10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Kitchen Renovation
A kitchen renovation can be a big project to take on, but it will help to add value to your home and make your home a more beautiful place to live. Before you renovate your kitchen, it is important to determine what the cost is likely to be and therefore what your budget should be set at. This way, you can be prepared for potentially high costs and have something set aside for any unexpected expenses.
How much should I budget for a kitchen renovation?
When planning for a kitchen renovation, coming up with a realistic budget should be your first priority. Budgeting isn’t always fun, but when you know your budget, you can have fun choosing the new aspects of your kitchen without worrying about overspending!
The amount you should budget for your kitchen renovation will depend on the size of your kitchen, the scope of your renovation project, and the materials you choose. With that said, the average cost of a kitchen renovation falls somewhere between $13,000 and $40,000, although you could spend as little as $4,000 for a minor kitchen renovation, right the way up to $50,000+ for a major kitchen remodel.
According to Home Advisor, a good rule of thumb is to spend 5% to 15% of your home’s value on your kitchen renovation to ensure that you are getting a good return on investment.
It is also important to ensure that you set aside between 5% and 15% of your budget as an emergency fund, so that, should any problems arise during the kitchen renovation project, you are already prepared without having to find funding from outside of your budget.
Is it worth doing a kitchen renovation?
Absolutely! If you can afford it, it is worth doing a remodel. A kitchen renovation adds value to your home and makes your home a much more luxurious place to be, and often more practical, too!
The only caveat here is that if you plan to sell your home in the near future, you need to ensure you don’t spend too much. If your home’s market value is $285,000, adding a $100,000 kitchen probably won’t mean you’ll find a buyer willing to pay $385,000 for your home.
What is the cheapest way to renovate a kitchen?
The cheapest way to renovate a kitchen is to do as much of the work yourself as you can. If you need to move or update plumbing and electricals, it is advisable to always use a professional, but otherwise, a lot of the jobs within a kitchen renovation project can be DIY’d, if you have the knowledge, desire, and tools.
The Ccheapest way to renovate a kitchen is to pick just a few core aspects of your kitchen and change them. Some ideas are:
· Paint your cabinets or replace the doors
· Replace the hardware (handles)
· Upgrade your lighting (adding LEDs under cabinets is cheap, change the overhead lighting)
· Replace the backsplash
· Replace the flooring
· Upgrade your faucet
· Look on used sites for replacement cabinets/cabinet doors/hardware
In a kitchen remodel, the entire kitchen cabinets are the most expensive, followed by the countertopscounter tops and the appliances, so stick with those, and you’ll avoid big costs.
How can I make my kitchen look expensive?
There are lots of things that you can add to your kitchen to make the finish look more expensive than it really is. Here are a few ideas:
· swap outdated cabinet hardware with sleek, modern alternatives
· paint walls and cabinets with light colors to make your space appear larger
· alternatively, paint with deep rich jewel tones to contrast and add luxury
· use statement lighting pieces, like chandeliers and pendant lights, above kitchen islands or breakfast bars
· add some artwork to bring in color and show off your individual style
· replace old appliances for stainless steel models
· minimize clutter on worktops by hiding small appliances in kitchen cabinets until you need to use them
How can I update my kitchen without renovation?
If you don’t have the budget to completely renovate your kitchen, here are some ways you can update your existing kitchen at a much lower cost:
· Keep your cabinets: if you want to update your kitchen but don’t have the budget or desire to do a renovation, then stick with your cabinets. Instead, update other aspects such as the floor, backsplash, or hardware.
If you want to make a change to your cabinets, consider sanding them down and painting or staining them a different color. You can also get stick-on temporary vinyl fronts, which are cheap but effective. They don’t often give an expensive-looking finish, but it’s a fast way to change the color.
· Keep your countertop: Countertops are a big cost, so it’s often best to stick with what you’ve got. However, if you just want to change one major thing and can stick with your cabinets, then a new countertop may be the right choice, especially if your current countertop has chips or knife marks.
· Add storage space: Another way to upgrade your existing kitchen is to improve the functionality of your cabinets with roll-out shelves. These will set you back about $100 per shelf, but they create a lot of extra space that you otherwise wouldn’t have had. We’re often frustrated with our kitchen when it feels cluttered, so simply finding better storage solutions helps.
· Paint your walls: A new coat of paint or wallpaper to one or all the walls in your kitchen is a simple but effective change. Like the kitchen cabinets, a different color creates a completely new look and makes the whole room look cleaner. A feature wall with a bold color or print will help to add interest to your kitchen at a relatively low cost to you.
· Update your backsplash: You can also update your kitchen just by adding a new backsplash. With so many materials and patterns to choose from, all at different price points, it’s easy to find something that will fit your existing kitchen. If you are looking to DIY your backsplash, you can find peel and stick backsplashes to make it much easier for you.
How do I renovate my kitchen?
How you renovate your kitchen will depend largely on the scope of your project, but here are the steps to go through in the order of when each should be completed to give you a guide:
Step 1: Decide what you want in your kitchen, but most importantly determine what you actually need. Decide how in-depth your renovation will be.
Step 2: Set your budget, keeping in mind your needs and wants.
Step 3: Decide if you’re going to hire out or DIY.
Step 4: Get a personalized kitchen design with Skipp. All we need is 30 -minutes to collect precise measurements of your kitchen space and create custom kitchen layouts based on your preferences and budget. Then, simply choose your favorite, professionally- designed kitchen for a stress-free kitchen renovation.
Step 5: Rip out any parts of your kitchen you’re getting rid of.
Step 6: Update your plumbing and electricals if necessary, using a trusted professional.
Step 7: Hang drywall if you’re making changes to the layout of your kitchen.
Step 8: Paint walls and ceiling.
Step 9: Lay new flooring.
Step 10: Install cabinets and countertops.
Step 11: Install backsplash.
Step 12: Bring in new or previously owned appliances, if necessary.
Your new kitchen is now ready to enjoy!
10 Tips to Make the Most of Your Kitchen Renovation
1. Stick to your budget – it’s often tempting to spend just a little more here and there, but make sure you keep a little around for unexpected expenses.
2. DIY wherever you feel that you can – this will cut back your costs and allow you to spend more elsewhere.
3. Only finance what you absolutely need – financing is an option, but go into it wisely!
4. Sell off old appliances to offset the cost – old appliances can be sold on sites like Facebook Marketplace to help cut the cost of your new appliances, and your new ones will be more energy efficient.
5. Think through every choice carefully the first time – don’t just jump on the first thing you love, take a look at other options before you make your final decision.
6. Look at blog posts and professional pictures for inspiration – spend plenty of time daydreaming on Pinterest, Architectural Digest, Instagram, and anywhere else you get your home décor inspiration.
7. Plan how much of the kitchen you need to renovate – it’s best to do so when you’re planning your budget, so you don’t run out of money.
8. Consider doing only minor touch-ups – do you really need to start from scratch? Dig deep and think about what you dislike most about your current kitchen. If you’re on a tight budget, often doing minor touch-ups to give it a revamp and stop it looking used and tired is enough!
9. Account for installation and delivery costs – if you’re getting professionals in, ask them about any additional costs that may not have been factored into your quote.
10. Go in order of priority for what needs to be replaced – this is especially important if your budget is tight or you are DIYing and replacing things incrementally.
When you are looking to renovate your kitchen, whether your budget is generous or tight, just the smallest change can make a big difference toward transforming your space. Whether you’re looking to add value to your home or want to create a more enjoyable place to spend your time, Skipp can help you to create your dream kitchen at a price you love!
