How to Save Money on a Kitchen Remodel
Wow your dinner guests with your kitchen remodel (and the price you paid for it all)
If you’re wondering how to save money on a kitchen remodel, you’re not alone. On average, kitchen remodels cost $75 to $250 per square foot, but there are plenty of areas you can cut back on those costs. Even on a budget, there are improvements you can make to boost your home’s value and replace all those chipping tiles that have been eating at you for months. Learn where to save big on your kitchen remodel and make your dollars stretch for miles.
10 Tips to Save Money on a Kitchen Remodel
You don’t have to gut an entire kitchen to make it feel brand new. The simplest swaps and upgrades can breathe new life into even the most dated kitchen. Even kitchen updates under $500 can make a big difference.
1. Work With the Footprint You’ve Got
Tearing down walls and moving appliances around will drive up the cost of your remodel—fast. Changing the floor plan often requires calling in a bunch of experts, such as a local plumber and electrician near you Consider making only aesthetic upgrades that will maintain the existing layout.
2. Hire Yourself as the Designer
If you don’t want to hire a local kitchen designer, you can roll up your sleeves and design your new kitchen yourself. Many online tools exist to help you map out your kitchen layout, such as Kitchen Planner and Google SketchUp, and you can get lots of inspiration from Pinterest and design magazines. Ikea also has a kitchen planning tool available.
3. Make a Budget (and Stick to It)
Before you hire a local kitchen remodeler to begin work, make sure you’ve drafted a detailed budget. List every expense: appliances, tools to rent or buy, accessories, cabinetry, labor costs, etc. After you’ve done that, tack on an additional 20% to 30% to account for any unexpected costs that may come up.
4. Don’t Replace Your Cabinets
There are many ways to spruce up your kitchen cabinetry without yanking them out of the wall and replacing them; new cabinets are expensive, and the labor costs required to tear down and install a new set will quickly add up. Consider these DIY-friendly improvements to give your cabinets a new look
Repaint in a fresh, bright color.
Have a cabinet maker build new doors and use ones with glass inserts for an open, airy look.
Replace upper cabinetry with open shelving.
Swap outdated hardware for modern pieces for a budget-friendly kitchen upgrade.
Upcycle an old table or cart to create a kitchen island.
5. Change Up the Color Scheme
A fresh coat of paint can transform the look and feel of a room, especially in the kitchen, where your walls may see a lot of wear and tear. Experts recommend repainting the kitchen every five to eight years to keep things looking fresh. Even repainting it the same color could give it a fresh feel.
But if you’re aiming for a total transformation, consider a contrasting color for your cabinetry or an accent wall to add a pop of color to the room. While painting the kitchen yourself may take time and patience, you’ll save hundreds of dollars. Hiring professional painters costs $1,100, on average, per room.
6. Update Your Lighting
Bright light emanating from a chic lighting fixture can instantly make a kitchen seem more modern. Depending on the fixture you choose, the installation should only cost between $100 and $600.
7. Take Advantage of Appliance Discounts
Replacing your clunky oven from the early aughts with something sleeker and shinier is tempting, but appliances are costly. Shop around to look for sales, and once you find a well-priced fridge, call every other local appliance shop to see if they can beat the price. You can also ask about floor models, which are usually significantly discounted. They might have small cosmetic imperfections or dings, but it’s a small price to pay for the big savings you’ll get.
Another way to save on appliances is to bundle them. For example, buying your fridge, range, and dishwasher as a set will typically cost less than buying each appliance individually.
8. Prioritize Functionality Over Aesthetics
If you cook a lot and require countertop materials that are extra durable, purchase with that in mind—rather than focusing solely on aesthetics. Some of the more hard-wearing materials are less expensive than the glitzy ones: consider butcher block or engineered stone, both of which are super sturdy, in place of marble countertops.
9. Focus on Quality of Life Upgrades
Sometimes, the smallest changes make the biggest differences. Look for small swaps that elevate your kitchen's look and increase your quality of life.
For example, your builder-grade sink might work in a pinch, but the small sink and stationary faucet make washing dishes a pain. Upgrading to a higher-end double undermount sink with a sleek faucet improves the look of your kitchen and makes cooking and cleaning more enjoyable.
If the lighting in your kitchen feels too bright, consider installing dimmer switches to create a moody atmosphere in the evenings.
10. DIY Anything You Can
Many tasks can be completed over a weekend (such as repainting your cabinets), especially if you have a friend or family member to lend a hand. There are some things—electrical work, demolition on load-bearing walls, and plumbing—that need to be handled by local kitchen remodeling pros. Try to tackle DIY kitchen projects where possible, and save big on labor costs.
What You Can Afford to Do Based on Your Kitchen Remodel Budget
From $5,000 to $20,000, there are options to design a remarkable kitchen remodel.
$5,000
Repainted cabinets ($100 to $200)
Install open shelving in place of upper cabinetry ($100 to $300 per linear foot)
Addition of a kitchen island cart ($100 to $500, if you DIY)
New lighting fixtures and hardware (pricing depends on the fixtures you choose)
Some appliances upgraded (pricing depends on the appliances—pick the ones you use the most)
$10,000
New custom cabinetry ($5,000 on average)
New countertops ($25 to $100 per square foot)
Backsplash installation (average of $1,000)
New hardware and lighting (pricing depends on the fixtures)
Some appliances upgraded (pricing depends on the appliances)
$15,000
New custom cabinetry ($5,000 on average)
New countertops ($25 to $100 per square foot)
Backsplash installation (average of $1,000)
New hardware and lighting (pricing depends on the fixtures)
Some appliances upgraded (pricing depends on the appliances)
Addition of a kitchen island ($4,000 on average)
New flooring (Between $1,510 and $4,650, depending on the material)
Substitute Materials for Kitchen Remodels On a Budget
If there’s a look you just got to have, try to find ways to opt for affordable alternatives with some of the following swaps:
High-quality veneer can give the same look as a high-end hardwood cabinet but will save you roughly $200 per linear foot.
Subway tiles arranged in a pattern can create an exciting and expensive-looking finish on your backsplash without the price tag of decorative tiles.
Granite or quartz countertops look high-end but are easy to maintain and are more affordable than natural stone.
Bamboo flooring looks like traditional hardwood but is more affordable, durable, and water-resistant.
A composite stone sink will look like a natural stone but comes at a fraction of the price.
C.E. Larusso contributed to this piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best time to start a kitchen remodel is in the spring. For most climates, this means the weather is moderate, meaning some staging and labor could take place outside. Spring is also months away from most major holidays when you’d want full kitchen use. For example, starting a kitchen remodel in November or December will make holiday entertaining difficult.
Unless you’re a professional chef, pro-level appliances are probably not worth it. The price difference can be anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 for a higher-end, pro set of appliances, while fully-loaded, energy-efficient mass-market models will likely have everything you need to cook everything from cassoulets to crepes.
The best time to buy kitchen appliances is often during holiday weekends; Black Friday and Cyber Monday being the biggest.
However, you’ll likely find decent deals during Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Fourth of July weekend.
While these dates might spell out sales, a deal is only as good as its discount. Note the full price of each appliance before shopping sales to understand if you’re truly saving cash.