Budget kitchen renovation?

[Gigi22]

The last time I did a full kitchen renovation was over 20 years ago. I want to get an idea of the current costs for renovating a galley kitchen. I know this is vague, but I just want an idea of what amount would be reasonable to budget for mid-range but nice kitchen, not aiming for a deluxe renovation or anything very trendy.

Would consider refacing current cabinets, adding a few new cabinets, or a full renovation with new cabinets. Space is very limited, the kitchen area is about 15 1/2 ft. x 8 ft., including the small eating area at one end of the kitchen.

In an ideal world, I would replace the tile backsplash with new tile and the laminate counters with quartz. Also would have to update the lighting (I find it dark), the sink, and have some new electrical outlets installed.

 

[tvguy]

Here is a resource that says a survey found an average of $25,000, but admits that number seems very low because people did a lot of work themselves.
http://hadleycourt.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-remodel-a-kitchen/

Having just done a strip to the walls kitchen remodel, I can tell you price varies greatly just on the quality level of the items and materials you use.
A kitchen faucet can cost $50 to $3,500. Quartz is expensive, $100 to $185 a square foot. If you are redoing the lighting and new outlets, then likely you're looking at having to pull out the sheet rock, replace it, finish and paint it.

 

[Gigi22]

Thanks a lot for that. Unfortunately, we are going to have to hire a renovation company to do the entire job. It's largely a matter of our ages and basic lack of construction skills. Also our condo corporation's insurance policy requires that licensed professionals be used for plumbing, electric, etc.

I know it won't be cheap, but I want to get an idea of the probable price range. I expect to have to trade off what we want vs. what we really need. It will take a few months of living with the kitchen with only a few very minor fixes (such as installing a garbage pail under the sink, towel racks) to get a better idea of what we really need.

 

[zoemurr]

I have been getting quotes, and my kitchen is much larger than yours. About 30 cabinets and 12 drawers. Refacing cost was about the same as getting new cabinets from somewhere like HD. Not worth it to me. Refinishing is about 1/4 of that cost, and the direction I'm going in right now. Carpentry to change out some of the cupboards beforehand will be 2k-3k, but like I said it's a lot of work. Counters between $4500-$8,000 for 80sq ft of granite depending on grade. Granite sink $400, faucet $350. I don't remember the price for the backsplash but it wasn't crazy compared to everything else. I'm planning to stay at about 20k. A few years ago I purchased stone tile from a merchant on amazon that was much cheaper than our local tile shop. Where do you live? I am in an area with Amish and Menonite that have been highly recommended and have great prices. We are going to meet with one next week.

Most places do free estimates. Make a list of your "must haves" and your "I'd love it if the price isn't crazy" items and have a few places price it out for you. Good luck!

 

[Gigi22]

Hi Zoemurr, glad to be reminded about the Amish/Mennonites as a source of cabinets. We're a 90 min. drive from an Amish cabinetry shop. I had forgotten all about them, even though we recently purchased bookcases from them. Lovely solid maple, with a cherry finish.

I am lucky in many ways, since the kitchen is so small, it comes in at only about 125 sq. ft. It should cost less than many larger kitchens to renovate, unless I go weirdly extravagant.

 

[tvguy]

A couple of things to watch that can add cost:
1) Building code required upgrades. Here in drought stricken California, ANY permitted project requires you to upgrade all toilets, faucets and shower heads to water savers. Yes, EVEN a kitchen remodel. Also my kitchen GFI circuits (house built in 1979) all had to be upgraded to some new GFI standard to the tune of $500 per circuit. Lighting also has to be converted to high efficiency. We also have smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector requirements.

2) Yes, the Condo Association and CCRs. In California, any project valued over $500 would be illegal if not done by a license contractor, so any remodel here would have to be by a licensed contractor. But make sure there aren't any funny rules. Talking to my contractor he has run into things like flooring material restrictions in condos, and one place the CCR's prohibited trash compactors.

My project came in right about $55,000 for a 185 square foot kitchen. One neighbor with the same floor plan had theirs done for about $45,000 and another neighbor with the same floor plan spent $100,000.

 

[barkley]

I have been getting quotes, and my kitchen is much larger than yours. About 30 cabinets and 12 drawers. Refacing cost was about the same as getting new cabinets from somewhere like HD. Not worth it to me. Refinishing is about 1/4 of that cost, and the direction I'm going in right now. Carpentry to change out some of the cupboards beforehand will be 2k-3k, but like I said it's a lot of work. Counters between $4500-$8,000 for 80sq ft of granite depending on grade. Granite sink $400, faucet $350. I don't remember the price for the backsplash but it wasn't crazy compared to everything else. I'm planning to stay at about 20k. A few years ago I purchased stone tile from a merchant on amazon that was much cheaper than our local tile shop. Where do you live? I am in an area with Amish and Menonite that have been highly recommended and have great prices. We are going to meet with one next week.

