Kitchens are complex spaces. They involve a range of services, materials, and appliances; all of which need to be carefully planned and maintained. They also require an experienced hand to design, to balance the aesthetics and functionality.
With this in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising that kitchens are the most expensive room to renovate. It’s also easy to see how some people end up spending tens of thousands of dollars updating their kitchen. It doesn’t have to, though…
While the average cost of a kitchen renovation is about $20,000, it’s possible to make significant changes for much less. However, there are a few tricks to renovating on a budget.
The cost of a budget kitchen renovation
The budget for your renovation will depend on a number of factors. This includes how big the kitchen area is, the quality of finish you want, and the location of your property. As such, it can be hard to predict the exact cost of a kitchen renovation.
That being said, data suggests that a budget kitchen renovation will usually cost between $10,000 and $25,000. As this is an average price, this range represents the variety of kitchen sizes that exist. Generally speaking, the larger your kitchen area, the closer to the top of this range your budget will be.
If you want to get a more accurate sense of the exact pricing, it’s best to look at the individual pieces of work that need to be done. For example, here are the average costs of some common renovation materials:
- Kitchen Cabinets & Benchtops: For a small L shaped kitchen with laminate benchtops you can expect to pay around $6,000. Prices vary depending on the style of kitchen cabinetry or the type of benchtop you select. You can see prices for one of our lower cost cabinet styles here.
- Paint: $300 – $600 (when painting yourself). This will vary depending on what you are painting and how much surface area you have to paint.
- Tapware: $150 – $250
- Tiles: $25 – $50 per square metre
- Lighting (LEDs): $20 each + installation
- Lighting (Pendants): $50 – $250 each + installation
- Flooring (vinyl or tile): $30 – $50 per square metre
Ideas to help keep the cost down
When you’re renovating on a budget, it’s all about fixing the most noticeable things and diy to save costs wherever possible. With this in mind, if funds are limited, you should consider:
- Sticking to the existing floorplan: Relocating services (like water and gas) can be very expensive. As such, unless there are major functionality issues to address, it’s best to keep the layout the same.
- Use Fully Assembled Flat Pack Kitchen cabinets: Custom made cabinetry and joinery can be expensive but it is possible to get your kitchen looking beautiful by using standard sized cabinetry. These can be designed to fit your space perfectly and the fact that they are fully assembled means you won’t have to worry about the extra cost to assemble and piece them together.
- Modernising existing fixtures with a fresh coat of paint: Paint is one of the most cost-effective ways to update a kitchen. Apart from freshening up your walls, there are even special paints for major appliances (e.g. your fridge) and key fittings (e.g. your sink).
- Choosing more cost-effective materials: There are cheaper alternatives to most common designer materials. For example, with high-quality laminates, you can get the look of natural stone or timber at a fraction of the price.
- Invest in the details: If you would like to add a little luxury, splash out on a statement fixture, like designer tapware. This shouldn’t impact your renovation budget too greatly but could have a significant impact on your kitchen’s overall look.
- Use existing appliances: If your appliances are in good working order use these and update later when you have funds.
If you’re relatively handy, you may be able to save huge $$$’s by doing some of the work yourself. That being said, certain things (like plumbing and electrical work) must be done by a licensed and qualified professional. With regards to installation, it is always easier and less headaches to use an experienced kitchen installer that knows what they are doing.
Consulting a professional could save you money
When most people think of the work of a professional kitchen designer, they generally picture imported stone and bespoke cabinetry. While this is a big part of the industry, some designers – like the Smart Kitchen team – specialise in budget designs. These experts will not only get the look you want; they’ll also recommend ways to save along the way. After all, the majority of us don’t have unlimited cash supplies at our fingertips.
When you work with Smart Kitchen , free design and quotation is part of the service. Our one on one service from design to end will be invaluable. So, if you need help planning your kitchen reno, but don’t want to blow the budget, contact Smart Kitchen today.
[Blog post originally published in 2021 and updated for 2022]