How to Stretch a Kitchen Remodeling Budget

ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN REALTOR MAGAZINE

“Input from a design professional will help people make smart choices, avoid mistakes and stay within a budget”, says designer Sharon McCormick of Sharon McCormick Design. "They have the knowledge and the connections to help homeowners stretch their dollars while maintaining quality.”

Help homeowners streamline their remodels by prioritizing needs based on these 10 categories:

Layout

Keeping an existing layout helps keep down expenditures by minimizing new plumbing and electric work, says McCormick.

If the layout is part of the problem, however, it’s important to consult a designer to figure out the best solution. For example, to gain more room to eat may require taking down a wall. A good designer will know what other options exist, though. For instance, designer John Starck Jr. of Showcase Kitchens put a refrigerator in an adjacent mud room so that the kitchen could accommodate a peninsula island. The refrigerator was still easily accessible, and this fix prevented the need for major construction.