Modern Kitchen Remodeling

The Cost to Remodel a Kitchen

Every decision made for a kitchen remodel job will have an impact on cost. A common mistake that homeowners make when upgrading this particular room of the home is not keeping tight enough tabs on the budget. Before shopping around for materials, products, or contractors, the first step in any kitchen remodel project is to determine how much money would be spent.

In addition, throughout the project, you want to keep a close eye on how much is being spent, as well as where the money is going. Mismanagement of the budget could land you in a bad position so it is essential that you stay involved with the project from beginning to end. Even if you hire a general contractor, it is still your right and responsibility to know the allocation of funds. If the budget is not set and monitored, it would be easy for the project to end up costing two, three, or even four times the original cost quoted.

For starters, you need to have some idea of what you want done. It would be worth the time and effort to conduct research online, looking at kitchen cabinet styles, countertops, flooring, lighting, fixtures, appliances, etc. With this, you would know if the remodel you want is on the low or high end. Of course, your finances may modify the direction you ultimately go but at least you would have some ideas of what you could get. Keep in mind that if you want a custom kitchen but it simply does not match your budget, you could always go with semi-custom products that look rich but cost less.

From there, we suggest you use a formula based on cost per square foot. With this, you would have a quick estimate as to the cost of remodeling your kitchen. For this, measure the kitchen area to be remodeled to get the total square footage. That number would then be multiplied by $100 and again $700 per square foot, which is the current cost for a contractor to include materials and labor. The final dollar number shows you the cost to remodel the kitchen on both the low and high end. Let us say the kitchen were 400 square feet. On the low scale, the remodel project would cost $40,000. However, the budget needed for the high scale would be $280,000. As you can see, the amount of money that goes into a kitchen remodel project can be significant. To save money, you have a couple of options. First, you could shop for some of the materials on your own, looking at salvage yards, estate sales, auctions, and so on. Additionally, you might ask the contractor what work you could personally do to save money. This might include some demolition, sanding walls, taking down old light fixtures, etc.

Keep in mind that the numbers using the cost per square foot are only estimates. To secure a more firm cost, you could use actual contracting calculators found online. Another option would be to contact a minimum of three contractors for estimates. These professionals would come to the home and conduct an assessment. Then within a few days, you would receive the cost in writing. Taking time to get quotes from multiple sources is an essential part of the process. Now, if at any time you feel uncomfortable with a contractor or pressured to make an immediate decision we recommend you move on. After all, a kitchen remodel project is a major undertaking, a decision that should never be taken lightly.