My question isn’t their taste, but their budget. How the hell did that kitchen cost $15,000? Even if they had to replace everything I couldn’t see it being more than $5k.
If you keep all the existing appliances and build your own cabinets while already having all the requisite tools and do absolutely everything yourself, it’s doable, but tight. Shits expensive these days.
2-3k to paint existing cabinets, new hardware
4-5k epoxy floor and countertops
4-5k new appliances
3-4k left for drywall, paint, lighting, trim, framing, hvac, plumbing, electrical.
She could have gotten more for less but not by much when you are hiring it all out. Doesn’t even look like she touched the tile backsplash, which would be 1-2k more.
I remodel kitchens in the midwest, and we would charge a lot more than that for this size kitchen. She clearly didn’t spend for a designer, though.
I think that’s an average professional price for my area, but there’s always a cheaper painter. Spraying cabinets the right way is a big nasty job. Thankfully we don’t do it much anymore.
I finish my own cabinets, so maybe I’m just out of touch. But materials alone is only like a hundred bucks or so, and a company already owns the compressor and paint sprayer. I don’t think I’d pay more than 1k, it better be fucking Van Gogh painting my cabinets for anything over that.
I would honestly probably take that, but I highly doubt we live in the same area. I’d also practice on my own kitchen first, just to make sure I don’t screw yours up.
Contractors charge a ton these days and it makes no sense to me. I’d hire out the countertops (one drop and I’m out $3k), but the rest would probably take 2 full days of work, plus maybe one or two partial days on either end for planning and cleanup/touchups. With less than half of that being parts (I think $7k is a decent high estimate), that would probably be like $300/hr, a little less if I rent tools instead of buying them.
I think contractors charge so much because work can be hit and miss, but if it’s a side hustle, there’s no reason to charge so much.
No, I just do a lot of stuff myself. I could do better than that kitchen for $5,000 with some smart shopping and elbow grease. I redid the floors, bathroom, and kitchen in an 1860s cabin for that much back in 2013
IMO, if you don’t have the time, don’t do the reno, unless there’s something really dangerous that needs to go, or you have a lot of money. Having a nicer looking kitchen isn’t worth adding even more debt, and it’s most likely not going to pay for itself when you sell (and why would it? The buyer would factor the reno in to the purchase price).
The most expensive part here is the countertops, which is pretty hard to do on your own, especially if you’re doing stone (super heavy, special tools to cut to size, etc). That alone is probably $3-5k.
The rest is pretty easy to DIY:
decent laminate flooring that looks like wood - <$1/sq ft; hard wood is $2-4/sq ft - <$500 including any tools, fixes to subfloor, etc
cabinet doors (assuming you don’t need to replace the whole thing) - $25/door, plus cost of paint/stain (idk, $50? $100 max?); looks like ~$500 for the above kitchen?
sink, faucet, etc - quite variable, but probably <$500 even for fancier options
So you could probably do <$5k if you’re in the budget range, <$10k for something a bit nicer, assuming you DIY most of it. This doesn’t count appliances and whatnot, which IMO shouldn’t be part of a reno unless you’re specifically planning to change the size of the appliances (e.g. you want an in-set oven, larger fridge, built-in stove, etc).
If you ask a contractor, they’ll probably say $15-30k, and it could go up from there.
This is just some back-of-the-napkin math after some light browsing on Home Depot.
One way I saved a ton of money adding a kitchen was to get cabinets and counters from people who were redoing their kitchen. Got that for the price of hauling it away. I also got 1000 sq ft of solid oak tongue-in-groove flooring for $250 from someone who overbought for their own home improvement project.
The more time you take to look, the more deals you can find. If you’re planning to DIY, it’s usually best to do things one-at-a-time so you don’t end up with a half-finished project, but instead have small, attainable goals that can be 100% completed in a short period. For example, don’t redo the countertops, cabinets, and floors at the same time, just complete one completely before moving on. That said, if you’re going to hire someone, do it all at once, you’ll end up paying less overall, though you’ll probably blow your initial budget.
Lol an IKEA kitchen now a bit bigger than that is 10k€ without placement and composite counters and no floor. Prices have over doubled in the past 5 years. + floor and actual stone countertop is easily 15k
We are renovating our entire house and doing everything except pouring concrete slabs and our tile roof ourselves and the kitchen this big + and island is 15k€ at good value places, slightly better places are 25k+ with placement.
5k is an absolute pipe dream. Wholesale materials alone without appliances would be around 9k (assuming decent quality cupboards and real stone)
That assumes you’re starting with new as opposed to reclaimed materials. I saved a bundle by taking someone else’s old kitchen cabinets and reusing them.
But, as I said in another comment, I am an old person who used to buy gas for less than 25¢ per liter and do everything myself so my prices are skewed.
My question isn’t their taste, but their budget. How the hell did that kitchen cost $15,000? Even if they had to replace everything I couldn’t see it being more than $5k.
Is the floor also marble?
15k is a very normal price to flip an entire kitchen. Not even counting the appliances. Just the flooring and cabinets.
Yeah it seems like I can’t get anything done for < 6000 anymore. I can’t imagine a whole kitchen costing only 15
If you keep all the existing appliances and build your own cabinets while already having all the requisite tools and do absolutely everything yourself, it’s doable, but tight. Shits expensive these days.
