Your kitchen remodeling costs will be a result of the many decisions you will make before determining the final scope of the project.Renovating your kitchen is typically a very cost-effective upgrade to your home.
If you're in an old house, you could prefer to renovate in a way that is sensitive to the age of the house, preserving the original look and feel of the room. Or you could decide to enlarge the room, adding natural light by adding windows, etc. - all of which will impact the cost.
You might be remodeling your kitchen as a face-lift prior to selling it. In this case, spend as little as possible to make the kitchen presentable - no more than 10% of the cost of the house.
If you will be staying in your house for 5 years or more, you can spend up to 25% of the house's value. In most cases (unless you hit a bad real estate market) you will recoup the entire cost of the renovation when you sell.
Kitchen remodeling costs will vary by area, and other factors specific to your job, but on average you should expect to spend:
* $2000 to $3000 for cosmetic work with no new cabinets, plumbing or electrical changes.
Usually this will include cabinet doors & hardware, new faucet, & some paint.
* $4000 to $7000 for new discount cabinets with counter top and low end appliances.
* $8000 to $10000 to add flooring and some upgrades to the above.
* $11000 to $20000 for all of the above in medium quality, and some custom work.
* $20000 and up for all of the above in high quality, with custom work & many upgrades.
This number could easily reach $100,000 if you're not careful.
Kitchen remodeling costs can cause a bad case of sticker shock. I've heard of them exceeding 1/2 the cost of the house. Of course, there are ways to reduce costs, and you can always wait until you can afford to complete your wish list.
You should concentrate on saving with big-ticket items. Don't compromise the design. Keep the old appliances if you can, but don't buy "cheap" if you can't.
Get "Energy Star" rated appliances offering good value. Check Consumer Reports for product reviews or contact me with a specific item you need reviewed and I'll do the research for you.
Don't try to save money by hiring unprofessional labor. Stick with the guys that you feel really know what they're doing. They will save you money in the long run.
Instead, when thinking about cutting your kitchen remodeling costs, consider using stock cabinets instead of custom, laminates instead of stone or solid surface material, and keep as many appliances as you can. Try to keep existing plumbing and electrical components where they are.
Don't make structural changes to the room. You will be surprised how inexpensive and effective decorative items can be. Paint, wallpaper, curtains and accessories can transform a space for very little money.
Don't make changes after the work begins. This gets expensive. Make sure you have finished your decision-making before the workers arrive.