reviews.
3. Use the Power of Lighting
Lighting can provide a positive overlook of your kitchen. It makes it look brighter, more prominent and can help you work safely and efficiently.
There are two different types of lighting you should work with in your kitchen:
- Task lighting
Cabinets can block the lighting you need to prep food on the counters. Consider investing in lights underneath cabinetry. Planning at least two fixtures per task area can eliminate hard shadows. Pendant lights are also great for islands and other countertops. Track lighting can work well over the top of sinks and prep-food spaces.
- Ambient lighting
Mounted ceiling fixtures and wall sconces create the best overall lighting for your kitchen. You should also consider purchasing dimmer switches to control the intensity of the mood. As this can be a considerably more difficult task than fitting task lighting, using the help of professional electrician services can be a very useful (and safe) option to consider.
4. Prep for Painting
Whether you’re going for a monochromatic style or bright colors, subtle differences in paint color can define certain kitchen elements. Pick a color you like and discover which shades will blend best for your entire color scheme.
Once you finalize your paint color choice, start prepping the walls before picking up a paintbrush. The finished project will have a more professional look if you sand out uneven spots and cover up cracks in the walls.
After you finish prepping, when can you finally start painting your kitchen?
The best time to paint is before cabinets and backsplash go on the walls. This helps reduce labor costs, eliminate paint drips on cabinets and an extra round of touch-ups later on.
5. Add Storage Instead of Space
Storage beats expansion anytime. Functionality is just as critical as the aesthetics you’re going for in your kitchen. So here are some ideas to make the most of your kitchen space:
- Install cabinetry that reaches the ceiling. Even though this might cost more in your budget, it’s worth it to splurge on storage space that offers value. The extra space is perfect for those holiday dish sets, and you won’t have to worry about dusting.
- Hang up shelving. You can place mounted shelving units inside cabinets and on unused wall areas with pots and large skillets hanging underneath.
Fall In Love With Your New Kitchen
When kitchen remodeling sits at the top of your wishlist, a redo can improve efficiency and aesthetics when done right. Additionally, it can raise the resale value of your home.
A complete kitchen redo can turn out to be a complex job. However, you can take these strategic tips to prevent missteps in the process. Which kitchen features will you incorporate in the future?