Is it just about time for you to do a kitchen remodel? If so, it’s usually going to cost you a pretty penny to do it.
It’s not uncommon at all for homeowners to shell out $25,000, $50,000, and—get this!—even $100,000 for kitchen remodels. The kitchen is among the most expensive rooms in a house to remodel from top to bottom.
One good way to keep your costs low when remodeling a kitchen is by taking the do-it-yourself approach to it. It’s definitely possible to do a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget, even if that budget is on the smaller side.
But with that being said, you are going to have to take the right steps to get a DIY kitchen remodel done without breaking the bank. It’s easy to spend more than you may have planned on kitchen renovations if you don’t operate with your budget in the back of your mind at all times.
Here is how to tackle a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget from start to finish.
Begin by Establishing a Kitchen Remodeling Budget
It’s obviously going to be very difficult to do a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget if you don’t actually have a budget in place. It’s why establishing a budget is the very first thing you should do when remodeling a kitchen yourself.
You should take a close look at your finances and see what you can afford to spend to remodel your kitchen. It doesn’t matter if you find that you can afford to spend $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, or more.
What is important is that you take budgeting for a kitchen remodel seriously. You should nail down precisely what you can afford to spend and write down whatever number you come up with.
You should then commit to sticking to your budget no matter what. This should put you on the right path as you begin your DIY kitchen remodel.
Decide What Exactly You Want to Do During Your Kitchen Remodel
Once you have a budget in place for your kitchen, you should sit down and start to come up with a wish list of everything you want to do in your kitchen during your remodel. This can include things like:
- Replacing the cabinets
- Installing new countertops
- Putting down better flooring
- Updating the appliances
- Upgrading the lighting
You should then decide how important each item on your list is. There are probably going to be at least a few items on your list that are more important than others are.
There is going to be a good chance that you might not get to do everything that ends up on your list. If that does turn out to be the case, you want to be sure that you’re able to do the things that are near and dear to your heart when tackling a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget.
Vow to Remodel Your Kitchen Without Changing the Layout
There are a handful of different kitchen layouts that you can use when designing a new kitchen for your home. From a galley kitchen to a horseshoe kitchen, they all have their pros and cons.
If you’re remodeling a kitchen and budget isn’t an issue, you might want to think about changing the layout of your current kitchen to one that you like better. But when you’re on a tight budget while doing a DIY kitchen remodel, you’re going to be way better off keeping your kitchen layout the same.
Why? Well, as soon as you start moving things around in your kitchen, you’re going to begin racking up costs that aren’t even going to make a big difference in the way that your kitchen looks and functions. If, for example, you move your kitchen sink to a new location, you’re going to have to pay a plumber to run new plumbing pipes to wherever it is that you’re going to put it.
This typically tends to cost a whole lot more than you might think. You could spend your entire kitchen remodeling budget on doing that alone!
With this in mind, it’s going to make a lot of sense for you to keep your kitchen layout as-is. It’ll provide you with more money to spend in other areas while remodeling a kitchen.
Try to Salvage Whatever You Can From Your Current Kitchen
When money is no object during a kitchen remodel, you can afford to gut a kitchen and throw everything that’s in it out. From old countertops to old appliances, you can get rid of it all and start over again from scratch.
But when you have to keep a budget in mind while remodeling a kitchen, it’s a different story. You can’t afford to throw out everything in your kitchen and replace it all.
Instead, you have to get a little bit creative and find ways to save whatever you can. For instance, you might be able to paint or refinish your old cabinets and bring them back to life as opposed to replacing them altogether.
You might also be able to deep clean your appliances to make them look new rather than replacing them with appliances that are actually new. This is going to save you a nice chunk of change while also allowing you to get the most life possible out of your appliances.
You’re going to be very tempted to throw everything from your kitchen out. But you’re going to be flushing money down the toilet if you do this. Your best bet is going to be to salvage whatever you can from your kitchen so that you can spend your money on the things that really need to be done.
See If You Can Sell Anything From Your Current Kitchen
Is there anything in your kitchen right now that you don’t like that might be of value to someone else? Maybe you have a refrigerator that is only a few years old or some cabinets that are still in good shape.
