Avoid Pitfalls That Drive Up a Kitchen Remodel Cost

If you would love to have a new or transformed kitchen, but would prefer not to bust your budget in the process, you will want to consider ways that you can avoid causing the costs to escalate.

A kitchen remodel can be among one of the more costly home renovation projects in general. But there are some particular decisions that will almost surely drive up the cost of the job, possibly by a significant amount. We will briefly touch upon a few of the most common cost-boosting pitfalls below.

Of course, if one or more of these tactics is an essential and unavoidable part of making your vision of a dream kitchen into a reality, this doesn’t mean you must abandon your dream. Just be prepared that this may impact your timeline and budget, and plan accordingly. You may also want to analyze other aspects of the project, look for ways you can simplify or reduce costs to help offset these more expensive choices.

Making structural changes. It probably won’t come as too much of a surprise that making structural changes can greatly increase the cost of the project. These types of changes include things such as moving a wall or expanding the size of the kitchen (say, by combining it with another adjoining room). This will also make the overall project more challenging and time-consuming.

Moving major elements. While not as challenging or problematic as making structural changes, relocating major elements of the kitchen (such as the sink or appliances) can still present a variety of complications and cost-increasing issues. This is particularly true of the changes involve relocating plumbing or electrical lines.

Impractical or overly expensive flooring. Yes, a totally unique or indulgent choice of flooring materials can surely be eye-catching. However, you may quickly grow to regret that decision if the flooring ends up being way more of a hassle than you expected. You may also have buyer’s remorse when you realize just how much the flooring increased the cost of the new kitchen. Take some time to really compare all of your floor options, and think about the type of use (and perhaps abuse) your new floor with have to withstand. Most likely, you can find a durable and low-maintenance option that still gives you the look you have in mind.

Using custom cabinetry. As most people probably have already realized, anytime your home improvement plans include the word “custom,” that will almost always impact the cost of those items. In the case of custom cabinetry, it may not just be the cost of the cabinets themselves that you need to consider. Yes, custom cabinetry can be pricey, although exactly what type of cost you can expect will vary depending on exact specifics. However, if your cabinetry is an unusual size or involves a layout that isn’t common, you will likely also see a subsequent effect on other related elements, such as the flooring, which will in turn need to be tailored to accommodate the cabinet design. There may be ways to reach a happy medium here, such as by getting creative with the look of the cabinets but sticking with a standard size and layout. Or coming up with a plan that includes a combination of a few standout customized pieces mixed in with mostly standard cabinets.

Getting indulgent with the countertops. When designing a kitchen makeover, the countertops are an area where people will often focus a lot of their attention. This is where many people want to splurge on something indulgent, and may be really excited about the idea of a trendy countertop made from a pricey material such as granite or quartz. While your countertop will certainly be a focal point, it can also be responsible for a large chunk of the budget. Tile is a great alternative, and much more budget-friendly. Or take a look at some of the laminate options. You may be surprised at the impressive style of laminate-based products, many of which can give you the look you want without the high cost. As a bonus, most laminate countertops are much easier to maintain than the costlier materials, and tend to be more resistant to damage.

This is an area where your home improvement contractor can be such a valuable resource. They can give you some realistic expectations about what your choices are likely to cost. More importantly, they can offer firsthand insight about the differences between various options, and make suggestions as to which might be the best choices given your vision, household routine and budget.

RW Remodeling has created many terrific kitchens for our clients, at a wide variety of budget ranges. We can suggest ways in which you can keep a lid on your kitchen remodel cost in Phoenix.