You always hear about the benefits of spending money on a kitchen remodel, yet you only see the results of top-to-bottom remodels. They’re breathtaking, but most people don’t have the budget for them. Fortunately, there’s a way to nail a kitchen remodel while saving money by making sacrifices, swaps, and changes.
Keep the Existing Layout
Changing the layout is one of the most expensive parts of kitchen remodeling. Save some money by not moving structures or fixtures. When everything stays put, you avoid labor costs associated with moving the sink, the appliances, the plumbing, the electricity, and the vents. Don’t tear down a wall to expand the kitchen because this is also costly. Other renovations should be enough to give your kitchen a refreshing vibe.
Get Frugal With Amenities
It’s good to splurge on one or two must-have items, but you must have a frugal mindset for most of them. The best route depends on the swaps and sacrifices you are comfortable making. These are your choices:
- gently used or secondhand items
- refurbished or open-box items
- new item markdowns (sale, discount, clearance, etc.)
- new items with imperfections (dents, scratches, etc.)
- display or sales floor items
- repurposing unused items in your home
Search for gently used items in thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales. Big-box and online stores are great places for refurbished or open-box products online. Look for markdowns, display sales floor items, and items with imperfections at home appliance centers, outlet shops, discount closeout stores, big-box chains, and home improvement stores.
A thrifty idea for a kitchen island is to give an unused cart or table a new purpose. DIY tasks like painting and changing hardware are optional. Meanwhile, you don’t have to swap appliances, cabinets, sinks, backsplashes, and countertops for new ones. Just keep them. Fix broken appliance parts and update cabinet hardware. You can also stain or paint the cabinet doors.
Here are other things you can do to save:
- Choose shiplap, beadboard, or moisture-resistant wallpaper as the backsplash.
- Choose laminate, tile, a solid surface, or butcher block as the countertop.
- Incorporate open shelves into the kitchen.
- Buy ready-to-assemble or stock cabinets instead of custom-made ones.
Hire a Remodeling Contractor
Many experts and bloggers recommend DIY to save money, but you must have real remodeling skills to do a cost-effective job. Watching a YouTube video about DIY projects could make you overconfident, resulting in costly mistakes. A contractor can fix anything you mess up, but bringing one in from the start is better. A contractor can complete the remodel in less time because they have a team to help. They also offer savings and markdowns on the project, materials, or amenities.
A satisfying kitchen remodel is achievable if you make a few financial sacrifices. Our contractors can give you affordable alternatives that rival magazines and Instagram-worthy photos. Contact CMJR Construction, Inc. to complete your kitchen remodeling project in Truckee, CA.
