Home Renovation Costs: How Much to Remodel a Kitchen

Home renovations are always exciting, and, according to recent stats, the kitchen is always among the first to be considered for a remodel. According to the 2017 UK Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, homeowners report increased rates of satisfaction with their homes and their lives after renovating the kitchen.

 

While the trend is towards contemporary styles, in white, with a tendency towards an open space, each project is limited by the homeowner’s financial power. The same report mentions that the cost of kitchen renovations can go from £10,000 to £25,000, with 22% of homeowners spending between £25,000 – £50,000, on average. Of course, with more luxurious materials and designs, the budget can easily go over £75,000!

If you’re already reconsidering your renovation plans, let us sweeten the deal. A new kitchen is a valuable investment, in the long-term, because it adds value to the entire property. Durable materials, welcoming designs, an open floor plan, and well-designed storage spaces are in vogue among home buyers now and in the following years.

So, before you give up on your remodelling plans, let’s first have a look at the costs. We’ll go through the major steps before starting the project, and we’ll help you figure out an approximate cost of the remodelling, according to your needs.

 

Authorizations and Paperwork

Any structural change will require a series of permits and surveys (Building regulations U.K). Also, depending on the age of your property and its location, you may have to request special permits and even think about extra insurance costs.

However, even a renovation project for a home built in the last century can have its challenges when it comes to authorizations, warranties, and paperwork. To make sure you are prepared, set aside 10 to 15% of your original budget for this type of costs.

Quick tip: usually, the contractor or designer should be able to give you an idea of the costs, but if you haven’t decided on a company yet, you can ask for advice from the local authorities.

 

Plan Each Area

Even if you’re not doing everything at once, it’s important to have a plan. Make drawings of how the kitchen would look like, with cupboards, cabinets, appliances, seating areas, and so on. If you’re doing this step yourself, there will be no costs; however, there are some common pitfalls:

• Forgetting to plan the lighting according to the new design – nowadays, there are lots of lighting options, and you can use a combination of them to improve the entire mood of your kitchen.
• Island misalignments – If you’re planning to include an island, make sure you measure everything twice. It’s quite common to misinterpret the space this unit needs! Furthermore, make sure you get the type of island that fits your kitchen.
• Not planning enough room for storage – With all the beautiful designs in cabinets, drawers, appliances, and other elements it’s easy to forget about storage. Make sure you use every inch available in a way that’s both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Choose the Materials

The materials you choose will have a deep impact on the final budget. Of course, we all want quality and durability, but the aesthetic aspect is just as important. Also, don’t forget about maintenance, as some materials (such as marble or luxurious woods) can be quite pretentious.

Building from the ground up, decide on a material for the floor. Depending on the kitchen size, this can gobble up quite a chunk of your budget if you go for granite tiles or wood. However, you have the option to choose laminate or vinyl, for a less-expensive floor. Nowadays, these materials emulate wood or tiles almost perfectly, and they are easier to replace.

Moving on to worktops, you’ll find a wide range of designs and available materials. If you’re looking for a more natural aspect, with unique designs, we recommend wood, granite, or marble. But you should be prepared to pay over £4,000 for an average sized kitchen!

Finally, no kitchen would be complete without cabinets, drawers, shelves, and other storage units. Here the options are limitless, and you can choose between wood, laminated, metal, and more.

Quick tip: try to combine design, durability, and functionality to create the perfect space for your needs.

 

Rewiring and Installation Costs

Most kitchen renewals will require at least some rewiring work, to adapt everything to the new layout. This is dangerous work and should be handled only by a qualified electrician! This could take between £300 and £900 out of your budget.

Once this step is complete, you have to consider installation costs for the floor, worktops, cabinets, appliances, and everything else. If you find the costs offered by your kitchen suppliers to be too steep, you can save some money by working with local carpenters and fitters. Ask around and make sure you get the best price.

Overall, it’s important to juggle with the costs for materials, labour, and other elements, to make sure your renovation won’t blow up your budget.

 

This article was written by Nicole Andrews.

Author Bio: Nicole Andrews is the marketing manager for Euro Marble in Sydney, Australia. With a background in interior design, she enjoys writing about the latest industry trends. In her spare time, she walks her dog Rusco down at Bondi Beach.

 

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