What a Kitchen Renovation Actually Costs in 2020
The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms to remodel, but it's also one of the most expensive. Minor tweaks start at $4,000, but renovations can balloon up to more than $100,000 if they include major structural expansions. The latter figure isn't the norm, though — most people spend around $25,100.
Keeping It Basic
You don't need to bring the room down to the studs to make a big change. Having your cabinets repainted by a professional costs about $1,200; having the cabinets refaced cost around between $1,000 to $5,000. If you do nothing else, new countertops can make a huge difference (see costs below).
Reimagining the Cabinets
These are a kitchen gamechanger—and to that end, they eat up about 30 percent of the budget. Stock cabinets, like those you can buy off the shelf at home centers, start at $80 to $400 per cabinet. Semi-stock cabinets (IKEA, for example—ones you custom-order from a company's inventory) offer a lot more options and higher quality, and can run from $150 to $1,000 per cabinet. Custom cabinets, which are made specifically for your space and can often include super-fancy upgrades, cost about $500 to $1,500 each.
Upgrading the Counters
Plan to spend about 10 percent of your remodeling budget on countertops depending on the material and kitchen size—with about $1,050-plus going toward installation. Countertop material costs range dramatically per square foot (see the chart), and the style of the edge you choose and thickness of the counter will add even more $$$. Quartz, for example, is increasingly popular and offers “veins” and patterns like those in natural stone. Designers use this secret to save: They'll choose a more inexpensive counter material for the large stretches, but save the expensive stuff for the island.
Stepping Up the Floor
The kitchen is a busy area, so your flooring needs to stand up to tons of foot traffic—and spills. The most indestructible: vinyl, which starts at $1 per square foot, or ceramic tile (also about $1 per square foot). Flooring gets pricier if you opt for stone (it starts at $1.20 per square foot), and eco-friendly options like cork and bamboo will set you back at least $2.10 per square foot. Hardwood and engineered flooring also start at $3 and $3.50 per square foot, respectively.
Choosing the Details
Once the big pieces are in place, the real style comes in the form of the final touches. Appliances can make a space (both visually, and because they suit your lifestyle!): Plan to spend between $1,000 and $5,000—or many multiples of that, if you're looking at the highest-end appliances. Picking a tile backsplash is one of the fun parts of kitchen design—and the options are endless (the average backsplash costs $1,000). Lighting makes a huge difference, too: Recessed lights cost about $150 a piece to install, and over-the-island pendants start around $150. Undercabinet lighting for accents is a cheap option, starting at $20 for wireless. Faucets, too, are an important visual punctuation: They start at $200 but can cost as much as $1,000 (and touchless faucets like these are becoming increasingly popular).
Read More About The Real Costs of Renovations
Illustrations & Design by Nicole Pivirotto, Animation by Eddie Phan
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