You rummage through your kitchen cabinets and find only half of what you’re looking for. Despite your best intentions, the cabinets simply aren’t in the right places—or abundant enough, or properly laid out—for what you need to store.
You also noticed recently how the floor never quite looks pristine anymore.
Then, the wheezing that emits from the oven hood has been an embarrassment on MORE than one occasion.
And the sink and dishwasher? No…they definitely aren’t where they should be.
It’s a bittersweet reality, really, that whoever cooks is cut off from the rest of the home.
- On one hand, whoever is in the kitchen won’t be part of the conversation when friends come over.
- On the other hand, it helps you hide the kitchen that’s become a real sore spot for you in your home…
The frustration is real. Your kitchen, the supposed heart of your home, is a source of annoyance. What’s going to give?
The Turning Point
Realizing that you deserve better is the first step. Once you put that into words, you realize that you’re finally ready for a renovation that doesn’t just refresh your space but transforms it into the kitchen of your dreams.
The question is, what will that transformation look like? Will you do a facelift that freshens the space up, or gut it and build out what you genuinely fantasize about?
Your journey probably begins with an online search. You’ve already saved stunning kitchen ideas from an interior designer’s Instagram or a chic interiors magazine. But then comes the inevitable question…how much does a kitchen remodel cost?
The answers you find online are all over the place! Influencers ham up their “budget-friendly hacks,” while contractors offer broad ranges. After your search, ads for kitchen appliances flood your social media feeds, leaving you more confused.
The truth is, no one can give you a definitive answer. But maybe you’re asking the wrong question.
When it comes to getting a real idea how much your kitchen renovation will cost, there’s good news and bad news. Let’s get the bad out of the way, first…
The Reality: It Does Depend
The cost of your kitchen remodel will vary based on the size of your space and the scope of your project. Painting cabinets and swapping appliances for low-cost updates, for example, will cost less than a complete overhaul involving custom cabinetry, moving the plumbing, adding to the electric, and incorporating high-end appliances and finishes.
If you do want at least a ballpark range, there are two principal areas that will impact whether you’re on the “high” or “low” end of kitchen remodel costs:
- Appliance Selections: If you select appliances that are more specific to your style and preference of cooking, or opt for certain customizations, or just LOVE a certain brand even if it carries a higher sticker price, those decisions will weigh a lot on your final investment.
- Cabinetry: Custom cabinets are a major investment but offer unparalleled functionality and aesthetics. It’s also an area to save, though. For example, in this kitchen renovation where the client wanted to splurge on selections elsewhere, the cabinets were painted a custom color but acquired pre-fabricated, rather than building them completely custom. That made for a smaller investment than this award-winning outdoor kitchen where the cabinet design was 100% custom and the materials used were outdoor-graded.
Appliances are now being made for increasingly specific kinds of cooking and overall lifestylees…see some examples from this incredible kitchen appliance training!!
The Good News: You Set the Investment
Instead of trying to piecemeal a remodel budget based on a bunch of google searches, shift your focus to how much you’re willing or able to invest in your kitchen renovation.
Once you know how much you can invest, you go to a professional to talk about what that investment can yield.
Start by determining your investment cap. Once you have this number, a professional will help you maximize every dollar. They can guide you through prioritizing your desires, needs, and lifestyle enhancements to get the most out of what you have to invest.
For example, our NARI accredited team knows what questions to ask to get you thinking about your lifestyle and needs in decisive ways. You start to learn what will give you the biggest return on enjoyment when you update your kitchen, and THAT determines your priorities.
Empower Your Renovation Journey
Take charge of your kitchen remodel by focusing on what you can invest. Inquire with a trusted renovation firm or designer to explore what your budget can achieve.
Explore our portfolio to see what other homeowners in Tarrant County have accomplished with varying investments. Join our private design community on Facebook for more inspiration and insights, too.
Whatever you choose to do, remember that you have full control over the investment you make in your home. Turn the kitchen remodel budget question on its head and look FIRST at your investment capacity, and then you’ll be able to work confidently with a professional to prioritize which updates are most important for the kind of transformation you desire.
About the author:
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for nearly three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. Also in 2024, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
Thank you Janet! And yes, that’s the way we like to look at it: maximizing the investment. Homeowners know what they can or can’t invest. It’s our job to help them identify the “must haves,” “like to haves,” and “would love to have if I won the lottery” level expectations. Then, get as many of them included in a project as possible!
Such a good way to answer this question! Professional eyes and ears are such a critical piece to helping homeowners maximize their investment!