How Much Will Your Kitchen Remodel Cost?

These days, many homeowners are opting to stay put and renovate rather than search for a new house. According to Houzz’s 2019 study of renovations in the U.S., the median amount spent on renovations in 2018 was $15,000, and as of June last year, homeowners renovating in 2019 planned to spend a median total of $10,000 on their projects. But how far will your budget get you? Read on for a cost breakdown of 12 popular

home renovation projects to help you decide the best ways to spend your remodel money.

Kitchen

It doesn’t matter if you’re a gourmet chef or a microwave connoisseur – you want a welcoming kitchen that makes the space worthy of spending time, not just prepping food. A kitchen renovation is the most common planned project for homeowners, according to the Houzz study, with 30% of respondents noting they plan to remodel or add to their kitchen. But it’s also a costly project. Remodeling Magazine’s 2020 Cost vs. Value report breaks down the national average cost for kitchen remodels:

Midrange minor kitchen remodel: $23,452
Midrange major kitchen remodel: $68,490
Upscale major kitchen remodel: $135,547

Cabinets and Countertops

Cabinets and countertops are two of the most visible aspects in a kitchen, not to mention that they take up the most space. You have a lot of price wiggle room when it comes to material and installation of both: The installation for countertops alone can range from $1,000 for wood to $11,500 for stainless steel, according to HomeAdvisor. For a kitchen with 30 square feet of counter space and 40 linear feet of cabinets, here are some cost estimates for materials, based on HomeAdvisor information:

Budget: $4,200 for stock cabinets, butcher block countertop.
Midrange: $23,570 for semicustom cabinets, midrange quartz or granite countertop.
Splurge: $65,850 for custom cabinets, marble countertop.

New Appliances

If you’re not looking to drop $60,000 on surfaces, consider freshening your kitchen with new appliances. Stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s often offer significant discounts if you purchase kitchen appliances in a package deal, with the added benefit of having the same brand appliances that match in color and style. Consider these budget options to replace your refrigerator, range, dishwasher and microwave all at once (based on prices listed as of mid-May 2020). You’re more likely to get a deal on appliance purchases close to the end of the month, on a holiday weekend or just after the New Year.

Budget: $1,860 for mixed brand.
Midrange: $2,523 for Whirlpool Kitchen Suite through Home Depot.
Splurge: $4,959 for LG Kitchen Suite through Home Depot.

Knocking Down Walls

Removing a wall tends to cost the same in every room, but these days it is often done in the kitchen to create a more open floor plan. Wall demolition costs vary based on whether the wall is load-bearing – meaning it’s a key part of the house’s structure – or if there is plumbing or electrical wiring running through it. HomeAdvisor provides national averages for the cost of removing a wall:

Budget: $300 to $1,000 for a wall that doesn’t bear any weight.
Midrange: $1,200 to $3,000 for a load-bearing wall in a single-story house.
Splurge: $3,200 to $10,000 for a load-bearing wall with two or more stories.

Source: US News & World Report