Thinking of kitchen remodelling? This article would show you how to save money during your kitchen remodelling. Here, we go.
Sumptuous meal! You get that from your kitchen. Therefore, your kitchen is a place you cherish so much in your home. Kitchen remodelling should always come to your mind whenever you think of remodelling any part of your home.
The kitchen remodelling could be to satisfy the kitchen of your dreams or a future buyer. The challenge many people face is that kitchen remodelling could appear most times to be extremely expensive, due to modern material costs, labour costs, styles, and designs.
Getting that standard kitchen could shake your budget. However, the fact remains that you own your home and control your budget, regardless of what the architects, contractors, or supplies tell you concerning the cost of remodelling your kitchen.
So the same way, they are all about making money, you should be on the lookout for ways to save money.
Although having a kitchen remodelling usually can be challenging, it can be achieved even with a low budget plan. Try making prudent choices by controlling the remodelling choices, which you will in turn be controlling the costs.
You must have a budget for the intended project. To kick off a kitchen remodelling project without a budget, would be like setting a forest during the dry season ablaze, it will simply burn without hesitation, opposition, and limitation.
Thus, you will end up spending a lot of money on unnecessary options and additions.
How To Reduce Cost And Save Money While Planning And Executing A Kitchen Remodelling
Getting the Desired Design
Look for a simple design and resist fancy add-ons. If new cabinets, counter top garages, drawer dividers, and vertical spice racks are necessary to have, choose ready to assemble or stock models, instead of custom options.
In choosing designs, try to maintain and retain the same layout. Does not move existing plumbing if possible, consider drain lines, electric sockets gas line inputs, as they will cause extra expense to relocate and change their positions.
Remember your desired design choice should be based on your budget cost, do not exceed it, as the idea is to save cost.
Make your Research and Analyse Different Estimates
It is always better to collect different estimates from different contractors, concerning the kitchen remodelling project. This would aid you to know the different prices for different materials and guard you during negotiations with contractors. Boldly and freely ask contractors several questions.
You need to make proper research to find the right contractor and material required for your kitchen remodelling.
In the cause of your research, take time to note some important stuff:
- Read reviews on products and professional services and look out for satisfactory comments as well as critics.
- Compare the prices of materials from various outlets.
- Get estimates from various contractors.
- Make sure contractors are licensed and insured, you can go the extra mile to confirm this by contacting your state consumer protection agency or asking your local building department.
- Ask about past projects, including duration and total cost.
- Contact previous customers to find out if they were satisfied with the contractor’s performance.
Do it yourself (DIY)
If you have the time, you can find parts of the job, which does not require special skills to do. One such job is the demolition part. You can do it yourself, as far as you have the required tools, and avoid those technical parts like the electrical and plumbing parts. Do also check with your local regulations to ensure you are not going outside the law. It is hard for you to go wrong with the demolition job and the demolition job includes the removal of the old cabinets, counter tops removal, and floor removal. Other jobs you can also do yourself are picking up the appliances and materials yourself, rather than having them delivered to you. You can also try to do the painting yourself at the end of the kitchen remodelling. In some cases, there are some installing kitchen cabinets and flooring jobs that you can also do yourself.
So, do what you feel you can do, comfortably and smartly. If you can do all these yourself, you will be able to reduce lots of costs and save a reasonable amount of money for yourself, from your kitchen remodelling.
Nevertheless, you must discuss this with the potential contractor you intend to work with, to find out whether they will be fine with leaving some aspects of the job for you.
Your Appliances Can Be Left At Their Initial Position
The buying and movement of appliances such as plumbing and gas lines cost so much. Moreover, to move such appliances might involve the opening of the walls, which would have to be closed again.
Therefore, if your appliances are cool where they were initially positioned, they should be left there. However, it is good if the appliances are upgraded. You can also ask the contractors if they have an account or contractors discount at any of the appliances stores in around. In so doing, you would have saved a great sum of money.
Refurbish the Cabinets
It is generally known, that projects that have to do with tearing out and replacing, are more expensive than those projects where the former materials are left. The kitchen cabinet is not left out on this. Because buying a new kitchen cabinet can be highly expensive, especially those with great designs and styles like custom cabinets.
There are ways you can save money; by refurbishing your old kitchen cabinets and making, they look fresh and brand new. Some of those ways are:
Shelving:
This involves the installation of open shelves instead of buying new cabinets. They give your kitchen an airy feeling, are very affordable, and can fit into your kitchen’s style.
Paint:
To save costs you can simply paint the kitchen cabinets.
Hardware:
To save cost, you can simply change the hardware of your kitchen cabinets, such as the handles and knobs to modern ones. This will give your kitchen cabinets a fresh look.
Change the face:
It has to do with replacing the doors and drawer fronts. This process would be hard for you to do it yourself, but would rather require tools and expertise. This process is more expensive than the painting process, though cheaper than buying new cabinets.
Orderliness
Doing things carelessly can waste your time and cost you more money on your kitchen remodelling project.
You can save costs by doing things in the right order. First, you start by demolishing everything to the floor. After that, you commence with the building process, which also begins with the floor. After, you are through with the installation of the floor, and then you start fixing the cabinets. When you are done with the cabinets, you fix the counter top. Then, fix the back splash. The moulding and paint would be the last phase.
If any of the steps mentioned above is missed, the remodelling project would not come out satisfying and which would require it been done again from the start. Starting all over again would cost you extra time and extra money.
If, you do not have enough money to start and finish your kitchen remodelling project, then do it partly. However, ensure you follow the order.
Go For Affordable Flooring
You can save good amounts of money on flooring. Therefore, if your flooring is a solid hardwood, then instead of replacing them, you can simply sand and apply a new finish on them.
For the kitchen, the most popular types of floors are tiles and hardwood floors. Therefore, you can save costs depending on the area you stay in. If you stay in an area with colder or moderate climates, which most of the house floor usually has a plywood sub-floor, then go for hardwood because it will suit your home and it will be less expensive. Besides, if you stay in an area with hotter or warmer climates, the house there are usually built on slabs, which means that tiles will suit your kitchen floor and it will be less expensive.
How to Finance your Kitchen Remodelling
In the kitchen remodelling project, you might personally fund it yourself or you can get a loan. A home improvement loan can help you pay for repairs, renovations, and add-ons. Banks, credit unions all offer home improvement loans and for most borrowers, they’re the fastest way to get cash for your project. Personal loans, like home improvement loans, are a great option for financing your home renovations. If you don’t have a lot of equity in your home and you don’t want to use it as collateral, you can consider a home improvement loan.
Ensure you always compare offers from various lenders to find a loan that best suits your kitchen remodelling project and your budget.