How Is Your Kitchen Remodel Money Spent?

It’s pretty well-established wisdom at this point that, when remodeling a home, a kitchen is often the most expensive part of any remodeling budget. There’s a good reason for that. When you work with a kitchen remodeling contractor on a significant kitchen remodel, this isn’t just putting on a new coat of paint and adding new furniture. This is a major construction job that may involve tearing down walls, floors and putting in new plumbing.

So, where is your money going when you make this investment? Here’s a breakdown of how your money is spent when you decide on a kitchen remodel.

Parts vs. Labor

First, the big general breakdown. You know that at the forefront, you’ll be paying for two things when you remodel a kitchen. You’ll be buying many new items, such as appliances, cabinets, maybe even new plumbing. But you’ll be paying someone to install these things and make sure they have the necessary infrastructure to work correctly, such as drain lines or electrical outlets for energy.

On average, the total cost of a kitchen remodel is mostly taken up by the purchases. Cabinets are often the biggest culprit in the expense department. While necessary for a quality job, the actual labor doesn’t take up the bulk of the cost. In fact, for a typical kitchen remodel, the kitchen remodeling contractor you work with is only using up about 30-35% of the total budget for a kitchen remodel. All the rest are parts, appliances, and materials you want.

Flooring

The floor is another central area where the budget goes. A kitchen floor must fulfill two functions, being both aesthetically pleasing and durable. After all, there’s no point in having a beautiful kitchen floor if the first cooking mishap or spilled soft drink ruins it and it requires repair.

Tile is the most common choice for kitchen floors, although this leads to many different cost options. On the whole, however, the tile should be resistant to water, as well as to impacts, since anything from drinking glasses to handheld appliances like blenders to even kitchen knives may fall to the floor.

Kitchen Remodeling Contractor For Your Cabinets & Counter

Finally, it is the combination of the kitchen cabinets and the counters under them where the bulk of kitchen remodeling costs go. Mid-range cabinets can, depending on the kitchen’s size, run an average of $10,000, while the higher end cabinets can easily be $20,000 or more. In terms of area, cabinets take up the most significant chunk of “real estate” in the kitchen, occupying depth, width, and height. It takes an experienced, competent kitchen remodeling contractor to install these correctly and ensure they operate reliably and without need for repair for decades to come.

Counter costs will vary based mainly on the type of surface chosen. For example, laminates tend to be easier on the wallet than stone surfaces such as granite or quartz. As with counters, the cost will also be determined by the kitchen’s size and the area that needs to be covered.

Discuss these options with your Kitchen remodeling contractor when you’re establishing your budget.