Below are some tried and true tips to help keep kitchen renovation costs down. When going through the list, keep in mind it’s also very important to make decisions based on value and quality, not just price.
- Reuse existing appliances, and have new cabinets installed around them. This could save you anywhere from $1,500–5,000 or more easily. Maintain present location of major fixtures, appliances and utilities relative to the plumbing, gas and electrical outlets. This could even apply to the location of the telephone. Moving plumbing, wiring and jacks can be expensive.
- Choose neutral colors for fixtures and appliances. They are less expensive initially and won’t look dated when the color trends change.
- Good floor covering is important. It ties one room to another and provides visual consistency. Familiarize yourself with the various flooring materials to make the best decision for your home. To get you started, vinyl or laminate flooring is less expensive than wood, tile or slate.
- Use the existing floor covering if it is still in good condition. If the kitchen has old vinyl flooring, there may be a hardwood floor underneath that could be sanded and refinished, avoiding the need for a new floor entirely.
- Go with a simple design in the kitchen employing single height wall cabinets, blind corner cabinets rather than those with Lazy Susans, and other standard options. Watch your upgrades.
- Use standard cabinetry instead of custom cabinets, or use a combination of the two if they are compatible.
- Choose cabinets that can be operated without the addition of hardware (those that are finger–pulled).
- Install cabinets without soffits to decrease the labor cost. Also consider cabinets without trim moldings or with simple trim.
- If you are wanting to put in new wood trim to match the new cabinets, order pre–finished trim instead of having the painting or staining done on–site. This will decrease labor cost.
- Consider stenciling on the backsplash instead of using tile.
- Laminate countertops are the least expensive choice among solid surfacing, tile and granite. You can dress it up with wood or tile trim for a more innovative look.
