Kitchen remodels usually involve high-end appliances, top-of-the-line furniture, leading-edge technology, and more. But if you’re on a budget, you can still include all of these and remodel a perfectly aesthetic and functional room. Here’s a breakdown of all the things you need for your kitchen remodeling process to take place smoothly.
Plan the Kitchen Remodeling Process
Planning is the most important stage in a kitchen remodel. You are going to live with this kitchen for many years to come. It must suit your lifestyle and even your future lifestyle, like your growing family, for instance. There are three ways you can tackle this; research, practical thinking, and sticking to the plan.
Start by asking yourself, what do you love and hate about your current kitchen? This will help you crystallize what you truly want from your new kitchen. Jot down all the functional elements you need for the appliances, fixtures, and storage. Then you can add some fascinating design elements to the kitchen space.
Get your creative juices flowing by grabbing some magazines and ripping a ton of inspiration. Look through various styles, colors, layouts, and find what you like. You can even go online or visit multiple home improvement stores to look at ready-made kitchen setups.
You can also draw a plan based on your research. Prioritize functional and practical aspects and then design. Make sure you set aside at least 10-20% of your total budget for any miscellaneous expenses.
Professional or DIY?
This is a million-dollar question that homeowners ask themselves every time they want to remodel space. Before starting a remodel, always think about the dangers that lie ahead. From a safety standpoint, ask yourself if you have the knowledge and skills to complete your kitchen remodeling process safely. You have to protect your space. It’s the biggest asset you likely have.
Here, a general or professional contractor will protect your home’s value through quality work and great craftsmanship. Experience is also important when it comes to a remodeling project. How much experience do you have compared to your contractor? Painting a room, replacing a screen, the Demo, etc., are great do-it-yourself projects.
Think about the larger aspects of a remodel. There it’s vital to have the right knowledge and abilities to complete a project effectively. If you’re thinking about saving costs, hiring a contractor isn’t cheap. A well-known, licensed contractor can charge anywhere between $40 – $250/ hr.
Install Countertops
Your countertops can take a beating regularly. So you want something that will hold up and look great for years to come aesthetically. It is truly one of the first things that people look at when they walk into the kitchen.
If you go with a particular choice, it will set the tone and even dictate your kitchen design. What if you ever decide to sell your home? High-quality countertops are always desirable. So spend your money on exquisite materials like granite, quartz, and marble.
If you have a tight budget and you cannot afford this type of material for your entire kitchen, definitely spend a good amount of money on a beautiful high-end piece of stone for your kitchen island.
On the contrary, you can even go for affordable countertop options such as solid surfaces, concrete, and wooden surfaces for this perimeter of your kitchen.
Select the Cabinets
Do you need to replace all of your cabinets? Most of us love the look of custom cabinetry. But either many of us can’t afford it or don’t want to spend precious dollars on them. And thankfully, you don’t have to go top-of-the-line to get decent quality cabinetry.
For instance, you can go with a mid-range cabinet box and door, which can save you thousands of dollars. Once you have the outline of your cabinets ready, splurge on the soft closed mixed metal hinges and glides. They add luxury and are becoming a great selling point if you do sell your home.
Invest in at least one pair of accent doors, like glass doors, aluminum framed doors, and more. There is an accent door for basically any style you desire, and they elevate the overall look of your cabinets and your kitchen.
Add Fixtures & Lighting
Just like your cabinet hardware, you’ll be using your faucet and lights every single day. Here you don’t have to go out and buy the most expensive, but if you just spend a good amount, you can do so. You can get a long-lasting, durable faucet with a stainless steel body, ceramic disc-valve, magnetic spray pull-down, contactless on/off feature, and more.
On the other hand, lighting is the most important aspect of a kitchen remodeling process. If you have an island or breakfast nook, add some statement lighting to reinforce your kitchen style.
You can purchase great looking light fixtures for just a few hundred dollars. So you don’t need to break the bank to add a statement in this area. For instance, you can include chandeliers, bold pendants, or multiple elongated pendants.
While many homeowners do a great job with sufficient ambient lighting in a kitchen, under-cabinet lighting is simply not standard just yet. Not only does it serve as additional task lighting for your countertop, but it also provides a soothing ambiance to a kitchen.
Due to its low-intensity lights, you can use under cabinet lighting first in the morning and the last thing in the evening. The cost ratio for this upgrade is well worth it.
Choose a Sink
A sink is the second most common item used in a kitchen after the faucet. You can save a lot of money and get a good quality stainless-steel stain. Sometimes the sink does make the design, such as the farmhouse sink, apron-front sink, etc.
Many homeowners do choose an undermount sink, so replacing it down the road can be quite tricky. So it’s better to spend upfront on a quality sink that lasts. On the other hand, if a stainless-steel sink works just fine for you, add a second prep sink. If you have a big family, an extra sink can be a massive benefit for you.
Install the Right Appliances
This solely depends on whether you cook often. While essential to buy solid, energy-efficient appliances from reputable manufacturers, it isn’t necessary to buy all top-of-the-line appliances.
That being said, if you do cook often, invest in a quality cooktop or range. Unlike the oven, which typically gets used infrequently, a cooktop is often the kitchen’s true workhorse. It lasts the longest, too. So upgrading it usually means money well spent.
There you have it, a kitchen remodeling process where you can save a ton and splurge a bit, all in cohesion to get your dream kitchen ready. These steps carry a significant impact and excellent ROI. More importantly, it will make you love your kitchen even more.
