If you have $80,000 lying around, you can buy a luxury SUV. You could pay for a year at Harvard. Or you can renovate your kitchen. YEP. It typically costs that much, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’s “Remodeling Impact Report.”
But unlike fancy new cars and Ivy League experiences, you can opt out of the full retail price of a kitchen remodel. Here are five inexpensive ideas so you can remodel your kitchen on a budget.
Best budget kitchen renovation ideas
With these important money-saving tips, you can get an entire kitchen makeover on a budget.
#1 Keep the kitchen cabinets, but change the doors
New cabinets make up a large portion of the average kitchen remodel cost (30% to 35%). But usually only the fronts need to be updated.
A great, hassle-free way to save on expensive new cabinets is to purchase just the fronts from a manufacturer, like these beautiful blue fronts installed on existing cabinets.
Or, if you’re into DIY, save even more, potentially spending just a few hundred dollars by:
- Repaint or stain
- Add new trim or moldings
- Remove doors for an open shelf look
Not Oubliez Pas new kitchen hardware, a small, affordable change — even if you don’t change the cabinet fronts.
#2 Template outdated kitchen backsplash tile instead of replacing it
Tearing out old tiles and replacing them with new ones can get expensive. To free up some serious room in your budget, all you have to do is paint it.
Tile templates are easy to find online, and you only need to do a little prep work to get your tiles ready. You’ll be done in less time than it would take to pry half the old tiles off the wall.
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to modernize your kitchen is to use a recessed lighting conversion kit; no electrician is needed.
The kits cost just $15 to $20 each and are a breeze to install, even for DIY newbies. The parts screw directly into the recessed light, a bracket holds the new light in place and a decorative cover hides the recessed light.
In about 15 minutes you will have dramatic new kitchen lighting.
#4 Paint the floor instead of replacing it
If you have an old wood floor or pulled up your old floor only to find an underlayment (instead of the beautiful hardwood you were hoping for), try painting for a kitchen renovation on a budget.
It may seem like a waste to paint wooden floors. But professional refinishing can cost as much as $2,000, while painting can cost $200 or less, depending on the size of your floor. That makes it one of the most budget-friendly kitchen updates you can do.
For the most durable results, use polyurethane-based veranda and floor varnish.
Send away a dingy or dated kitchen with two updates that make a big impact: a new back wall and countertop.
Together they cover a very large area and form the backdrop a completely new kitchen look.
A little paint on the cabinets and the kitchen is like new.
The countertop pictured is quartz, a timeless choice, but if it’s not in your budget, there are plenty DIY countertop optionsat.
Budget kitchen renovation ideas for the win!
It is possible to carry out a kitchen renovation on a limited budget. And just because you don’t have piles of cash ready for a full kitchen renovation doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a simple kitchen makeover. Modernize your space and give it a completely new look without the excessive costs, with a little paint and a DIY mentality.