The kitchen is one area of your home that receives the heaviest traffic and workload—especially if you're a household that's a big fan of home-cooked meals. Stocking the pantry, storing ingredients in the refrigerator, prepping ingredients, cooking dishes from scratch, clearing countertops and tables, and washing and putting away dishes are done every day in the kitchen for these households, so it's understandable that this particular room will succumb to wear and tear faster than others.
As such, it's no surprise that you may find yourself considering the idea of renovating the kitchen a few years after you purchase or move into your house. When a family puts a lot of care and love into their meals and the people who spend time in the kitchen, you'll want only the best quality fittings, furnishings and appliances.
Renovations are expensive, however. But how will you be able to continue whipping up your famous culinary creations if you are tied down to using broken, damaged or subpar benchtops, sinks, tables, storage cabinets, drawers, and other features?
The key is to be smart about your renovation choices. According to home renovation professionals, the average price of a renovation project for a budget kitchen is $22,000. For a more luxurious kitchen, you need to shell out $34,000. And a high-end kitchen will set you back by $40,000—that's including all brand-new appliances, electrical and plumbing installations, and tiling.
Going the budget way
Of course, there are ways to whittle down the cost of a budget kitchen renovation while still maintaining the appearance of a more luxurious space. Here are some helpful tips that will help you stay on budget while getting your dream kitchen set up:
1. Choose to keep your existing appliances. There's no need to get all new appliances if your current ones are working just fine, in the capacity that you need. This choice alone can help you save hundreds or thousands of dollars on the renovation. Only choose to get new appliances if you really need them, like to be more efficient in feeding a growing family or to help you start a small baking or food business.
2. Choose wallet-friendly materials that sport a high-end appearance. Stainless steel benchtops are perhaps the most expensive kind that you can get, but if you can't afford them, there are inexpensive laminate options that come in finishes with that luxurious stainless steel appearance (make sure, however, to choose patterned or textured laminates that are more resistant to wear and tear).
Similarly, doors or benchtops made of granite are some of the most coveted features for kitchens that come at a high price. Fortunately, there are engineered stone benchtops that are just as durable as natural stones like granite and have a uniform appearance and distinct feel that some homeowners prefer over the real thing—and they cost less.
3. Consider purchasing a flatpack kitchen. You can save on renovation costs if you buy this type of kitchen and take on much of the assembly and installation work yourself (or get someone with reasonable DIY skills to do it). If you can put cabinets together using simple household tools, and install the major features like the sink, dishwasher and your appliances in their original locations, then you would only need to pay for a professional plumber or electrician to take care of the more complex installations.
The important thing to keep in mind when planning your budget for a kitchen renovation is not to compromise quality for cost. Choose aspects of the renovation wherein quality materials, construction and installation are a must, and then cut corners on other aspects that would still allow you to get the best possible user experience out of your kitchen.