What You Can Expect From a $25-30,000 Kitchen Remodel

At this budget range, kitchen renovations mean less actual physical labor for the homeowners, who are able to leave most of that work to the professionals. That doesn’t mean a total hands off approach however. The owners of these kitchens either acted as their own general contractor, designed the space themselves, and shopped vigilantly for the best deals out there. The sky wasn’t the limit, but all of them are very happy with their new appliances and cabinetry, custom elements, and updated fixtures and hardware.

Chris and Julia (image above) took their kitchen all the way down to the studs, and then built it back up. They saved money by DIYing their own concrete countertops and using IKEA countertops, then splurged on the walnut island and hardware. In a very interesting move, they placed two 30″ ranges side by side to get the function of a larger restaurant-grade model, without the steep cost. They came in at $28,068 in the end.

This second space (above) is probably the largest of the kitchens featured here, and includes a dining area and bar. Jenna Sue shopped very well, buying all of the appliances on Black Friday and taking advantage of every sale, promo and rebate for their Lowe’s cabinetry. She supplemented those custom built-ins with off-the-shelf IKEA products to create the bar, pantry, and window seat areas. All of the lighting was kept very affordable— the three pendants were under $100 each. At the end of the day she spent $28,481.

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Dan encountered a whole host of problems while remodeling his kitchen in an old Boston apartment — invisible improvements like old gas lines, rotting floors, and drafty windows that drove the cost up significantly. These must-do expenses were balanced by out by less expensive IKEA cabinets and basic subway tile. That, and the fact that it’s a smaller space than some of the other examples here, is what keeps his budget in the same price bracket. Dan went about $9,000 over budget and ended up spending $24,895.

Sandra and Justin saved a huge chunk of change right off the bat: she designed the kitchen herself and they both acted as general contractors throughout the remodel, only bringing in people to do the electrical and plumbing work. Cabinets were more Their final cost was $29,122, only about $800 more than budgeted. You can see the entire renovation from beginning to end.

Yes, all kitchen projects will vary depending on size, location and current condition. But this small cross-section of projects can get you thinking about your budget, and what kinds of questions to ask as you head into the remodeling process. What will you splurge on, and where can you save?