Your kitchen is often one of the most visited rooms in your house. Throughout the day, different household members take turns using it for various purposes: cooking, various project, studying, working and intentional gatherings.
As a result of this consistent human traffic and use, the appliances and features in your kitchen gradually accumulate wear and tear that diminish their appearance and function. After time, your kitchen may be begging for a series of repairs and replacements or an entire upgrade.
Controlling Your Kitchen Remodeling Budget
Remodeling your kitchen in New Jersey is an investment. It costs an average of $25,000 to $75,000, although your project may easily come in below or above that number depending on a variety of factors: the size of your kitchen, the scope of work and the materials you choose.
While you don’t want to cut corners or rush the project, it’s natural to also look for ways to efficiently manage your budget and save money where you can. Here are a few ways to make your kitchen remodel cost-effective:
1. Be Smart When Discarding Old Items
Home remodeling companies may suggest you add new materials for your lighting and kitchen electrical components for your remodel. If your old light fixtures and electrical components are still in working condition and usable, however, there’s no need to replace them. Rather than replacing your kitchen appliances, you can look into fixing them. Thanks to a thriving online marketplace for parts and readily available instructions, it is easier now to refurbish your kitchen appliances and that's a more affordable option than buying new.
If you plan to purchase new kitchen materials and appliances, try selling your existing units to make a little money to put toward the cost of your kitchen remodel. Also, speak to your remodeling contractor about how to make the most of the end pieces and remnants of materials purchased for your own project. Leftover lumber from cabinets and moldings can be used for interior cabinet accessories or rollout inserts. The leftover stone for your countertop could be fashioned into a high-end cutting board.
Finally, take advantage of sales and second-hand markets for your remodeling. Hardware shops sometimes have clearance sales on the materials you might need, or stores may give you a discount on appliances if they have small dings or other imperfections.
2. Maintain Your Current Kitchen Layout
Adding square footage to your kitchen or even just reconfiguring the layout and placement of appliances are two ways to ensure a higher project price. New kitchen layouts are costlier because moving your sink, kitchen island or dishwasher often calls for a change of the existing plumbing and electrical connections or punching holes in the wall to run new pipes. If you’re eyeing a major layout change, that may include knocking down or moving walls. Such tasks also require a larger investment and take longer because you have to buy extra materials, not to mention the cost of additional labor from specialists like plumbers and electricians.
If keeping the cost of your kitchen remodel low is a goal, you should consider working around your current kitchen layout, which enables you to use your existing piping and utility configuration. Your design-build kitchen remodeler can give you suggestions for how to optimize your kitchen’s function and make it look fresh and new without expensive layout changes.
3. Simplify the Scope of Your Remodel
If you think of your remodel as individual parts of a whole, it can help you prioritize which tasks are essential and which ones you can save for later. Cabinetry tends to consume up to one-third of your kitchen remodeling budget, especially if you’re buying new cabinets, so it’s a good area to cut costs. Rather than replacing your kitchen cabinets, you can simply update them if they’re still in working condition. A few ways to do that include: installing new doors and drawer fronts; sanding, painting and/or re-staining; and replacing all the hardware, including hinges, handles and pulls, with contemporary hardware. You can also install some open shelving or other storage options to complement your existing cabinetry.
If you do want to entirely replace your old cabinets, go for the basic ready-to-assemble models or the stock option rather than selecting custom-made cabinets. The same goes for other appliances and materials: Tend toward basic brands. In general, each fancy add-on, custom-made kitchen item and hand-crafted material is going to be the more expensive option. The more of these you choose, the more you’ll drive up the overall project price. If you're working with JMC Home Improvement Specialists, you'll be able to get a more accurate sense of what materials and products costs when you look through our showroom.
4. Don’t Cut Corners During Design
While time and money can be wasted during the construction phase of a kitchen remodel, most of your costs-saving measures should be implemented during the design phase. In fact, it all begins with hiring the right company and dedicating the necessary focus when planning and designing your project.
One of the most cost-effective options is to select a design-build remodeler with in-house contractors, meaning they don’t have to rely as much on subcontractors. While you’re coming up with a plan for your kitchen remodel, you can discuss areas to cut costs with your designer, as well as getting input from the builder. Because all your key players are part of the same company, you know that what gets put down on paper is what will be built, without risk of miscommunication or unnecessary change orders. This is especially important because it’s much easier and more cost-effective to make changes or add in new ideas during the design phase. Once materials are ordered and construction begins, each change you make can result in schedule delays or other adjustments that come at a cost to you as the homeowner.
5. Plan Your Living Arrangements in Advance
If you must leave your home during the kitchen remodeling process, then you should factor the cost of an alternative living arrangement into your remodeling budget. You might consider asking a friend or neighbor to host you during the construction period. Another idea is to plan your kitchen makeover during the holiday season or a time when you’re going to be on vacation so the home remodeling company has free rein to come and go while you're away.
Even if you plan to stay in your home during the renovation, your ability to cook at home will be limited. Eating out every meal can quickly add up, so think about setting up a temporary kitchen or planning to cook at a friend’s house to help you save money in that area.
Remodeling Your Kitchen in Morristown, NJ
Kitchen remodeling is a vital home improvement because it can increase the value, safety and aesthetics of your home. Additionally, even a small-scale kitchen remodel can get you a roughly 82% return on investment (ROI). The key is to budget carefully and talk to your New Jersey remodeling company about ways to help keep your costs low while still achieving your desired results. At JMC Home Improvement Specialists, we have a team of professionals to handle each aspect of your kitchen remodel, from planning and design to construction and completion.
