Anyone who has walked into a brand new kitchen thinks to themselves: “Wonderful!” But they also wonder what that beautiful kitchen renovation cost.
How much to renovate a kitchen? Well, how long is a ball of string? You get the point. Of course, it’s really just a matter of what you consider a kitchen renovation to be. Are you going to finally replace a few dilapidated features from the 1960s? Is that major overhaul going to be done on as tight a budget as possible? Or are you going to go all-out and do the kitchen renovations of your dreams?
Now that we’ve got you thinking about how much does it cost to renovate a kitchen, let’s answer some of the questions that might help you along the way:
Q: Do I need to plan that kitchen renovation?
A: You sure do – and you’re going to have to plan carefully to ensure you stick to a budget and get the result you desire. Understand that the big-ticket items are all of the materials, but you’ll also be paying for labour and installation, so give thought to all three expenses. Talk to the experts, ask a local plumber about relocating your sink or oven or an electrician about moving electrical outlets.
If your kitchen and home needs more space consider a home extension. There are more things to consider as well as kitchen costs but a home extension can add value and improve your living space significantly.
Q: What will affect the overall price?
A: The main kitchen renovation cost factors come down to whether you’re doing a little refresh or a complete kitchen overhaul. Replacing some fittings and fixtures will be relatively cheap to do both for materials and labour. Changing the kitchen layout, especially moving the location of plumbing and appliances significantly increases the costs involved. Costs will also differ depending on where your property is located, how big the kitchen space is, whether your house is old or modern and what quality workmanship and materials you opt for.
Q: What do you use the kitchen for?
A: Yes, of course, you’ll be using it to make beans on toast. But a real cooking aficionado will want more expensive appliances, while someone more concerned with how the kitchen looks will spend extra money on the floors, walls, and cabinets.
Q: How much do the tradies cost?
A: While we said kitchen renovations cost a lot because of the materials, the second biggest cost of kitchen renovation is the labour. In Australia, tradespeople charge between about $65 to $180 per hour, and it can vary even more depending on the complexity of the job. Why? If you are moving the location of a gas oven or installing a new one for example, then you’ll need a licenced gas plumber to do the job and issue gas compliance certificates to ensure safety and comply with your home insurance cover.
Q: How much should a kitchen renovation cost overall?
A: If you really want to hone in on the price, get prepared for this elusive answer: you can probably get the entire kitchen renovated for $20,000 (or less), but something with every bell and whistle will be more like $70,000. However, if you really want to slash the costs, research the DIY kits that are on the market – just don’t expect it to look like the $70k job.
Q: How can I stay within my budget?
A: If you’re smart, you’ll have a maximum budget for your kitchen renovation. And to lock in as much of that budget as possible, choose all of your materials, fixtures, and materials – as well as your tradespeople – ahead of time.
Q: In what areas should I cut costs?
A: The answer here is where you should NOT cut costs. For instance, appliances made by cheap manufacturers could just cost you more in the long run. But if you start moving the location of the plumbing and electric outlets, that’s going to unnecessarily drive up the costs, so try to make your dream design work with the basic kitchen layout you already have.
Kitchen Renovation: To Splurge or Not to Splurge – That Is the Question
Kitchen remodelling is one of the most useful house upgrades, and not only when you’re trying to sell. It can make your home a more pleasant place to spend time in and make some of your chores easier. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it shouldn’t have to put up with problems such as deterioration, outdated appliances, or any other inconveniences. Still, no matter how much you want to introduce a specific upgrade, it can go way over your budget and seriously jeopardize other projects you had in mind. So, if you’re planning some kitchen remodelling in the near future, here’s where to splurge and where to save when it comes to kitchen renovation costs.
Splurge: Countertops
In most of the cases, countertop is the focal point of your kitchen, so you might want to give it some special treatment. They also endure a lot of traffic. Therefore, it’s logical to invest more in a more resistant material. Stone countertops may cost a lot, but they can add value to your house and last a long time, unlike the laminate ones which are very prone to wear and tear. You can save some money on the more quality materials, such as granite, too; just choose a budget option (grade 2 of 5) for the best return on investment.
Save: Cabinetry
Sure, solid wood is one of the best materials you can get for the cabinetry, but it can cost you a fortune, without anyone ever noticing its true value. A veneer cabinetry can look just as good, with the wide range of rich-looking, yet affordable finishes available today. The price will also depend on the delivery, installation and available storage options (don’t save on these).
The catch here is flat pack kitchens come cut to specific common sizes. So for a perfect design and use of space, get a quote from renovation builders who can make the cabinetry to order.
Splurge: Appliances
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Kitchen appliances are not something you will change every year; therefore, you will need to choose quality and long-lasting items. Don’t go for the outdated options. The newest may be the most expensive ones, but they’re most energy-efficient, meaning they’ll save you a lot of money on utility bills in the future. Since most of the appliances are bulky and hard to move around, and installing them requires some knowledge of electricity or gas lines, it obvious that you shouldn’t save on the expert tasks like appliance installations.
Save: Tile
Source: freshome.com
Ceramic is the perfect choice for backsplashes, not only it looks great, but it is also affordable. As for the floors, although you may crave natural stone, you may end up wasting too much money on something that’s not that noticeable. Porcelain tile can give you the similar effect, while remaining within your budget. It is also a long-lasting option, since it resists cracking and chipping. Larger tiles will cost less, since they demand fewer cuts and grout lines during installation.
Splurge: Special Features
Source: freshome.com
The kitchen is the heart of your house, and therefore it is your heart too, and you deserve to make something that will fit your needs perfectly. In fact, built-in features are one of the top kitchen design trends for 2018. That can be a classy wine bar, a beverage station, special baking station, desk/workplace, TVs, places intended for drinking coffee/tea, etc. Consider which of these updates you need or want the most, and feel free to splurge.
Save: Lighting Fixtures
Classy lighting fixtures and layered lighting are one of the top trends for kitchen design, and for good reasons too. Still, that doesn’t mean you should spend a lot of money on them. In fact, a statement chandelier can even be bought on a flea market, pendant lights can be made out of the things you have in your own house, while task lights tend to be very affordable.
When planning a budget for a kitchen remodelling, first decide on your “musts”. Once you do that, see are there any more affordable solutions for those pieces. After, move on to the pieces where you can and want to save, and when you are done with everything, use the leftover money to install something that would make you happy; after all, the primary purpose of a kitchen is to make us happy.
The bottom line: Basic doesn’t mean boring
A kitchen renovation project may not be as cheap as chips, but that doesn’t mean you need to break the bank. With some smart planning and the right answers to the trickiest questions, you can create a great kitchen space and still have some change left over for a bottle of chilled white wine in the fridge. Have fun!
