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Where to Splurge and Where to Save When Doing a Kitchen Remodel

Remodeling your home is no time to be a penny pincher. For most of us, our homes are the largest purchase we ever make, and cutting corners can turn that investment into a liability. In addition to often looking bad, haphazard remodels can also cause long-term issues that can spiral out of control and cost even more to repair than the original remodel. When you first begin planning your remodel, it’s a good idea to set a budget, but then set aside an additional 10 to 15 percent in case there are unexpected expenses. The last thing anyone wants is to halt a remodel in its tracks due to lack of funds. That all being said, there are a few places you can safely save, as well as a few places you should give yourself permission to splurge.

Consider your wants and needs
This home is for you, first and foremost, so think about what you hope to get out of it when the job is done. This may not just be what you want in your home in that moment, but also what you want out of your home in the long run – if you plan on staying there for decades to come, you don’t need to consider resale value as heavily as those who may be planning to sell within a few years.
A few things to consider include:

• Water and energy efficiency
• Increasing storage
• Improving layout
• Increasing resale value
• Updating fixtures and color schemes
• Adding new technology
• Improving features
• Much more

If you’re an entertainer at heart, a warming rack or wine fridge may be an absolute necessity to truly enjoy your dream kitchen. If you’re a busy parent, improved storage and organization may rank higher than those small features. Once these questions are answered, you’ll know where your best places to splurge might be.

Consider long-term impact
Anything that isn’t a long-term decision may be somewhere you can cut costs a bit. For example, cabinets and counters are not something you will likely be replacing any time soon, so you may not want to cut corners there. However hardware and small fixtures are easy to replace over time, so you can afford to pick something basic out in the beginning then make changes later. That being said, if you have your eye on counters out of your budget, you may actually want to consider picking the cheapest laminate to get you by, then save up for the counter you really want to add down the road. It’s all about your personal needs. Great places to save are:

• Small things that can be easily upgraded later
• Big things you plan to upgrade later anyway
• Small details that you feel ambivalent toward

All that being said, you absolutely never want to cut corners on the quality of labor or any products that will affect the functionality of your home. These are the two big things that can come back to haunt you months or years down the road. The most important step in the process is hiring a team that can deliver the quality you deserve, so you know you can trust them with your questions to receive honest answers and a beautiful home.