Budget-Friendly Kitchen Remodel: Steps 1-5

Whether you intend to sell your home or you’re updating purely for personal enjoyment, remodeling the kitchen is still tops for adding value and providing an impressive return on investment.  But a complete kitchen renovation can easily exceed the $35,000 mark, pushing this home improvement out of range for some homeowners.  Not to worry though.  In most cases, a more budget-friendly revival can still make a major impact on the kitchen’s look and functionality, and significantly increase the resale value of the home.  Homeowners just need to know where to invest their efforts and resources.

How to Remodel Your Kitchen for $3,000 or Less

1.  Reorganize, Set Up Work Stations and Maximize Storage

If you’re not satisfied with how your kitchen functions, reassess how you have it organized.  Start by removing everything stored in drawers and cabinets.  Sort and eliminate any duplicates and items you don’t use or need.  Take a good look at what makes the cut and evaluate options for improving your cabinet and drawer storage.   Create a new plan with clear zones for food preparation, cooking, and clean up, optimizing placement of items according to their point of use.  Invest in functional storage accessories like stacking, expanding and tiered shelves for cabinets and pantry, turntables, racks, dividers, and pull-out trash bins.  Scrub out the insides of the cabinets, install your new storage organizers, load your stuff back up and enjoy a more functional working kitchen.

2.  Renew the Cabinets

Do your wood cabinets look dirty, worn and tired?  Give them a lift with a thorough cleaning and a product especially made to restore wood finishes.  If they’re beyond restoring or you’d like a new look, paint your cabinet frames, doors and drawer fronts.  You’ll need to take the doors off, lightly sand and prime them first.  Just be sure to label the doors and drawers as you take them down so you can easily put them back where they go.  And save all the hinges and screws in a plastic zip-lock baggie so they won’t get lost.  Visit the HGTV web site for detailed DIY instructions on painting your wood cabinets.

Even laminate cabinets can be updated without refacing with an acrylic laminate finish that rolls on like paint.  The water-based product can be tinted to any light to mid-range color.  The application requires two coats with about two hours of drying time for each coat, but no bonding primer or sealer coat is required.  The product dries with a smooth, factory-like finish that is durable and cleanable.   

3.  Update Cabinet Hardware

Once the cabinets look as good as new, dress them up with new hardware.  Take an old handle with you when you shop for new ones to ensure they’ll match up with the existing holes drilled for the original hardware.  Select an updated finish to coordinate with the overall style and color scheme of your kitchen.  Satin nickel and oil-rubbed or antique bronze are two of the most popular and current finishes.

4.  Replace the Faucet

The kitchen faucet gets a lot of use, so it tends to show its wear.  Replacing it can give the whole kitchen a fresh feel.  Unless you intend to replace the sink as well, you’ll want to choose a faucet with the same footprint as the old one to eliminate installation problems.  Select your faucet based on function and style; you’ll want the faucet to reach all areas of your sink for easy cleaning and optimum usability.  Coordinate the faucet’s finish with your kitchen hardware.   

5.  Go for the Granite!

Granite countertops with a budget of $3,000?  Yes, it is possible…if you’re willing to look at some new options that will give you the look of slab granite for a lot less.  One option to consider is a new installation method using granite tiles with radius edges that mimics the look of a granite slab - at about half the cost.  Or you could reface your existing countertops with an engineered granite product, manufactured using approximately 95% natural stone combined with a specially formulated polymer.  The 1/4″ thick slab installs directly over your countertop with no demolition.

If you insist on the traditional granite slab, use it sparingly where you have smaller runs of counter, like on your kitchen island.  Ask your local stone supply yard to see the remnants they have on hand which are considerably less expensive, or choose a more common stone like basic black rather than exotic-grade granite.

With Steps 1-5, you’re halfway home to a fabulous but budget-wise kitchen remodel!  Stay tuned for Steps 6-10 to finish off this home improvement with five more cost efficient kitchen renovation ideas.

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