Last week there was a fantastic article posted on Houzz titled Rein In and Splash Out: How to Budget for a Kitchen Renovation.
We liked the article so much that we decided to post some of what we felt were the most important points.
Spend… time on planning and budgeting
- make a list of things you can’t do without
- have an emergency fund – just in case
- do your research and always bargain for discounts
Save… on quantity of units
This was a practical tip suggesting you go through everything in your current kitchen and dispose or sell everything you don’t need – the idea is that you’ll then need less cabinets.
Spend… on piped underfloor heating
- frees up wall space from heaters and air conditioning
- underground heating is wonderful in winter when the tiles would usually be cold
- less expensive than electric heating pads
We have two resources that can help you get a good feel for how much to budget for your kitchen renovation:
Resource 1: Our Kitchen Renovation Pricing Guide
Resource 2: Our Kitchen Renovation Pricing Quiz
Save… on appliances
Not necessarily the quality of each appliance but more likely the amount of them – do you really need everything!
These are the must haves: stovetop and oven, fridge-freezer and dishwasher.
Spend… on benchtops
Simple enough this is because benchtops give an instant wow factor!
Check out our kitchen reno process here.
Save… on splashbacks
You can get a clean, sharp look with sheet metal or low cost tiles!
Spend… on taps and hardware
- These need to be good quality to withstand years of use
- Ensuring all the hardware is the same material and colour creates a sharp luxurious look
Save… on sinks
- Sinks just don’t have a wow factor so why get the most expensive one
- If you are wanting a ceramic sink look for a bargain on ebay
Spend… on lighting
Since your kitchen is so well used and the centerpiece of most homes it makes sense to spend more on high quality lighting.
Save… on flooring
There are simply better areas to spend your money. High quality slate tiles or poured concrete are great options.
Well that’s it. We hope you enjoyed this summary of another fantastic article on Houzz. Let us know in the comments what you would spend your money on and how you would save your money.
