The choices you need to make before and during a kitchen remodeling are plenty. The worse part? They cost. Most things cost a lot – anything from countertops to flooring. An average kitchen remodel is a multiple-figure home improvement. Naturally, there’s always the dilemma: “should I spend more on that or should I spend more on that!”
One thing is for sure. Unless you don’t know what to do with all that money you’ve got, you cannot spend a lot on everything. And here comes the million-dollar question. When it’s best to splurge, when it’s best to save? Let’s see.
Kitchen Remodeling: When to Splurge
Countertop
Kitchen countertops vary a lot, in terms of strength. This is not something you want to risk. Let me put it this way. It is your knife that should fear the countertop, not the other way around. When you are in the kitchen, prepping food or even making coffee, you cannot bother with the countertop, wondering if it would be okay to leave the carrots and tomatoes on the surface, or it’d be stained. You need to get a kitchen countertop material which will not be absorbent, putting your health at stake, and durable to last for a long time.
Backsplash
When it comes to the backsplash, the rationale of choosing the ideal material is similar to that of choosing a countertop. The backsplash must be resistant to water so that it won’t be damaged.
Flooring
While there’s a plethora of kitchen flooring choices, you should focus on the material’s durability. Kitchen floors suffer a lot. They may get damaged – or broken, due to impact (it’s so easy to drop pots and pans) and stained. The floor must be durable, resistant to just about everything, not slippery – beautiful too. And it’s one of those things you cannot easily change. So, splurge.
Plumbing
If you intend to do a complete kitchen renovation and the house is old or there’s damage, changing the plumbing (all those pipes under the floor and behind walls) is a great idea. This is the chance to replace all the old pipes and that calls for a bigger budget. But it’s worth doing it now before you renovate the kitchen.
Ventilation
All kitchens need a good exhaust system – a big window, if possible, too. Don’t go cheap on that. It’s not only about keeping the smells within the boundaries of the kitchen – and not let them travel all around the house. It’s mostly about protecting the kitchen cabinets – and all other items in the room from the steam/humidity.
Storage space
Don’t think twice about spending more for the creation of extra storage space. That should be one of the main points of the kitchen design. Most families cannot get enough storage room in the kitchen, these days. Do it today and you’ll thank yourself later.
Kitchen Remodeling: When to Save
Cabinetry
While you should spend on creating storage space, there’s no need to spend a lot on the kitchen cabinets. Yes, the cabinets make or break the kitchen’s appearance. And yes, they need to be strong enough so that they won’t warp or sag a few months later. But today, there are so many options among cabinetry and even more ways to decorate them – paint, stencils, beautiful hardware.
Hardware
Speaking of hardware – faucets and accessories, too, you don’t need to spend much. In fact, this is one main category you can really save since they can easily be replaced. And the choices on the market are endless. Keep the budget low for hardware, now that you have the considerable expense of the kitchen renovation, and you can replace them next year.
Appliances
Yes, kitchen appliances play a big role in your life. They are the main reason you step into the kitchen. But nobody can guarantee that an expensive oven or stove will last for long. You may not want the cheapest appliances on the market, but you can get average-priced ones today and replace them a few years later.
Lighting fixtures
While you need plenty of lights in the kitchen – central, over the island and countertops, inside cabinetry. Also, task and ambient lighting, no need to give a fortune for the lighting fixtures, especially those that can easily change.
How to make your decision?
Not all kitchens – hence, needs, are the same. Maybe, the house is relatively new and there’s no need to replace the plumbing pipes. Or perhaps, there’s been a considerable fire or water damage and you need to change all things. The cost of the kitchen remodeling will depend on such factors as well.
If the kitchen is okay as it is – most importantly, functional, you can save money by keeping the existing layout. But if your life becomes difficult the moment you step in the kitchen, it’s best to splurge on function today than be sorry tomorrow.