Most places do free estimates. Make a list of your "must haves" and your "I'd love it if the price isn't crazy" items and have a few places price it out for you. Good luck!

you will LOVE a granite composite sink! do NOT omit this in your budgeting decisions.

we redid our counters and sink a couple of years ago and were considering different options for the sink. I wanted an under mount b/c I've spent too many years scrubbing the grout around the sink and faucets. we had several suggestions of stainless steel b/c it would match all our appliances but I was against it b/c I've dealt w/water spots on stainless steel AND I want a tough sink I'm not going to have to worry about getting scratches in. we ended up doing the granite and it's awesome. we picked a color that went well w/our counters so the counters have a great appearance-and the durability is fantastic. I've heard complaints that it stains easily-well, the only issue we have is occasional darkening around the drain from coffee but if we use a Clorox wipe and then rub with a mr. clean sponge it comes right off.

we went with the large undivided style-love it b/c it's large enough to fit anything I need into it. yesterday I cleaned my double oven, and that sink was large enough to fit all the racks to soak.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Do you have an ikea any where near you? They have great set ups for small kitchens and you can install the pre-built cabinets yourself to save money, you can also buy the counter top from a separate company to save money. Since your kitchen is so small you may get away with buying somebody's leftover quartz for cheap.

 

[natfrac]

We completely gutted and remodeled our small galley kitchen about 6 years ago. At that time, it cost us $7K including appliances (stainless) and labor. We have mid-level priced Ikea cabinets, mosaic tile backsplash, and Ikea laminate countertops. We went laminate countertops since I don't like granite and at the time I didn't find a quartz I liked well enough to justify the expense. We found a local contractor who was very affordable to to the remodel.

 

[barkley]

Do you have an ikea any where near you? They have great set ups for small kitchens and you can install the pre-built cabinets yourself to save money, you can also buy the counter top from a separate company to save money. Since your kitchen is so small you may get away with buying somebody's leftover quartz for cheap.

that's an excellent suggestion on buying 'leftovers' on the quartz. we went w/a company that does strictly countertops (hired them directly vs. a contractor hiring them as a subcontractor and inflating the price) and they took us to their different suppliers where we looked at slabs to choose from. there were some STUNNING high end choices that if we had needed less material were an amazing deal b/c they were indeed 'leftovers' from other people's jobs, but we needed 2 full slabs to be able to do our counter configurations w/the minimal amount of seams. alas no one will get a deal on our leftovers-when i saw the two good sized chunks that were going to be left over i told the company that when they installed to bring them to our house for us to keep (I've got enough that if i ever want to match a dinette table or rolling 'island' i would only need to have it shaped and installed).

 

[tvguy]

We completely gutted and remodeled our small galley kitchen about 6 years ago. At that time, it cost us $7K including appliances (stainless) and labor. We have mid-level priced Ikea cabinets, mosaic tile backsplash, and Ikea laminate countertops. We went laminate countertops since I don't like granite and at the time I didn't find a quartz I liked well enough to justify the expense. We found a local contractor who was very affordable to to the remodel.

That is amazing. The building permits alone on my project were $2,000.

 

[Gigi22]

We know someone with contacts in the granite countertop industry, not sure if
his company also provides Quartz, so I am treading carefully. The existing countertop area is very small, so I hope we could afford quartz. To give you an idea of how small, I won't have any counter space for either a breadbox or a canister set!

We are very close to Ikea, so no problem to check out their showrooms.

 

[PlutoPony]

you will LOVE a granite composite sink! do NOT omit this in your budgeting decisions.

Completely agree. Have had mine for 9 years now and it still looks new.

There's a fine line between doing a budget job and doing so little renovation (to save money) that you're not happy with the end result, thus making what you did spend almost not worth it. Does that make sense? So really think about those things that you need to make the kitchen more functional on a day in, day out basis. For example, lighting and electrical outlets may make a huge difference in using the kitchen and your enjoyment of it so they may really be worth spending on.

Ikea cabinets get good reviews, especially on the DIY boards. From what I hear they are well made and easy to work with, but make sure you contractor is comfortable with them. Sometimes they can steer you towards or away from things for reasons you might not have thought of.

Good luck!

 

[jtobykrauss]

My DH is a contractor and he works things like this so maybe you could find someone in your area that will do the same. When we are working with clients he gives them the labor price for the job with options of us providing the materials or with the customer buying and providing the materials, also he is willing to work with the clients in as if they want to do XY And He does XY And Z. The advantage of the labor only price lets the client get the items they want within the budget they are comfortable with also ask your contractor if he will order things for you through his supply company cause most of time he gets a discount we pass that one to our customers not all do. My husband will also suggest if possiable reusing your existing cabinets if they are in good shape just refinish the boxes and oder new doors this can really save money. We are in New York and the average remodel for a kitchen of average size is about 15,000-25,000. Also make sure you get references a lot of contractors tell you one thing and end up adding up charges at the end so if the price seems to good it probably is. My husband company does not advertise all our jobs come by referrals from past clients so ask your friends or family who they us. If you have any question feel free to ask.

