How To Have a Kitchen Makeover on a Budget

The cost of remodeling a kitchen can be quite expensive. That is why many people think that it is impossible to renovate their kitchen on a budget.

Some people are spending over $75,000 on kitchen remodeling. The good news is that there are several things that you can do to save money on kitchen remodeling. If you follow these tips, then you can cut the cost of your kitchen remodeling project by up to 40 percent.

Tips For a Kitchen Makeover On a Budget

Sometimes just a few gallons of paint will do wonders to give your kitchen that fresh, new and improved feeling. Before you go buying gallons of some color you like in the store, try bringing the sample templates you desire home with you and tape them to a main wall in the kitchen that gets sunlight.

For a week, walk by the hue templates at different times a day and mark next to the color you like with what time it is. Once you find a color you like at all times of the day, you know you have found the color you can live with in the morning, noon and night. You could even have your family join you by placing their vote for their favorite color at different times of the day as well.

You don’t have to paint your entire kitchen the same color, accent walls are great for drawing your eye and attention as well as helping the other kitchen colors or cabinets stand our more. The goal is for a nice pleasant flow of color that makes you feel comfortable when you are in the room. Stay away from too dark of colors as this will make any room appear smaller than it really is.

White or very light colors will make a room appear to be much larger than it truly is. Sometimes a nice coat of white paint will do the trick. White makes a room brighter, appear larger and feel new. Simply, accent your newly painted white kitchen with colors in your decor to create a nice clean look.

The majority of kitchens come in one of many pre-determined shapes. Most kitchen designers do not do anything different because the shapes work very well. Regardless of whether your kitchen has a one-wall layout, gallery, L-shape, corridor or U-shape, its layout probably works a lot better than you may realize. The problem is probably not the shape itself; it may be simply be the arrangement of your furniture and appliances.

Move Appliances At A Modest Distance

If you have to move electrical, plumbing or gas, then you will end up spending a lot of money and time. This often works well with the concept of keeping the footprint of your kitchen, but that is not always the case. You can keep the footprint and still move your appliances. Keep in mind that some of your appliances can be moved without un-hooking them.

For example, you can move your dishwasher to the other side of your sink because the hookups come from the center point underneath the sink. It does not matter whether you move it right or left.

Think Functional When It Comes To Flooring

Your kitchen is one of the places where your flooring needs to perform. For instance, it is better having resilient ceramic tile than hardwood which can drain your budget and soak up spills. Tile or vinyl sheet is easy to install and very inexpensive. Ask yourself, “Do I really need Tuscan marble?”

It is important for you to choose flooring that is water-resistant, but it does not have to be waterproof. Laminate flooring can also be placed over the flooring that you already have, which eliminates the need for demolition.

Have Off-the-Rack Cabinetry Installed

Here is some really good news, affordable stock kitchen cabinets continue to get better. You can find kitchen cabinetry from IKEA, Lowes and The Home Depot. It is also a lot less expensive than custom cabinetry and can be installed by a handyman or general contractor, like myself. Cabinet refacing is another fix.

If your cabinets are in fairly good shape, spruce up your kitchen with some new cabinet hardware. For as little as $2.00 each, you can subtly change the look of your kitchen with hardware.

Purchase Effective And Modest Countertops

Kitchen countertops are not cheap. Stainless steel, concrete and stone can break your budget. Consider choosing ceramic tile. Laminate countertops, which are often used to help people stay in their budget and are better-looking these days. Sometimes you can get a steal on some recycled counter tops, which uses recycled glass or stone.

Avoid Electrical Wiring Heavy-Ups

If your existing electrical system is safe and can maintain the current load, then you should really re-consider whether you need double-ovens and ancillary appliances, such as trash compactors because a complete re-wire could eat up close to 25 percent of your budget.

Look Out For Permits

Changing exterior walls, electrical and plumbing all require permits. Everything that requires a permit will also require more time and money. Avoid remodeling products that require the use of a permit. Consult with a professional remodeling contractor first to save you from the permit headaches.

Always be on the look out for previously used cabinets, countertops and appliances. Sometimes people buy something custom or brand new, have it delivered to their home only to discover they don’t like the color or pattern. These returned items were not even used but are now marked down. Some of the most beautiful kitchens are pieced together.

If you need any help with consulting, makeover ideas or remodeling your kitchen, feel free to contact me. I live to fix things and make homes better.