If there’s one sure way to add value to your home it’s by renovating your kitchen. In this guide, we’ll offer 3 ideas for DIY kitchen renovation projects and 3 projects requiring a contractor or specialist. Let’s get started!
Top Three Ideas for Renovating Your Kitchen Yourself
Below you’ll find three ideas for renovating your kitchen that can add functionality and value to your home.
1. Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets
An easy way to give your kitchen a brand-new look is to paint your cabinets. Trends change over time, and perhaps painting over that dark wood with a lighter color can brighten up the space.
Painting your kitchen cabinets is an easy DIY project, although it is a time-consuming one. Around 90% of the work is preparation, which includes removing the hardware, cleaning the cabinetry, multiple rounds of sanding, taping, priming, and then finally painting.
Unless you plan to stain your cabinets, you’ll want to choose paint that is cabinet-grade so that it is durable. Cabinets are a high-touch surface. If you want a slicker finish, choose a high-quality enamel. However, if you want more of a distressed look, go for chalk paint.
In general, the cost to repaint your kitchen cabinets will run between $3-$10 per square foot.
2. Painting a Kitchen Countertop Finish
If you want the look of marble or granite for your kitchen countertops, it’s as simple as some DIY painting. Repainting your kitchen countertop is one of the easiest and most economical ways to give your kitchen a fresh, new look.
Both laminate and tile countertops can be painted. What’s important is to invest in quality primer, paint, and sealer. It’s crucial to remove any built-up dirt, grime, and oil from your countertops before painting using a kitchen cleaner or detergent, but avoid ammonia-rich cleaners.
There are lots of instructional articles and videos on places like YouTube or Lowe’s to guide you. Whether you want a solid color or to create a faux marble look, you can find DIY guides.
The cost will range between $6.41-$19 per square foot for materials. Amazon sells kitchen countertop refinishing kits like this one from Rust-Oleum.
3. Replacing Your Kitchen Sink and Fixtures
Replacing your old kitchen sink and fixtures is an easy way to transform the look of your kitchen. Modern fixtures can give your kitchen an elegant contemporary look, while rustic-style fixtures can add charm.
Replacing the sink is easier than you think and can be done without the help of a professional. It only requires basic plumbing skills.
Typically, a new sink and fixtures won’t cost more than a few hundred dollars, plus a few bucks for plumbing tape and caulking. The average cost runs between $335-$675 depending on how fancy you go.
Top Three Ideas for Professional Kitchen Renovation
For some jobs, they are best handled by experienced professionals. You can either hire a general contractor, a kitchen remodeling specialist, or someone who specializes in the specific type of renovation project you need, such as cabinets, countertops, or floors. Many stores that sell the materials can also refer you to installers.
With a professional kitchen renovation project, the cost of labor accounts for roughly 40%-60% of the total cost.
1. Custom Cabinets
Custom cabinets are one of the best ways to transform your kitchen, improve its functionality, and instantly add significant value to your home.
The cost of kitchen cabinets ranges from $459-$694 per cabinet. The cost of installing new kitchen cabinets ranges from $4,000-$13,000, with the national average at $7,500.
2. Upgrading Countertops
The most common renovation homeowners make to their kitchen is to replace tile or laminate countertops with stone. Besides their beauty, stone countertops are low maintenance, more durable than other materials, and more resistant to staining.
Quartz will be the least expensive, followed by granite, and marble, which run from about $15-$200 per square foot. The total price with installation will vary upon location, ranging between $1,859-$4,346, with around $3,102 being the national average.
3. Upgrading Floors
The most common upgrades that homeowners make to their kitchen flooring are to replace vinyl or linoleum with tile, laminate (faux hardwood), or hardwood floors. For a wood-look, laminate is a good choice because it requires less upkeep than hardwoods, and is durable and resistant to spills and stains. Tile has the advantage of being easy to clean and durable.
Per square foot, the cost of laminate will run $1-$4, hardwood runs $6-$20, and tile ranges between $2-$70.
Depending on the materials, new flooring costs can run as low as $2-$20 per square foot installed, and up to $1000-$10,000 for a 500-square-foot room.