Kitchen Cost Guides

The kitchen is the hottest room in your house, on several levels. It's the most popular room to renovate because of the return. Money you spend on upgrading or renovating your kitchen is money you can expect to see back with higher resale values. Whether you're building a kitchen for a new home, renovating an existing kitchen or doing a few updates on your kitchen, consider it all smart investments. The cost of your project can depend on many factors, including the size of the kitchen, the quality of materials and appliances and the complexity of the job. Comparing quotes from kitchen remodelers can give you a better idea of your labor costs and help with planning.

Kitchen Cabinets

More is better. Every square foot of the kitchen is potential work or storage space, so adequate cabinet space is a huge plus. The first decision that will affect the cost of any cabinet project is whether to go standard or custom. Going custom offers more flexibility; it's much easier to create something that will better fit both your space and your taste. But it could seriously jack up costs. Whether you go standard or custom, you'll want to decide on the right material. Wood, in both its natural color or painted to match your kitchen's color scheme is the most popular choice. It's long lasting and durable, and within the wood family you'll find a huge variety of types and prices. But there are less-expensive alternatives, such as composites, laminates, and even metal or glass. If hardwood cabinets are out of the question, or if your old cabinets just need a refreshing new look, cabinet refacing or resurfacing can be more affordable options. Another consideration in terms of cabinet costs is installation. If you choose to leave the location of your cabinets unchanged, and simply reface the existing cabinetry, your costs will be considerably lower than tearing out the old cabinets and replacing them with new cabinets in new locations  Continue Reading

Kitchen Countertops

Whether serving as tabletops for kitchen islands or covering your lower cabinets, countertops play a significant role in both the feel and functionality of your kitchen. Size and quality of materials tend to be the largest factors that affect cost. Commonly used countertop materials range from low to moderately priced laminate and Formica, to higher priced tile or stone, to solid surfaces such as Corian. Stainless steel and butcher block are also popular higher-priced options.

Kitchen Floors

Here again, square footage and quality of materials will affect how much you'll pay for kitchen flooring. Also, be sure to factor in installation, which, depending on the materials used, can be your biggest flooring expense.

The cheapest way to get something under your feet is to go with vinyl or linoleum. Sheet flooring is less expensive, not only because the materials are cheaper, but also because the installation is simple, and you can easily do it yourself.

Tile, stone, slate, or hardwood flooring in a kitchen is a beautiful, but more expensive approach. However, the initial costs may be worth it in the long run. These types of floors are more long lasting than a vinyl or linoleum floor, and are considered a better buy in terms of the increase in value of your home.

Kitchen Appliances

The quality of the appliances in your kitchen will have a large affect on the price, but also the perceived value of the room. Expensive appliances are often longer lasting and more dependable than their lower-cost counterparts. But you must also take into consideration, energy ratings, brand names and warranties. Appliances that cost more but have a better energy rating may end up saving you large amounts of money in energy or water bills over time. And higher priced appliances that may seem out of your reach in the short term, may carry a lifetime warranty that will save you in the long run. Make sure to research what is really behind the price of your appliances before making the investment.

Kitchen Plumbing and Electrical

If you want to have your kitchen remodeled but aren't sure if you can afford it, one way to keep costs down is to keep the plumbing and electrical elements in the same location as your current kitchen. If you want new appliances, countertops and cabinetry and simply replace what you have with newer more attractive versions, then you won't have the added expense of moving your pipes or electrical to a new location. Once you design a new floor plan that means moving pipes and outlets, you're going to multiply the labor costs.