Cabinets, Kitchen and Bath Remodeling

What is the Most Expensive Part of a Kitchen Remodel?

The kitchen is a focal point of the home where delicious food is prepared, enchanting beverages are mixed and people tend to gather during parties. After many years of dutiful service, a kitchen can start to look outdated and parts can wear out, which will start to make the homeowner wonder how to begin remodeling their kitchen.

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One of the first questions they usually have is “How much is a kitchen remodel going to cost me?”, and it is a good question because it is important to have funds set aside to make the kitchen remodel go smoothly. Then the homeowner may ask “Which part of the kitchen remodeling project will cost the most?” Of course, there is a great range of prices for a kitchen remodel, but we can safely estimate that a minor remodel could be around $18,000 and a major kitchen remodeling project to average about $54,000. This is clearly a major expense, and so it is important to go over each part of a kitchen remodeling project and see how much you can expect to pay for each.

KITCHEN BONES

The kitchen’s bones are the basics of the room, like flooring, framing and paint. If you are doing a major remodel and changing parts of the kitchen, there could be more costly for the bones of the room. If you want to change walls, this can add a lot of cost to the project.

Flooring has a range of prices from simple laminate flooring to solve hardwood. The flooring is a really nice thing to update and can make the kitchen look amazing. Adding new paint can also totally change the feeling of the kitchen, and is not such an expensive part of the remodel. Overall, the kitchen bones will be about 10-20 percent of your remodel cost, depending on how big of changes you want to make.

CABINETS

The cabinets are one of the most attention-grabbing points of the kitchen, and that is why they usually cost the most of any part of a kitchen remodeling project. The average price for new cabinets to be installed is around $15,000 but can go much higher depending on the materials used. This makes up about 20-40 percent of the entire kitchen remodeling budget.

Cabinets are so expensive because they are meant to last a lifetime. The main reason to replace cabinets is simply that they start to look out of style. It is really important to have quality cabinets installed, they are something you will touch everyday and there is nothing more annoying in a kitchen than a cabinet door that will not close properly.

The cabinet cost will normally depend on materials used, where plywood doors and steel hardware could be the cheapest, and hardwood doors and brass hardware would be on the upper end. It is important to think hard about cabinets and get help from professionals to make sure that they will look awesome and last a long time.

COUNTERTOPS

Countertops will see a lot of use throughout their life and they are another major cost of a kitchen remodel. The average expense for countertops is from 10-30 percent of the total cost of the kitchen remodeling project, or just about $6000. The price is again determined by the materials used, with laminate countertops costing the least and real stone countertops costing the most.

Countertops make a big impression on people and can add a lot of value to a home, but you must weigh what you want most. Your countertops should be functional first of all, beautiful and fit your kitchen remodeling budget.

APPLIANCES

Appliances will be doing a lot of work in your kitchen. The refrigerator will store your food, your stove will cook it and the dishwasher will help you clean it all up.

In a typical kitchen remodeling project, the homeowner will spend about 10-20 percent of their budget on appliances. It is really important to consider if it is worth it to make big changes in the location of appliances, as moving water, electric, and gas lines to fit a new configuration can add a tremendous amount to the overall cost. You will be using your appliances a lot, so it is important to imagine what you want out of them and how you can best use them to make your kitchen a joy to cook in.

PLUMBING

Water and gas lines will need special work from a plumber to make sure that your kitchen will be leak-free. The kitchen faucet will be the most visible of a plumber’s work in the kitchen. They may also need to hook up the dishwasher and if you want to have water to make ice in your fridge.

Plumbers also work on gas lines and can help get your stove hooked up correctly. Plumbing work will probably eat up about 10-15 percent of your kitchen remodeling budget. If you are changing the location of your sink or adding new gas lines, it will add a lot of cost to your kitchen remodeling project, so it is best to think of this before making big changes.

DUCT WORK

If you are adding a kitchen vent or bringing in heat and A/C, you will need to hire an HVAC technician to do the work. This is usually one of the lowest-cost parts of a kitchen remodel, at about 5 percent of the total cost. It is important to hire a licensed HVAC technician for this work as bad ductwork can have serious safety consequences, and the overall cost is not so much that it is worth risking your entire kitchen remodeling project over.

READY TO REMODEL?

Now that you know a basic cost breakdown of a kitchen remodeling project, you can start budgeting and making your dream kitchen a reality. Remember all the parts of a kitchen remodel we have gone over and the amount of your budget they will take to realize when planning your new kitchen. Start with a good budget, add a little extra because unexpected things can happen, and then start shopping around for the best price on all the different components you will need to give your kitchen a new life. Your kitchen remodeling project is an experience that you can be proud of for many years as you enjoy your kitchen.

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