Budgeting Wisely For Stunning Kitchen Renovations

You do not need to use up your retirement savings in order to have a kitchen renovation that looks like a million dollars. These great tips will help you get the look you want from your new kitchen without breaking the bank to get there.

Gather Estimates and Prices for the Changes You'd Like to Make

Do a little homework first so you understand how much various items cost. This will help you establish realistic expectations about what you can actually do and how much the changes you want to make will cost. At the very least, you'll have a ballpark idea. Make sure to include these things in your fact-finding endeavors.

  • Estimates from qualified contractors. Ideally, you should get three estimates for each field (plumber, carpenter, cabinet maker, electrician, etc.).
  • Costs of permits (and timelines for permits) if any are necessary.
  • Tools and equipment you'll need to either rent or purchase to complete the job.
  • Cost of materials (cabinets, hardware, door knobs, drawer pulls, tile, countertops, etc.)
  • Time. The one commodity that is sometimes most expensive is time. You need to know how long each task will take – especially those requiring professionals so you can plan your project accordingly.

Create a Budget – Allow Room for Errors and Omissions

A realistic budget allows wiggle room for problems that inevitably crop up. Gathering estimates and projected costs helps you create realistic budgets. You should raise your budget by at least 20 percent, though, in order to accommodate all the things that can go wrong or further problems you discover once you open up walls or pull up flooring.

Pick Your Passions

The problem with kitchen renovation is that you've invested a great deal of time exploring your options and picking out your dream kitchen. Unfortunately, those dream kitchens often come with nightmarish price tags. Pick the things that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

For instance, if your heart is set on granite countertops, but your budget is clamoring for laminate, consider cutting costs elsewhere in order to accommodate the countertops you really want.

For instance, if you're keeping the same basic footprint for your kitchen cabinets, consider keeping your original cabinets and changing the doors and/or hardware to cut costs substantially. You could cut costs even more by stripping and restaining, whitewashing, or painting your existing cabinets instead. This allows plenty of room in your budget to accommodate the granite countertops.

Other options include using granite tile or installing a granite overlay instead of granite slab countertops. If it's just the look of granite that concerns you, either option has merit.

These small steps can help you come up with mighty savings on your kitchen renovation. Try them out as you plan for a budget friendly renovation that still gives you a finished kitchen you're sure to love. Contact a company like All Marble Granite & Tile Imports Inc for more information.


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