Tips for Saving Money on a Kitchen Remodel

A kitchen remodel is one of the most expensive projects for your home due to the material and labor costs. However, keeping costs down is possible even while working with contractors, designers and suppliers. Here are four tips to lower the cost of your kitchen remodel.

1. Refresh Rather Than Replace. Kitchen cabinets are generally a tear-out-and-replace project, making it one of the most expensive. Custom cabinets will only drive the price higher to fit specific spaces. There are a couple ways you can refresh your current cabinets to remain cost-effective.
   1. Painting. A classic method to update your kitchen cabinets. The process can be time-consuming for bigger kitchens but can achieve dramatic results.
   2. Refacing. More expensive than painting, refacing adds a new veneer to the outside of cabinet boxes and replaces doors and drawer fronts. It is more difficult since you’ll need tools and expertise.
   3. Hardware. One of the cheaper alternatives, new hardware can easily update cabinets to feel brand new.
2. Refurbished Appliances. Appliances used to be discarded in landfills, however this has changed in recent times. There are many services and information available to fix kitchen appliances or purchase refurbished ones, rather than paying for something new. The ability to repair appliances will depend on your skill level, but it’s usually worth the attempt before shelling out a larger amount of money.
3. Keeping the Same Layout. Redesigning a kitchen’s layout by moving plumbing or electrical lines will drive up a remodel budget. Maintaining the same kitchen layout while updating the elements within that framework is the most cost-effective. A galley-style or corridor kitchen is often nearly impossible to change without major home structure alterations.
4. DIY Projects. Bring down labor costs by executing simpler projects such as painting, tiling, flooring installation and baseboards. Local hardware stores often have classes and demonstrations for how to perform these common projects. An important factor to consider here is time. If you are on a strict time frame, typically hiring a team of professionals will yield the best results.

Source: the Spruce