Archives for July 2018

Kitchen remodeling is usually considered to be an expensive affair. A recent survey by Houzz estimated the average spend on minor remodel of a small kitchen (200+ sq. ft.) to be around $13,700. On the higher side, a major kitchen remodel can set you back by as much as $42, 000.

Interestingly, the study found that kitchen cabinets account for 31% of the entire kitchen remodel costs. Moreover, cabinet replacement (82%) was cited as a major component of the entire kitchen renovation.

Indeed, for many homeowners, updating cabinets of their old kitchen is the first preference when it comes to kitchen remodeling.

If you’re looking for saving money on buying new kitchen cabinets, your options include buying stock (prefabricated) cabinets over custom cabinets, selecting cheaper wood species, and going for fewer drawers among others.

Here are some other money saving tips on how to lower your costs of buying kitchen cabinets.

Buy Kitchen Cabinets with Simpler Doors

The kitchen cabinet costs can vary greatly depending on the style you choose. In general, cabinets with simple door profile tend to cost lower than cabinets featuring decorative details.

Here are some of the popular kitchen cabinet door styles:

The following factors determine the cost of your kitchen cabinet doors:

#1 – Kitchen cabinet doors with lots of grooves and moldings will almost always cost more.

#2 – Fully overlay cabinet doors are more expensive than cabinet doors with a traditional overlay profile.

#3 – Kitchen cabinets with inset door style tend to cost higher than cabinets with overlay door style.

#4 – Cabinets with Shaker style doors are more expensive than slab door cabinets.

If you want to save money on buying kitchen cabinets, consider cabinets with a simple door profile.

Check Out Prices of Different Inset Cabinets Here.

Ditch Wall Cabinets for Open Shelving

The costs of your kitchen cabinet remodeling can go significantly up or down depending on the types of cabinets you choose to install in your kitchen. A typical kitchen renovation project will include both base cabinets and wall cabinets, meaning higher costs.

Credit: Photo by Design Shop Interiors

However, many homeowners opt for open shelving in order to save money. But it’s not just about reducing the kitchen renovation costs. Open shelving is a popular trend, thanks to the various benefits such as:

#1 – More open and airy kitchen ambiance.

#2 – More accessible above-the-counter storage space.

#3 – More room for decoration and personalization.

On a different note, you might want to consider the cons of an open shelving style in your kitchen even as it helps you with your kitchen renovation on a budget.

Go for a Cheaper Wood Species

Much like the kitchen cabinet door styles, wood species can also hike up your kitchen cabinet costs. There are different types of wood species including oak, birch, maple, hickory, pine, MDF, cherry and bamboo.

While oak is considered an affordable wood species for cabinets, maple cabinets can increase the prices by as much as $1000.

According to Better Homes & Gardens, the starting cost of wood or wood-and-plywood cabinets is about $80 per linear foot, particularly in the stock or semi-custom category. When custom design and premium wood species are factored in, the cost can go well over $165 per linear foot.

Recommended Reading: Choosing The Right Cabinet Installation Company for Your Kitchen Remodeling Project

Choose Thermofoil or Laminate

While kitchen cabinets constructed from solid wood or wood veneer tend to be expensive, you can always opt for laminate or Thermofoil finishes which mimic wood, are durable and easy to clean. They are significantly more budget-friendly than cabinets crafted from solid wood. Both Thermofoil and laminate are essentially plastic finishes applied to MDF or engineered wood for protection and aesthetics. They also come in a wide range of colors and patterns to choose from.

Typically, laminates cost around $50 to $75 per linear foot for wall and base cabinets from a stock selection. Likewise, thermofoils can cost anything between $35 to $45 per linear foot.

No Soft-close Drawers or Full-extension Slides

Most kitchen cabinets feature soft-close drawers and full-extension slides for better functionality. For many, these are components that are worth the extra bucks and add a great deal of value to your cabinetry.

However, if you believe you can do without them, you can save quite a bit on your kitchen cabinet budget. If you’re concerned about the wear and tear, you could use door pulls to preserve the integrity of your door and drawer fronts.

Recommended Reading: How to Utilize Kitchen Base Corner Storage Space

Get Rid of Pull-outs

Just like soft-close drawers and full-extension glides, pull-outs also add a great deal of convenience and functionality to your kitchen cabinets.

However, when you are planning a kitchen renovation on a shoestring budget, it’s important to question whether the convenience is worth the extra money.

Since pull-outs are used in a variety of cabinetry such as trash bins, sliding shelves, and blind corners, you can save a great deal on kitchen cabinet budget by doing away with the pull-outs.

Use Fewer Accessories

Needless to say, you can bring down the cost of your kitchen remodeling by using fewer accessories and keeping it simple. Cabinet accessories such as end panels, crown moldings, corbels and decorative legs definitely add a great deal of aesthetics to your kitchen cabinetry. However, it also means your renovation bills go way beyond your budget. With less customization, you’re likely to save more on your kitchen remodeling.

Give up Drawers

What if you really wanted to go with specific door style in the wood species of your choice, say inset Shaker cabinets crafted out of birchwood?

Sure, it will drive up the cost of your kitchen renovation, but you can still decide to offset the costs by going for fewer drawers in your cabinet design. As a matter of fact, kitchen cabinets with drawers tend to cost much higher than standard-base cabinets. Of course, it’s up to you whether giving up drawers in favor of door style and wood species of your choice.

Final Thoughts

Updating your kitchen doesn’t have to be super expensive if you know what you really want from your kitchen. By getting rid of the bells and whistles, you can strike the perfect balance between functionality and budget.

Recommended Read: Kitchen Remodel Costs: A Handy Guide to Budget Kitchen Renovations