The way to get the best bang for your buck renovating a kitchen is surprising to many people.
Often consumers assume that reducing the amount of construction and keeping the appliances and cabinetry locations the same will save them money. The reality is that since everything in a kitchen renovation is getting ripped out and replaced moving cabinetry and appliances has little impact on overall costs. Even removing an entire wall which might cost $2000 could also mean less wall cabinetry keeping the overall project costs the same.
The materials that you buy during a kitchen renovation offer the best opportunity to save money without compromising on the kitchen design itself or the quality of the cabinetry, countertops, or appliances you purchase.
Often compromising slightly on cabinetry color or door style can save 20 to 40% on cabinet expenses. Switching to a less expensive cabinet line doesn’t mean you are sacrificing durability or the construction quality of your cabinets. In fact, if the door style you are choosing is available in a less expensive cabinet line it could be a waste of the project’s resources to upgrade to an expensive cabinet line since custom colors and unusual door styles are what make custom cabinetry expensive.
Reducing costs without sacrificing very much is also possible with countertops and appliances.
While expensive professional appliances can be beautiful and offer great features most homeowners won’t appreciate the difference between name brands like Wolf and Viking and the less expensive alternatives. For example, the range above is less than half the cost of a more expensive brand like Wolf or Viking.
In the Delaware Valley, granite countertop pricing starts around $40 per square foot.
Level 5 granite colors and most man-made quartz countertops as well as natural stone tops such as quartzite, soapstone, and marble typically cost at least double that price. The more expensive natural stone tops are more unique but also slightly less durable and can require more maintenance and upkeep. The quartz tops which require no maintenance are easier to scratch and more likely to be damaged by heat. Spending double the price for your countertops could go unappreciated by people unfamiliar with these high-end tops and not give added durability. While spending double the price for a countertop is common, there is no limit to the price of exotic stone and some synthetic tops.
Splurging on expensive appliances, custom inset cabinetry, or exotic stone tops can make a beautiful kitchen that much more distinctive like the kitchen above.
Compromising on the design of a kitchen is always a bad idea. The value of your home is determined by how desirable the kitchen design and layout is. If moving a wall, window, doorway or other design feature enhances the design of your kitchen then this is where you need to spend money first. Getting the best bang for your buck starts with the design itself and not with the name brands and subtle color variations consumers often focus on.
Below is a related blog from SmartReno, a Canadian web site we have found informative:
Kitchen Renovation Mistakes to Avoid
Or here is another relevant blog:
The 10′ x 10′ Kitchen and Why the Linear Foot Price for Cabinetry is a Lie.
Hoping your renovation makes all the smart choices.
Bon Appetite!
Paul, Julie, John, Stacia, Tom, and Ed
Main Line Kitchen Design
8 Replies to “Kitchen Redesign on a Budget; Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck.”
Caryn
Do you have any information about the quality of cabinets from Western Export Corp Kitchen and Bath Cabinetry http://WWW.WESTERNEXPORTCORP.COM. it is a small family run and owned business in Mundelein IL. I went to their showroom and saw a beautiful all wood American cherry kitchen called Geneva. It appeared to be of good quality with 3/4 inch plywood cabinets and drawer box and other features. They have been in business for 15 years.The price was very reasonable.They create their product on site.I am a bit nervous about purchasing from a company and brand I am not familiar with.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Sorry,
They give no information on their web site. That coupled with them running a ecommerse business on their site worries me.
Sheryle
I have read your comments about wellborn forest, beach t haven’t seen anything about thomasville or cubitac. Are these last two comparable in quality and durability to the first? I realize the last with it’s mdf doors is inherently different.
Thank you for your time and assistance. Reading the consumer reviews has made me not want to buy anything and I was reassured by your previous blog entry referencing this problem.
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Here is a link to our 2018 Cabinet rankings. We rate Thomasville here but not Cubitec. Cubitec is a frameless line and so cannot score higher than a B for construction and would also not score higher than that for value.
Allie
I agree with the counter top going unappreciaed, we were tempted to put in a beautiful and expensive quartz top but ended up with a nice granite top that was on sale at the time.
I have a small galley kitchen so costs weren’t astronomical but I won’t be re-doing this kitchen for another 20 years so I wanted to love it. I stayed close to budget but sometimes you just end up going over a bit. My plumbing stayed right on budget, even though I ran into having a tiny 24 inch sink base and many companies recommended sinks that would cut down overall sink space which was badly needed. I found this website (directsinks.com), they had A LOT of small sink options and stayed on the phone with me to help explain my best options. Low prices too always have a promo going on. Could definitely help cut down overall kitchen costs for anyone facing the same problems. Hope this helped some out! Thanks for the great blog info!
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Many contractors and homeowners mistakenly believe that a standard 21 1/2″ bowl doesn’t fit in a 24″ sink base. It does and good kitchen designers use it all the time for standard single bowl sinks. Hopefully whoever you spoke with understood this.
Ilene
I’m looking at Canyon Creek Cabinets and also SkyRiver Cabinets, since I’m in Seattle. Do you have any suggestions for a local kitchen designer. The Canyon Creek is sold through Dunn Lumber and comes with a kitchen designer, but Sky River sells directly to contractors and she did a design only. My kitchen will be gutted due to a dishwasher leak and a wall will be removed, to give a 12×16′ space, they’re putting in a large island 48″x99″ which seems quite large, any suggestions. It will be an L-shaped design with the island and seating on 2 sides
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
I don’t like companies that sell to contractors. That shows zero respect for the design process and so I feel is unethical. Our web site lists recommended dealers in your area. Info below:
Luna Kitchen and Bath Seattle WA http://www.lunakitchenandbath.com/ 206-338-3763