When you want to be old-school and extra
A scullery is like a fancy kitchen’s sidekick, used for food prep and storage.
They’re most often seen in older, high-end homes.
Creating a simple scullery in an existing room starts at $5,000.
Once a sign of wealth in Old World homes, sculleries have come back in style. Manor houses, large estates, and homes built for entertainment may feature one—but what is a scullery?
A scullery is an overflow kitchen or a small room near the kitchen used to prepare food and wash and store dishes. Whether you're looking to buy an old home with a scullery or build one in your modern home—here's what to know about this handy kitchen sidekick.
A scullery is a small room equipped like a mini kitchen with storage and appliances designed for preparing food, washing dishes, and keeping the kitchen and dining rooms free from clutter.
These rooms were popular hundreds of years ago when it was considered unsightly for a working kitchen to be in plain view. In modern homes, a scullery can be built from a kitchen-adjacent butler’s pantry or laundry room.
A modern scullery is a type of pantry with kitchen appliances like a dishwasher, sink, stove, oven, and microwave. The largest and most powerful kitchen appliances tend to be in a scullery.
Sculleries sometimes have hot and cold sinks, slop sinks, and drain pipes for large-scale dining clean-up. Sculleries may also feature storage shelves, plate racks, a prep table or island, and a pasta arm.
One of the main reasons to have a scullery is to separate the mess of cooking with a more aesthetic kitchen. People tend to gather in kitchens even when food isn't being prepared. When entertaining, some hosts like the kitchen to remain clean.
Cooking is done in the scullery and can either be finished there and brought straight out (like with canapes or other passed appetizers), or the majority of the cooking can take place in the scullery and “finished” in the main kitchen. This is popular with dishes like paella, risotto, or other “showy” dishes.
Assuming your scullery is used like a second (or primary) kitchen, there are some seriously useful additions you can add. If you have a scullery or are planning on building one, consider adding additional elements. Most of these will require a professional installation, so discuss your options with a kitchen remodeling pro near you.
A scullery costs more than a butler’s pantry since it's larger and has more features. However, the cost of a scullery depends on the size of the room and the types of appliances you include. A small-scale scullery can run as low as $5,000 if you convert a small room into a scullery.
However, if you start from scratch and opt to build a big-budget, higher-end scullery space, you'll pay more than the cost of a kitchenette—which averages about $15,750. That’s because you’ll likely need to demo a room and add a wall, plumbing, and electrical, which has a higher price tag than simply retrofitting an existing laundry room.
When it comes to general contractors, licensing laws vary from state to state. Even if your state doesn’t require your home remodeling contractor to have a license, your municipality or city might, so it’s a good idea to check with your town before getting started. Be sure to check our state licensing tool to review the local general contractor guidelines.
If your state or city doesn’t require a home remodeling contractor to be licensed, hiring an expert is still worth it. The costs of hiring an unlicensed or uninsured contractor are high, as you might need to pay out of pocket for employee injuries or even the cost of redoing the project.
As you browse our pro listings, take note of the “Angi Certified” badge. Angi Certified businesses meet our standards for certification which include:
The owner, principal, or relevant manager passed a criminal background check
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The cost of home remodeling is $50,000 for the average homeowner. However, this cost can range anywhere from $3,000 for a small project to $170,000 for a whole home remodel. Factors like project size, location, and room type all affect your overall cost. For example, bedroom remodeling costs are one of the least expensive projects, costing about $1,500 to $5,500 per bedroom. However, a kitchen remodel has a significant cost range, totaling anywhere from $14,500 to over $70,000.
The best time of year to remodel your home is late winter and early spring when fewer homeowners are thinking about projects and pros are more available. Also consider the type of remodel you want and plan ahead as much as possible. For example, the summer is a great time of year to update your fireplace, but winter is a better option for fixing foundations and building room additions.
There are a few things you can do to prepare for a home remodeling project to ensure a smooth construction process. Creating a detailed budget can help you stay on track, especially with the excitement of new construction or upgrades. It’s also beneficial to map out a remodeling timeline with your contractor to have clear expectations. In addition, you’ll want to prepare the space that will be worked on ahead of time—this could be tarping furniture or entirely removing belongings from the room.
Home renovation insurance, sometimes called “dwelling under renovation coverage” or “builder’s risk insurance,” helps financially cover any damages that occur during the home renovation process. While different from typical homeowners insurance, many homeowners insurance policies already include some sort of home renovation insurance or offer it as an additional add-on. While this insurance isn’t necessary for every home remodeling project, it’s best to contact your insurance company to verify if it’s needed and what your coverage options are.
