Kitchen remodeling projects can take a lot of time to figure out exactly what you want. But once you do, and see the end product, it can be pretty amazing. However, there are a few things that are key to when deciding what your kitchen renovation should all entail. Do not sweat the small stuff. Instead, work through these five things listed below. Once you have worked through them, you will have the best possible kitchen remodel ever.
First, you need to stick with a budget. However, that budget should be considered off the rest of your house. The entire kitchen remodel should not exceed 15% of what your home is worth. It should be broken down into segments: 30% on cabinets, 14% on appliances, 10% on counter tops, 5% on lighting, 4% on plumbing fixtures, 2-3% on paint, 1-2% on tiles, and 35% on construction costs.
For a $200,000 home, the kitchen renovation would be broken down like this:
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- Cabinets: $9,000
- Appliances: $4,200
- Counter tops: $3,000
- Lighting: $1,500
- Plumbing Fixtures: $1,200
- Paint: $600 to $900
- Tiles: $300 to $600
- Construction Costs: $10,500
- Total Renovation Costs: $30,000
Next, consider hiring someone to come up with a plan for your cabinets. Home centers and cabinet shops are great, but you could find the cabinets of your dreams when you hire a designer. You should count on paying 3-10% of what your project for a fee. Another added benefit of hiring a designer is that they know what they are doing. Many that work at a home center have not been trained in actual renovation work.
Think about expanding your kitchen. Many kitchens are built too small. If you are going through the trouble of all new flooring and cabinets, you may as well keep going to extend the kitchen. You may be able to do this by getting rid of a hallway or extending the kitchen out if you have a deck. Or if no space is available, consider having an open floor plan. This will make your home appear to be much bigger than what it really is. You may also entertain the thought of knocking down an existing wall to make the kitchen and another room one, such as your living room. The cost of this could range from $1,000 to $6,000 depending upon if there is any plumbing that needs to be addressed.
If you want to save some money, you can keep some things you have in your kitchen. Perhaps your refrigerator is only a few years old. Or maybe you like the looks of your windows. Underneath the flooring, there may be some really nice wood flooring that just needs to be sanded and cleaned. These are all excellent ways to save money on your kitchen renovation.
You will also want to think about how long you are going to be living in your home. If you expect to move within the next few years, you could save a lot of money by refacing your kitchen cabinets. Even adding a fresh coat of paint or two will help to achieve this. You would add new fixtures to the sink or hardware to the cabinets for a fresh look too.
If you are considering a kitchen renovation, but are unsure where to start, consider hiring a professional. Hybrid Construction, LLC is a great place to look for any kitchen remodeling project. Their experts can assist you in deciding what aspects will look great in your kitchen so you can have the kitchen that you have always wanted.
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