 

[Gigi22]

The general contractor we used the most at our house most recently charged us $35/hr. plus taxes (he has to charge taxes, it's a legal thing); his cost estimate includes a standard product cost for things like tiles, sinks, etc. If you go over his standard cost, you pay the difference. I feel he charges a high price for installing a modest product (think of the white colonial style Home Depot bathroom cabinets, for example), so I am going to look around. His work is always good, but we may not go with him for the kitchen.

 

[barkley]

one of the best resources I've used for finding good, reputable licensed contractors is my local homeowner's insurance agent. I've gotten referrals for various types of home repairs/improvements from agents over the years-and i'll say that when I call a contractor and tell them I was referred by my insurance agent I NEVER end up w/some of the issues/complaints I hear of frequently (they don't want me complaining to my agent b/c usually they are contracted w/my insurance company who throws allot of work their way).

my other advice is to steer clear of trying to save money by contracting for any installation/construction services THROUGH the retail stores (like the big chain home improvement places)-they are hiring subcontractors, and it is a horrendous nightmare to deal w/if there's a problem. you end up with the chain store saying 'that's an issue w/the installer-deal w/him' while the installer is (rightfully) saying 'my contract is w/ the chain store NOT w/you-you need to deal w/them for resolution' (I've known a few homeowners who dealt w/this w/different big chain stores and it was nightmarish).

 

[disneylove69]

A couple of things to watch that can add cost:
1) Building code required upgrades. Here in drought stricken California, ANY permitted project requires you to upgrade all toilets, faucets and shower heads to water savers. Yes, EVEN a kitchen remodel. Also my kitchen GFI circuits (house built in 1979) all had to be upgraded to some new GFI standard to the tune of $500 per circuit. Lighting also has to be converted to high efficiency. We also have smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector requirements.

2) Yes, the Condo Association and CCRs. In California, any project valued over $500 would be illegal if not done by a license contractor, so any remodel here would have to be by a licensed contractor. But make sure there aren't any funny rules. Talking to my contractor he has run into things like flooring material restrictions in condos, and one place the CCR's prohibited trash compactors.

My project came in right about $55,000 for a 185 square foot kitchen. One neighbor with the same floor plan had theirs done for about $45,000 and another neighbor with the same floor plan spent $100,000.

I live in Yuba Cty. and in the process of doing my master bath. I am re-doing the toilets but the contractor said nothing about water saving fixtures. This work is being done through Lowes contracting. All appliances and fixtures I do buy will definitely be an improvement from what I have now. The permit is only $500. What I do find funny is that when I had a backyard patio installed the inspector had to check my fire and carbon monoxide alarms. I think California Govt should be working on their own personal water conservation since every time you go by a govt building water is oozing out of grass, plant boxes, etc.

 

[PatMcDuck]

We are re-doing the kitchen, its been 20 years since we moved here. (house was new then). We had white cabinets, and I re-painted them white with special cabinet paint. I was able to repair some some damage. I did a few doors each week, front and back. Also painted the cabinet structure too. New hardware. So that cost me about $200. Looks great. I ordered new quartz countertops, they were $59 square foot, less 10% off, so $53. They have selections A-E, I went with an A choice, it was the one I liked anyway (Blanco City Silestone). About $2000 in total. New sink and faucet, $400. I bought glass tile for the backsplash. $200 for the tile, Another $200 or so to install (guessing, still need to hire a tile guy). So we only spent about $3000, oops $3500 (new window treatments, forgot those).

Hardwood floors are coming in late summer.

I wish we could have done more things, or hired all the work out, but even on our small budget, it looks great (so far, work till in progress)/

 

[tvguy]

I live in Yuba Cty. and in the process of doing my master bath. I am re-doing the toilets but the contractor said nothing about water saving fixtures. This work is being done through Lowes contracting. All appliances and fixtures I do buy will definitely be an improvement from what I have now. The permit is only $500. What I do find funny is that when I had a backyard patio installed the inspector had to check my fire and carbon monoxide alarms. I think California Govt should be working on their own personal water conservation since every time you go by a govt building water is oozing out of grass, plant boxes, etc.

I had had solar panels installed, and the county inspector had to see my carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.......so I had to arrange to have someone home to let him in. The solar stuff is all on the outside.

 

[ldo]

$35K in DC--similar size kitchen. Mid-range new maple cabinets, lower-end granite, stainless appliances (stove $1k, DW $700, french door fridge $2.5k), tearing out soffit above, replacing window, tile floor, decorative tile backsplash, kept same footprint.