A kitchen remodel is by far the most costly room to revamp. With even minor changes costing $5,000 or more, these typically include refinishing cabinets and walls, installing the sink, faucet, and hardware, installing pendant lighting, and updating the plumbing. If you tear down walls, realign the layout, and purchase new cabinets, appliances, and countertops, your kitchen remodel will cost $40,000 to $50,000 or more.
So, before you employ a contractor or start doing it yourself, you should understand how to remodel a kitchen the right way. From simple updates to a complete gut renovation—a dream kitchen you want while staying within your budget is just within your reach.
Repaint To Save on Cabinets
Cabinetry will cost anywhere from 30% to 40% of the overall cost of a kitchen remodel. This high cost makes it the most expensive aspect of a kitchen remodel. If you’re on a budget, you should rather paint than replace the cabinets; especially if the finish is dull or rusty, but you’re happy with its appearance and functionality.
It’s a time-consuming yet manageable DIY project, and you will save a ton on kitchen remodel costs. If you want to open up your space, you can replace the doors of some upper cabinets to build open shelving for a lighter, more airy look.
Focus on the Fixtures
Since the faucet is the most common aspect of a kitchen remodel, you should go for quality and affordable, meaning a premium brand with a single handle. You can also review your faucet and treat clearances if your sink is in front of a window to ensure it works well (so you won’t bang your knuckles on the window frame).
Similarly, when selecting a sink, keep it simple: Go for a single sink, as big as you can fit, and no deeper than 10″ so you are not compelled to bend to do the dishes.
These pointers on selecting the fixtures will help you figure out how to remodel a kitchen, whether you’re doing it yourself or checking up on your kitchen remodeling contractor.
The sheen (or shininess) of a finish:
You can choose semi-gloss for all trim, satin for finished cabinets, and eggshell for walls.
Prepare before you paint:
No sum of paint or primer can hide cracks in the walls or screw holes in the trim.
You should cover nail holes, sand the rough points, and caulk all joints. If you plan to recruit a crew, make sure your contractor spells out who is accountable for which task while remodeling your kitchen.
The ideal time to repaint your kitchen is sooner than you think. You can choose to do it before the cabinet and backsplash go on the walls to reduce the cost of labor (even after an additional round of touch-ups), and remove paint stains on the cabinets and tiles. While you’re painting your kitchen, you should maintain a straight line where they cross the wall.
Select Backsplash With Character and Functionality
You should consider the space between the countertop and the cabinets as a blank canvas on which you can paint your unique masterpiece. Unless they’re enormous, you can place subway tiles vertically or in a herringbone pattern for a retro look.
While small mosaic patterns are attractive, grout lines are often difficult to clean. Also, there are non-tile alternatives, such as beadboard paneling or metal ceiling tiles, and glass, steel, wood, marble, embossed ceramic, and other tiles that you can use for your kitchen backsplash ideas.
Similarly, you should ensure that you choose something that represents your personal style but is still universally attractive and easy to clean, so it won’t scare off potential buyers if you decide to sell your home.
High-End Cabinets For Less
Unless you want something truly unique, you can get the cabinet style you desire (door style, wood type, finish) without the heavy price of custom cabinets (which you can customize to your exact design and size specs).
Custom, semi-custom, and stock cabinets are the main types of cabinets that you can choose. Each manufacturer provides a small list of designs and finishes in three-inch width increments.
Semi-custom cabinets, which are custom-made from a manufacturer’s existing styles and finishes in one-inch size increments; are truly the optimum solution for kitchen cabinet designs.
Experiment With Quartz
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association, quartz, a man-made countertop surface that resembles stone, has surpassed granite as the most popular countertop material. Quartz kitchen countertop is essentially stain-proof, scratch-proof, and chip-proof, and you never need to seal it.
Quartz is also available in several colors and patterns, many of which compellingly resemble natural stones (marble and limestone). Furthermore, the real versions of marble and limestone are exceptionally high-maintenance for a kitchen countertop.
Go All Out On Lighting
There are three distinct types of kitchen light fixtures for you to choose from. (Hint: you need them all.)
Recessed ceiling fixtures: You can install it over an open floor plan to provide ambient lighting, especially where you dine and wine.
Under-Cabinet Lighting: If it is the only light on, include under-cabinet lighting to provide task lighting over the cooktop and illuminate the dining table, kitchen island, and cabinetry.
Pendants/Ceiling Fixtures: Use stylish pendants to light up work zones like islands, peninsulas, and sinks. They offer diffuse light without producing shadows.
Consider the Kitchen Flooring
Figuring out how to remodel a kitchen is incomplete without choosing the right kitchen flooring and that’s where wood kitchen flooring truly shines. Wood has a beautiful, natural appeal, but it will crack, scratch, and stain frequently in the kitchen.
On the other hand, porcelain tile is easy to maintain and comes in many styles. For instance, it can look like real stone and wood, but most items that fall on it will shatter. As a result, you should consider looking for the right alternatives. For instance, luxury vinyl and laminate flooring are tough, comfortable, and forgiving. They also come in several wooden designs that most people mistake for the real deal.
Budget Considerations
When deciding on how to remodel a kitchen on a budget, you must consider these three aspects:
-
How much can you possibly spend on the kitchen of your dreams?
-
The standard of the kitchens in your neighboring area.
-
How long do you plan to remain in your current residence?
You should consider the following if you’re searching for a resale payback. Start by calculating the value of your kitchen once you figure out your home value. It will help you determine how much you should spend on any massive upgrade.
