Everyone likes great kitchens, even people who don't cook. Kitchens are also really important to how well a house sells. The big complication is how much work is the right amount to get a great, attractive kitchen that will help sell your house when the time comes but won't cost so much you don't get all the money from the investment and then a bit more. After all, investments are supposed to make money. If you only get back 80%, you just lost 20%.
The key to getting a lot of bang for your buck in a kitchen remodel is to control the costs or the amount of money you put into remodeling. A cheaper redo may pay off MUCH better than an all out cash assault.
Solid Oak Shelf
How do you control the costs? Here are several ways to get a great look without blowing out your bank account.
1. Leave appliances where they are and just replace with new ones. New appliances will look and function better than your old ones. I once knew a new bride who felt like a miserable failure as a cook but discovered that her old oven was at fault until she replaced it with one that actually worked.
2. Leave plumbing where it is, too. A handy homeowner may not even have to hire professionals to put in updated sinks, dishwashers and faucets.
3. Spend the money to open up your kitchen space to your family room or dining area. It may be no more than removing some upper cabinets. That row of cabinetry can turn into a nice buffet or island bar area. Use your imagination.
4. Can you make your cabinets work in your new kitchen? If it's possible you can and save thousands of dollars. This may be particularly true if you have an older home with wood cabinets. They can be painted, stripped and stained or reconfigured to work better. Cabinets in newer homes are nearly always MDF with veneers or melamine. When it gets wet it falls apart. Kitchens do get wet, and need to be pretty water resistant. Real wood cabinets hold up better and may look really good with a little work. The wood, even just plywood, may be better than what you can buy. Look before you decide what to do. Do all the cabinets have to match? No, they don't. An island that's different might be great, or you might choose a painted hutch in a white or wood kitchen.
5. Speaking of cabinets, DON'T THROW THEM AWAY! Why use a sledgehammer on a perfectly good cabinet? They do it all the time on TV. If you are convinced you must have new cabinets take out the old ones and either donate them and take a tax deduction or reuse them in your garage or hobby room. There are lots of things you can do with them besides send them to the landfill.
6. Put something on the floor that will be sturdy and easy to clean. Ceramic tile is cheap and really good value. You can get it in styles that look like stone and it doesn't have to come from half way around the world. Who would know? Wood and cork are also good choices though wood can be hard to care for in kitchens that get a lot of use. Bamboo is nice and sturdy, too. Forget vinyl. It does not do well at resale.
7. Do it yourself, but you must be able to do a good, professional looking job. Sure there is a learning curve, but the tasks are all things you can learn. A good strategy is to do the demolition and cleanup your self and have licensed trades work on the things that don't take too much time.
8. Counter tops matter. Stone tiles look as good as granite slabs and are way cheaper. Also consider solid surface if the price is reasonable. It can get expensive. Try to be true to the style of your house.
9. Shelves and pantries can be just four inches deep and function very well. Doors can hide the visual clutter.
Clutter is almost inevitable in kitchens so don't over decorate. The visual will be better if you keep it clean and simple. Step back and look at the whole picture before you decide to fill your room with your cow collection and wallpaper to match. Something plain might please you more.
It's good to have what you need to be organized, but think. The 27 year-old spices, out of date canned goods and plastic containers and jars are just taking up valuable space. Clean up and decide what to keep. Then you will have a realistic picture of how much storage you need. It may be a lot less than you planned to buy, saving serious money.