Building your own cabinets will be monumentally more expensive unless you are an experienced cabinet maker with a bunch of tools already.
Lol when was the last time you priced out a kitchen remodel? 5k would maybe get you the cabinets
It was admittedly a while ago, but pre-built cabinets are like $200 a piece so there’s maybe $1500 worth of cabinets there. It’s not a huge kitchen.
Unless these idiots bought custom made cabinets, didn’t bother doing anything to the left of the stove, and then painted them a horrible color.
2-3k to paint existing cabinets, new hardware 4-5k epoxy floor and countertops 4-5k new appliances 3-4k left for drywall, paint, lighting, trim, framing, hvac, plumbing, electrical.
She could have gotten more for less but not by much when you are hiring it all out. Doesn’t even look like she touched the tile backsplash, which would be 1-2k more.
I remodel kitchens in the midwest, and we would charge a lot more than that for this size kitchen. She clearly didn’t spend for a designer, though.
Damn, I should get into home improvement. I always did all that myself which is why my estimate was so low.
Plus that doesn’t look like a terribly expensive stove or sink.
2-3K for paint?
You’re getting reamed by your painter if he’s charging you 2-3k for a small room like that.
I think that’s an average professional price for my area, but there’s always a cheaper painter. Spraying cabinets the right way is a big nasty job. Thankfully we don’t do it much anymore.
I finish my own cabinets, so maybe I’m just out of touch. But materials alone is only like a hundred bucks or so, and a company already owns the compressor and paint sprayer. I don’t think I’d pay more than 1k, it better be fucking Van Gogh painting my cabinets for anything over that.
Wanna redo my kitchen for $15k? I’ll hire you right now, and pay half up front.
I would honestly probably take that, but I highly doubt we live in the same area. I’d also practice on my own kitchen first, just to make sure I don’t screw yours up.
Contractors charge a ton these days and it makes no sense to me. I’d hire out the countertops (one drop and I’m out $3k), but the rest would probably take 2 full days of work, plus maybe one or two partial days on either end for planning and cleanup/touchups. With less than half of that being parts (I think $7k is a decent high estimate), that would probably be like $300/hr, a little less if I rent tools instead of buying them.
I think contractors charge so much because work can be hit and miss, but if it’s a side hustle, there’s no reason to charge so much.
You are living in the past.
No, I just do a lot of stuff myself. I could do better than that kitchen for $5,000 with some smart shopping and elbow grease. I redid the floors, bathroom, and kitchen in an 1860s cabin for that much back in 2013
Yes, 2013 is indeed the past. Inflation, shrinkflation, and price gouging has driven prices up and quality down
I’m not old you’re old.
2013 was over a decade ago we’ve went through both a housing crisis and record levels of inflation since then.
Yeah that’s why I can only do the kitchen for five grand and not the whole house
X
If you don’t pay for the labor and have the time.
IMO, if you don’t have the time, don’t do the reno, unless there’s something really dangerous that needs to go, or you have a lot of money. Having a nicer looking kitchen isn’t worth adding even more debt, and it’s most likely not going to pay for itself when you sell (and why would it? The buyer would factor the reno in to the purchase price).
The most expensive part here is the countertops, which is pretty hard to do on your own, especially if you’re doing stone (super heavy, special tools to cut to size, etc). That alone is probably $3-5k.
The rest is pretty easy to DIY:
So you could probably do <$5k if you’re in the budget range, <$10k for something a bit nicer, assuming you DIY most of it. This doesn’t count appliances and whatnot, which IMO shouldn’t be part of a reno unless you’re specifically planning to change the size of the appliances (e.g. you want an in-set oven, larger fridge, built-in stove, etc).
If you ask a contractor, they’ll probably say $15-30k, and it could go up from there.
This is just some back-of-the-napkin math after some light browsing on Home Depot.
One way I saved a ton of money adding a kitchen was to get cabinets and counters from people who were redoing their kitchen. Got that for the price of hauling it away. I also got 1000 sq ft of solid oak tongue-in-groove flooring for $250 from someone who overbought for their own home improvement project.
Nice!
The more time you take to look, the more deals you can find. If you’re planning to DIY, it’s usually best to do things one-at-a-time so you don’t end up with a half-finished project, but instead have small, attainable goals that can be 100% completed in a short period. For example, don’t redo the countertops, cabinets, and floors at the same time, just complete one completely before moving on. That said, if you’re going to hire someone, do it all at once, you’ll end up paying less overall, though you’ll probably blow your initial budget.
The floor is also marble. And purple marble.
To be fair it also looks like a photoshop job.
Lol an IKEA kitchen now a bit bigger than that is 10k€ without placement and composite counters and no floor. Prices have over doubled in the past 5 years. + floor and actual stone countertop is easily 15k
We are renovating our entire house and doing everything except pouring concrete slabs and our tile roof ourselves and the kitchen this big + and island is 15k€ at good value places, slightly better places are 25k+ with placement.
5k is an absolute pipe dream. Wholesale materials alone without appliances would be around 9k (assuming decent quality cupboards and real stone)
That assumes you’re starting with new as opposed to reclaimed materials. I saved a bundle by taking someone else’s old kitchen cabinets and reusing them.
But, as I said in another comment, I am an old person who used to buy gas for less than 25¢ per liter and do everything myself so my prices are skewed.