Who doesn’t love an updated, well-designed kitchen? When you remodel your kitchen, it automatically increases your resale value and becomes the focal point in your home.
Scrolling through social media, pinning design ideas, walking by home improvement stores are all great ways to start your remodel process. At some point, you will have to think about the overall plan and set a realistic budget.
You can remodel your kitchen fully or refinish the cabinets, modernize the hardware and install smart storage solutions. Whatever you choose, a remodel can be a pricey affair.
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?
Before diving into the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel, let’s look at how much a kitchen remodel costs. On average, remodeling a kitchen alone can cost around $8000 – $20,000.
There are several factors to consider that will ultimately decide your overall budget. Are you planning to change your kitchen layout? Will you be painting or tiling the walls? Which countertop materials will suit your lifestyle? Depending on the items you choose, your expenses will be more or less than the average.
Moreover, various structural and mechanical upgrades will take up most of your budget. Also, keep at least 20% of your expenditure on untimely costs, which you may encounter along the way.
Cabinets: The Most Expensive Part Of A Kitchen Remodel
Yes! Cabinets are the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel, regardless of whether you are installing brand-new kitchen cabinets or want to refresh your old cabinets.
Kitchen design means different things to different people. However, you can select from a range of kitchen cabinet designs that meets your kitchen design needs.
The various styles and design options with exorbitant pricing can appear to be overwhelming at first. However, if you explore your options properly, you can choose the cabinet of your choice and price range.
Cabinets alone cost $4000 – $15,000. But why are cabinets the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel? It is because cabinets not only provide storage solutions but also look visually stunning.
Furthermore, there are a ton of options to select. These options mainly depend on your style, needs, and budget. The budget may also vary drastically depending on the size and layout of the kitchen.
Types of Cabinets
The first decision you will have to make is whether you want to match the overall decor or completely change the theme. You can either take a slight departure from the current look or make a radical change in your kitchen cabinet design.
One can opt to either customize your cabinets or buy a ready-made one from the manufacturer. If you have an oddly shaped kitchen or want a unique design, custom cabinets are your best bet. Although it costs a fortune, you’ll get the exact specifications and style.
Besides, if you’re on a strict budget, stock cabinets are the most inexpensive option. They are prefabricated with fewer design options. Make sure to double-check the quality and measurements of your cabinets before you buy.
If you’re unsure about stock cabinets, you can also select semi-custom cabinetry for your kitchen remodel. It has a much better style and color options without the hefty price tag.
- Custom: $500/ unit.
- Semi-custom: $250 – $800/ unit.
- Prefabricated: $200 – $650/ unit.
Cabinet Materials
You can choose from traditional, transitional, and modern cabinet styles for your kitchen remodel. Moreover, you need to consider the edge finishes, textures, and color before the process begins.
The latest trend is opting for wooden cabinets for a naturally warm environment. You can also opt for bold colors like forest green and navy blue to give a unique look to your space. You can attain this trend for less with laminate cabinetry. Wood veneers are an exciting trend too. It appears like natural wood and is easy-to-maintain.
Lastly, to make a historical statement, select vintage cabinets featuring decorative modeling, bedded board, and a rustic charm, which will transport you to a different era.
- Wooden cabinets: $5000 – $25,000
- Laminate cabinets: $4,000 – $15,000
- Acrylic cabinets: $5,000 to $20,000
- Wood Veneer cabinets: $2,000 to $15,000
Cabinet Door Styles
Kitchen cabinet doors are what will create a uniform flow in your kitchen. The common materials for doors are wood or laminate. However, if we talk about the latest designs, glass, metal, and even stainless steel are recommended.
A frameless design is preferable when it comes to cabinet door styles. It will create a sleek design with no panels or visible seams. A flat panel or shaker-style cabinets also work well in a modern-day kitchen.
For an upscale feel, dark wood cabinet doors are a beautiful contrast to lighter countertops, backsplashes, and floors. Add mixed metal or vintage knobs and hardware for a seamless look that blends well into your kitchen remodel.
Also, several features like the sink, appliances, lights, shelves, etc., need to be thought-out. With plenty of add-ons and features, cabinets are the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel.
- Framed: $6,000 to $30,000 per unit.
- Frameless: $6,000 to $30,000 per unit.
- Shaker-style: $100 and $1,200 per linear foot.
- Inset: $150 to $1,200 per linear foot.
Other Expensive Parts of a Kitchen Remodel
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While cabinets are the clear winner, some elements are next in line, too. Other expensive aspects of a kitchen remodel include appliances like the refrigerator, microwave, oven, and dishwasher that cost $7000 – $12,000 on average.
Next are kitchen countertops for $6000 (including installation). The most trending countertop materials are quartz and granite. The cost of quartz countertops is higher than granite as it’s a man-made material.
Ideally, 5% of your budget should be for lights, decor, and other miscellaneous items too. You can cut some corners by DIY-ing some of the elements of the kitchen remodel near you like painting the walls, installing the tiles, starting the demo, and more.