12 Ways to Save Money on Your Kitchen Remodel

If you’re doing more than just painting the cabinets or replacing the countertops during your kitchen remodel, don’t try to save money out of the gate by not hiring a professional to create a design plan. “Hiring a designer saves you time and money in the long run, so you don’t make expensive errors,” says south Florida-based designer Meredith Marlow. 

After choosing a professional to work with and coming up with a plan for your kitchen remodel, decide on absolutely everything you want in the kitchen, and have it on-site before a single inch of space sees the sledgehammer, says Robin Siegerman, Chief Design and Renovation Officer at Sieguzi Kitchen & Home Inc. in Toronto, Canada. “One of the factors that sends a budget spiraling out of control is a homeowner picking products during the renovation,” she says. If a product is backordered, the homeowner is often faced with a choice: pick a different item that is often pricier, or wait for their original choice, when their trades people may have other jobs scheduled and the homeowner may be charged extra for the work.

One of the biggest expenses in any kitchen renovation is new cabinets. If yours are in good shape, though, consider keeping them and just giving them a new look. Designer Justin Riordan recommends going bright white when painting cabinets in a kitchen remodel. “White paint does wonders for outdated cabinets and can save you money,” he says. He recommends washing, then priming and painting cabinets with high-quality white semi-gloss. Adding new hardware will enhance the bright white effect.

If your cabinets are too outdated to be salvaged even by the snazziest coat of paint, consider if they could be spruced up with some new doors. If the structure is sound, you don’t have to toss out the whole cabinet: just get good measurements and find a style of door you like, and order it online, says John Gerard, author of Renovate Your Kitchen the Smart Way: How to Plan, Execute and Save Money During Your Kitchen Remodel. It’s a whole new look for a fraction of the price.