The happiest homeowner-remodelers are those who have a budget – and stick to it! Achieving those goals results in a kitchen with all the essentials – that looks awesome – and preserves your financial health. We would like to give you a few tips that will send a kitchen remodel over budget. We hope these tips will help you be well informed when you start your remodeling project.
Unrealistic Expectations
Just remember a full kitchen remodel does not come cheap. According to the latest Houzz and Home Report, an average American full kitchen remodel runs about $29,400. It can be over $50,00 if you were to choose top of the line items and if you have a large size kitchen. You do not want to feel continuously disappointed by all the things you can’t have if you do not have a realistic budget. Our advice is to keep saving until you have enough to realistically design/build the remodel you want.
Have a Contingency Allowance
It’s tempting to gloss over the concept that during the course of your project you may discover a concealed condition requiring extra funds to correct, let alone increase your project price .The industry standard is to build a 10% to 15% contingency into the budget, in case an emergency remodeling situation arises. We might open up a wall only to find there’s considerable mold or structural rot that needs to be repaired. Perhaps a wall you planned to remove turns out to be load bearing. These “unpredictable happenstances” can cost several thousand dollars when all is said and done.
Making Significant Layout Changes
If you know your budget will be tight, minimize layout changes whenever possible.When a homeowner asks their contractor to quote the additional cost to make a change, the contractor must not only estimate the labor and material related costs to complete the change, he will also need to estimate and include other requirements, including but not limited to any management, supervision, planning, redesign and building permit revision related costs. Also, consider a professional contractor and his team have already done their pre-construction planning and lined up and scheduled all the products and resources needed to complete your project as and when promised. Just considering a change may require the contractor and his team to take the time to rethink all downstream activities, just to give the customer a price; regardless of whether the requested change goes forward or not.
Insisting on Custom Cabinets
Deciding what to do about your cabinets is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. New cabinets can take up nearly 50 percent of your total kitchen renovation budget, and functional cabinets can mean the difference between a kitchen that works and one that doesn’t. If your cabinet boxes are sound, it makes no sense to splurge on custom cabinetry – especially when you’re on a budget. Cabinet refacing will give you all of the great looks, durability and craftsmanship you desire, at only half the price of new, custom cabinets.
Luxury Countertops
Do you have to have Granite? That’s fine, but figure out your budget amount for countertops first. Then, when you go to the showroom – don’t even LOOK at any slabs above and beyond that price range. We promise you’ll find something you like, and you won’t be coerced into choosing something that’s a few thousand dollars – or more – above what you’d safely budgeted. Besides, there are plenty of beautiful options besides granite that look just as luxurious, such as Corian…
Expensive Appliances
Shopping for kitchen appliances can be an overwhelming experience, with so many different brands and options on the market. As you begin searching for the right appliances for your kitchen, one term you may come across is “integrated” kitchen appliances. Integrated kitchen appliances are appliances with fronts that match the look of your cabinetry. In other words, instead of the refrigerator or dishwasher having a stainless steel, white or black front, it will have a door that is the same type of door that you have on all of your other cabinets. Get standard appliances and then integrate them so nobody will ever knows they’re not fancier.
Do Not Choose a Design Team Based on the Lowest Bid
Choose a designer based on reputation, references and your positive impressions of their customer service. Building it right the first time around is significantly cheaper than paying for someone else to resuscitate shoddy craftsmanship. Check out our references on our website and give us a call if you are considering a new kitchen.
Contact us (859-331-8100) today to make an appointment!
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About W.Stephens Cabinetry & Design
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Our Process
- Initial Client consultation – The design process beings with a consultation at our show room or in your home to obtain the necessary information needed to design your dream kitchen, bath, or space.
- Design – We carefully design the space, keeping your desires as the foundation of our creativity.
- Feedback / Design Approval – Working with you, using your feedback to get final Design approval.
- Installation Meeting – We meet with the installers, prior to installation to go over ALL the details.
- Post Installation Follow-up – We follow-up with you to make sure everything went well during installation.
Our Designers
Our award winning designs collaboratively work together to create the perfect space for you.
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