Whatever the case, you should try selling anything from your kitchen that you don’t want anymore before you make the decision to throw it out. You never know what someone out there might be willing to pay for a like-new refrigerator or a set of cabinets that still have plenty of life left in them.
In this day and age, it’s so simple to sell things on sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. You can post them for sale in a matter of just minutes and collect cash for them in a few hours.
If you’re able to do this, it could put a little bit more money into your pocket for your kitchen remodel. It’ll also help you get rid of things that you don’t think will be a good fit in your new kitchen.
Invest in High-Quality Products for Your Kitchen Remodel
When you’re taking on a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget, the temptation is going to be to cut corners whenever and wherever you can with regards to costs. You’re going to do almost anything that it takes to save a few bucks.
You should not, however, cut costs when it comes to buying things to put into your new kitchen. Whether you’re buying new kitchen cabinets, new countertops, or new flooring, you should look for high-quality products that are going to stand the test of time.
The reason being, you’re not going to want to have to turn around in a few years and remodel a kitchen again because you bought all cheap products. These products are going to begin to break down on you in no time and cause all kinds of complications.
Whether you’re searching for new wood cabinets or looking for new granite countertops, you should make it your mission to find high-quality options. You should also make sure that each and every product that you put into place in your new kitchen is installed in the right way. It’ll guarantee that these products last you for a long time and keep your kitchen looking its best for many years to come.
Teach Yourself How to Install Cabinets, Countertops, Flooring, Etc.
If you’re a pretty handy person around your house, you might not have a whole lot of trouble figuring out how to install cabinets, countertops, floors, and more. You can lean on your experience to help you get various jobs done throughout the course of your kitchen remodel.
But if you don’t know the first thing about remodeling a kitchen, you’re going to have to rely on the internet to walk you through it. You’ll have to track down how-to guides and videos so that you’re able to do everything from putting in new cabinets to installing new flooring.
A word to the wise: You are not going to nail every task on the first take. There are going to be certain aspects of your kitchen remodeling project that are going to take longer than they should simply because you need to take the time to learn how to do them through trial and error.
Don’t let that frustrate you. Just keep on looking for articles like this one that will break down how to complete certain tasks while remodeling a kitchen. It might take you some time to do them, but you should be able to get the hang of it eventually.
Bring a Handyman On Board to Help You If You Get Stuck at Any Point
At some point during your kitchen remodel, you might find yourself in a spot where you just can’t seem to get something right. No matter how hard you try, it can be difficult laying down some types of flooring or getting the tiles for a backsplash to stay in place.
If you could use a helping hand, there is no shame in bringing in a professional like this handyman in Pittsford to help you out for a few hours. If nothing else, they should be able to show you how to do tasks like putting down floors or putting up backsplash tiles.
You might not have enough wiggle room in your budget to have a handyman come out to your home every single day. But you should be able to hire one to help you for a few hours every now and then. It’ll be well worth the extra expense.
Keep Tabs on Your Budget Throughout Your DIY Kitchen Remodel
The average kitchen remodel is going to take at least a few weeks, if not longer. Depending on the scope of your kitchen remodel, you might end up spending a few months chipping away at it.
Regardless of how long your DIY kitchen remodel takes, you should keep a close eye on your budget throughout it. The last thing you want to do is overspend on a kitchen remodel simply because you take your eye off the prize.
You should monitor how you’re spending your money while remodeling a kitchen, what you’re spending it on, and what other expenses you may have coming up in the near future. By doing this early and often, you’ll be able to stay on top of your budget and steer clear of overspending on your kitchen remodeling project.
Start Doing a DIY Kitchen Remodel on a Budget Today
If you’ve had just about enough of your current kitchen, you should start doing a DIY kitchen remodel on a budget today. You can completely revamp your kitchen while sticking to a budget at the same time.
Follow along with the steps that we’ve listed here and you shouldn’t have any issues as far as sticking to your budget is concerned. You’ll be able to give yourself a brand-new kitchen in the end (or at least, a kitchen that looks brand new!) without spending a small fortune on it.
Do you want to get your hands on more kitchen remodeling tips and tricks? Browse through the rest of the articles on our blog to find them so that you can start putting them to good use.
