There are many ways to save money on a kitchen renovation but many of them compromise on the quality of your finished room. You can end up with a kitchen you hate and the feeling that you wasted your money. Today, we’ll be looking at some of the mistakes that homeowners make when they try to keep within their budget. We’ll offer workable solutions and show you how to get a high quality kitchen at a great price!
If your kitchen has a laminated countertop, you may have been tempted to try to re-laminate it and save a huge amount. Whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor, this process works by sanding down your existing countertop and applying a new sheet of laminate.
Let’s face it, a re-laminated countertop will look even cheaper than it actually was. As the surface will have been raised, you’ll get a poor seal around the edges and the face-side will never look as good as new. If you have been quoted an unaffordable amount for your countertop, head online to find a different supplier. Online retailers have lower overheads and can pass these savings on to you. You can save hundreds of dollars off even quartz or granite countertops if you shop online, so you might be able to have a beautiful kitchen for a lot less than you think!
If you are happy with the look, size and style of your existing cabinets you may have been tempted to consider re-facing them. Professional re-facing firms will give you the appearance of brand new cabinets by custom-crafting real wood (not veneer) onto your existing ones. They’ll also change the fittings and fixtures. However good the job is, you can always notice by the edges of the door, and the interior of the cabinets, that they aren’t as-new.
Re-facing is good for the environment and much cheaper than replacing the cabinets, but it will look just as cheap as the price you paid for it as soon as you open the drawers or cupboards! Renovation is the chance to upgrade your kitchen by enhancing the quality. If your designer has put you off new cabinets by claiming they are expensive, think again! You can save hundreds of dollars if you change the style of the cabinets and still enjoy top-quality carpentry without paying top dollar. A good designer will be able to show you have to spend less without resorting to re-facing.
If you are looking for ways to make your renovation dollars go further, you may be tempted to accept a contractor’s advice to go with onsite carpentry with inferior construction quality.
Low-budget cabinets will leave you feeling dissatisfied and will never last as long. Examples of this are cabinets that are built onsite. You can save big bucks if you accept particle board instead of plywood, or melamine drawers instead of wood dovetail. It’s time to find a different contractor if yours doesn’t clearly explain the huge difference in quality. Find a contractor who is knowledgeable about sourcing cabinets from online suppliers. You can still enjoy real wood, proper carpentry and the latest fixtures like soft-close hinges and drawer rails without busting your budget.