|
Your cabinets’ door style and color will have the most impact on your new
kitchen’s palette by making the strongest visual statement. They’ll also have
the most impact on your wallet. Cabinets typically account for half the cost of
your entire kitchen remodel—a hefty sum that demands careful consideration.
When it comes to cabinetry, price depends on:
-
Manufacturer choice
-
Quality of cabinet
construction
-
Materials
-
The number of interior storage
options
-
Door style and finish
-
The number of cabinets you need
Prepare to spend:
Stock $5,000-$20,000
Semi-Custom $20,000-$40,000
Custom $40,000+
|
From
the designer
Andrea Foard
K T Highland, Inc.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
www.kthighland.com
“Most of our customers want beaded inset or full overlay/frameless. What they
want and what the end up getting can be different. The door style is usually
the first to change when looking for price reductions. Many times we will do a
3/8" lip door in order to reduce the cost.”
|
Be ready to make a compromise here and there. Here’s a guide to a few
lower-priced cabinet substitutions that will give you a look similar to pricier
materials.
-
Open up your design by
removing cabinet doors for attractive open shelving.
-
Combine a simpler stock
cabinet with crown moulding.
-
Vary the heights of your
cabinets.
-
Buy fashionable cabinet
hardware.
-
Substitute maple wood with a
cherry stain for cherry hardwood.
-
Instead of paying for full
installation, tear out old cabinets yourself.
-
Opt for less moulding details.
How should I set my budget?
Your goals for the project will set the pace for your budget. You’ll want to
tip toward the lower-priced end, for example, if you’re just looking to refresh
your current space for resale. But if you’re after your dream kitchen in a home
where you plan to stay for a while, you’ll want to invest more.
A rule of thumb says your kitchen should represent 10 percent to 20 percent
of the fair-market value of your home. So if your home would sell for about
$300,000, then spend between $30,000 and $60,000 on your kitchen improvements.
If you spend less than 10%, then the kitchen won’t meet potential buyers’
expectations. If you spend more than 20%, then you’re less likely to make your
money back at resale.
|
