One of the best home improvement projects you can take on is a kitchen remodel. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and if yours is outdated, it can be a hassle to work in. You should have a gorgeous space that meets your needs for cooking.
The first step to remaking your kitchen is having good kitchen remodel cost estimates. This project does get expensive, so you want to be able to figure out what will work for your budget and your needs. Read on to learn more about kitchen remodel cost estimates.
Initial Cost Considerations
In general, kitchens cost around $150 per square foot to renovate. This can change a bit depending on how extensive a remodel you’re planning and what materials you plan to use. When you’re budgeting for your kitchen remodel, you should plan to spend between 5 and 15 percent of your home’s value on this project.
When you’re considering your remodel plans and budget, you should ask a few big questions. What do you want out of the space, and how do you need it to function? Will it need to be bigger or configured differently to work well for you, and what do you want it to look like?
Design Fees
If you’re planning to repaint some walls and maybe reface the cabinets, you might not need a kitchen designer. But if you’re planning a full-scale kitchen remodel, you’ll want to work with a professional designer. These experts focus on which layouts work best for function and look, and they’ll make sure everything follows safety recommendations and regulations.
Professional kitchen designers charge between $100 and $200 an hour, so how much you spend will depend on how involved you want your kitchen design to be. You should plan on designating at least 4 percent of your total budget towards design fees. But you may spend up to 10 percent of your budget on this aspect.
Some materials and design stores will offer kitchen designer services, including an in-home consultation, for a flat fee of between $100 and $800. But more extensive services will include 3D renderings, material and color selection advice, coordination with suppliers and contractors, and start-to-finish support and management. These services will cost you anywhere between $3,500 and $18,500.
Cabinets
Cabinets are the biggest expense you need to plan on in your kitchen remodel budget. If you’re wanting to save some money, you can try repainting or refacing your cabinets. But if you’re wanting to replace your cabinets, you’re looking at about 30 percent of your budget going towards that.
If you get stock cabinets that are pre-made to install in your home, you can expect to pay between $75 and $150 per linear foot. Semi-custom cabinets can have small details altered and will generally cost you between $100 and $1,000 per linear foot. Custom cabinets will be built from scratch to your specifications and will run between $500 and $1,500 per linear foot.
Appliances
New appliances are the other big expense you can expect in your kitchen renovation. Of course, how much you spend here will depend on which appliances you’re replacing and what you put in their place. A standard refrigerator will cost you less than a smart refrigerator will.
If you’re wanting special design with your appliances, you can get custom-built models. This can include things like refrigerators disguised as cabinets or ranges installed in an island with the oven installed in the wall. You can expect to pay between $1,000 and $5,000 per appliance for these sorts of accommodations.
Countertops
How much you pay for countertops will depend largely on what materials you get and how much counter space you have. You can expect to pay somewhere between $2,000 and $4,000 for the whole project. Make sure to choose a material that will suit both your design aesthetic and your practical needs.
Wood will generally run you between $1,000 and $5,000, depending on which species you use. Stone such as soapstone, quartz, and granite will cost between $2,000 and $5,000. And solid surface materials such as Formica and Corian will run between $2,000 and $4,500.
Flooring
Like countertops, kitchen flooring costs will depend on what kind of flooring you choose and how big your kitchen is. You can expect a range of $1,500 to $4,500, and you need to make sure to pick an option that will work for your space. Some flooring materials will require frequent maintenance, while others are one and done.
Stone, ceramic, and marble floors will generally run between $500 and $4,000, depending on what you choose. Wood floors will often be under $3,000. And laminate, linoleum, and concrete floors will fall somewhere in the $800 to $1,500 range.
Plumbing and Electrical
When you’re working out your remodel budget, you can’t forget about the invisible work. You need to make sure your plumbing and electrical systems are up to scratch or you’ll have a beautiful but useless kitchen. How much of this work you’ll need to have done will depend on how much you plan to rearrange your kitchen layout.
Putting in a new faucet will cost you less than $350, and installing a sink should range between $200 and $550. But if you’re running new plumbing lines, you’re looking at upwards of $1,000. And that’s not to say anything of building permits you may need, which can cost $800.
Electricians charge between $50 and $100, so how much you spend there will depend on what you’re getting done. If you’re upgrading your electrical board, you need to plan on $1,000 for that.
Work Out Your Kitchen Remodel Cost Estimates
Kitchen remodels are wonderful, but they require a good bit of financial planning. Having solid kitchen remodel cost estimates can help you get the kitchen of your dreams without going over budget. Figure out what your priorities are and what look you’re going for and you’ll be able to put something together that will work for your budget.
If you’d like to get help with your kitchen remodel, check out the rest of our website at 800 Remodeling. We’re the #1 general construction company in Los Angeles, and we’ve been serving the area for more than forty years. Contact us today to get a free estimate on your remodel project.
