We have zero remodeling projects going on at the moment, so it’s no surprise that I’m dreaming about the future, when we do. Two of our rental properties are due for a kitchen remodel, not to mention we’re on the hunt for our “forever home,” which will (hopefully) include another kitchen renovation.
In case you’re new here, we sold the Greenfield Remodel back in August and have been full-time RV living since then. You can tour several of the Greenfield Remodel reveals, including:
- Greenfield Kitchen Reveal: Before + After, Sources + Process
- Dark + Moody Powder Room Reveal at the Greenfield Remodel
- Greenfield Master Bathroom Remodel Reveal
- Staircase Remodel: What We Did and Would We Do It Again
- Girls’ Shared Bedroom + Playroom Tour
You can also see more of the Greenfield kitchen here and here.
Let’s Talk Money.
I’m always fascinated to read how much other people spend on remodels – are you? I sure hope so, because that’s what today’s post is all about!
Obviously finance and budgeting are personal topics, but honest conversations about numbers are incredibly helpful in planning a renovation and setting realistic expectations. Hopefully you’ll find today’s post useful if you’re considering a kitchen remodel. As always, I’m an open book and am happy to answer any questions you may have!
Costs vary depending on location and size of the project. For comparison purposes, this property is located in a small town in Tennessee, and the kitchen is approximately 150 square feet.
We changed quite a bit structurally: 1) moved the garage door into the dining room, 2) widened the doorway between the kitchen and dining room, and 3) demoed out a small pantry closet. So a significant part of our budget went towards rebuilding, drywall installation, moving plumbing and electrical, and boring, non-cosmetic changes. You can see the before images in this post.
Now, let’s see the cost breakdown.
| Cabinetry | $5,500 |
| Refrigerator | $1,816 |
| Demo, Structural Changes, Plumbing and Electrical + Labor Estimate | $3,000 |
| Faucet | $512 |
| Sink | $498 |
| Countertops | $1,674 |
| Cabinet Hardware | $122 |
| Paint and Primer | $350 |
| Sconces (2) | $90 |
| Breakfast Nook Pendant | $157 |
| Recessed Lighting Trim | $38 |
| Library Sconce | $38 |
| Backsplash Tile, Thinset, Grout + Tiling Labor Estimate | $1100 |
| Engineered Hardwood Flooring + Labor Estimate | $500 |
| Floating Shelves | $60 |
| Dishwasher | $448 |
| Range | $848 |
| Range Hood | $195 |
| Coffee Machine | $100 |
| TOTAL | $17,046 |
Ways We Saved Money
Just for comparison purposes, the very first kitchen we ever remodeled cost us about $10,000 in 2015. I’m happy to see that with six years of renovating experience, we’re able to create a much nicer kitchen with only a slightly larger budget.
A couple of ways we saved money:
- Aligning our appliance purchases with sales and promotions at Lowe’s and Home Depot,
- Doing some of the labor ourselves, and
- Shopping liquidation and warehouse sales for building materials,
- Using materials leftover from previous projects,
- Partnering with brands I love.
A little more elaboration on the last point: Although part of my job is working with brands I love, we still pay for the majority of our projects out of pocket. We always go into a renovation expecting to pay for the entire thing ourselves, that way we budget accordingly. After that, any contracts I sign for sponsored content is an added bonus.
As for point number 3, I have a post coming up in the next two weeks on where to find good deals on building and home improvement materials, so stay tuned for that! As always, if you have any questions, leave them in the comment section below, and I’ll be happy to help!
In-Depth Look Into the Process
If you’d like more details on the planning and re-design process of this project, check out the following:
Sources, by Category:
CABINETRY: Kitchen Cabinets: Home Depot | Brass Cabinet Knobs: Amazon | Brass Cabinet 5-Inch Pulls: Amazon | Brass Cabinet 12-Inch Pulls: Amazon | Floating Shelves: Home Depot | Blind Shelf Supports: Amazon
FLOORING: Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Armstrong Flooring
APPLIANCES: Refrigerator: Whirlpool | Dishwasher: GE | Oven Range: GE | Range Hood: Home Depot | Coffee Machine: Amazon
PLUMBING: Sink: PRECIS 27 from BLANCO | Kitchen Faucet: URBENA from BLANCO
TILING: Backsplash Tile: Home Depot | Grout: “Avalance” by Mapei from Lowe’s
FURNITURE: Velvet Armless Loveseat: Wayfair | Breakfast Nook Table: Amazon | Velvet Round Ottomans with Storage: Amazon | Dining Room Table: Wayfair | Dining Room Chairs: Structube (similar)