It's all about the kitchen
They say that timing is everything in life. If that's so, my timing was pretty good this month. The same month that Consumer Reports came out with its story "Kitchen Makeovers Made Easy" was the same month I contracted to have my kitchen renovated.
By the time I read Consumer Reports' thorough analysis of kitchen makeovers, most of my decisions had already been made, however, it did serve to reinforce many of my choices, which gave me a nice warm feeling. Nevertheless, the article contained so much relevant information I thought I would share it.
We're told over and over the best money you can spend in your home is to renovate the kitchen, with baths a close second. It is said that a kitchen redo should cost 5 to 15 percent of a home's total value. This is an important guideline, which will keep you from over improving your property. Installing a $50,000 kitchen in your $150,000 winter get away condo is fine as long as you don't expect any return on that investment, but it is definitely overbuilding the kitchen.
The average American spends about $28,000 on a professionally installed kitchen. Based on this, Consumer Reports established three budget ranges with tips for each:
• $5,000 to $15,000 range uses a sample budget of $10,000, allowing for $3,000 for cabinets, $2,500 for appliances and $1,000 for labor as the primary features. Large home centers like Home Depot and Lowe's offer design assistance and in house installers, or you can employ a contractor. Stock cabinets start at about $70 a linear foot, which is a standard 12 inches, and laminated counter tops are affordable and maintenance free. Based on personal experience, appliances have a very large range of pricing, but you can take advantage of some good sales and full kitchen packages. Unfortunately if you're just starting your search you missed the best sales of the year which are during the July 4 holiday.
• $25,000 to $50,000 range uses a sample budget of $40,000, allowing for $9,000 for cabinets, $8,000 for appliances and $11,000 for labor as the primary features. In this price range, Consumers recommends working with a dedicated kitchen showroom vendor who can offer a wide range of products as well as better customer service than mass market home centers.
Cabinets in this price range are usually semi-custom ranging from $150 to $250 per linear foot. Semi-custom is available in more sizes, meaning they will fit your space more precisely and offers a wider array of storage options. Also quartz should be considered in this price range. Quartz is an engineered stone that can be made to look just like marble, granite and other natural materials but it is nonporous and does not require the upkeep of other stone surfaces.
• $75,000 to $125,000 range uses a sample budget of $100,000, allowing for $19,000 for cabinets, $15,000 for appliances and $40,000 for labor as the primary features. If you're in this price range, you're probably working with a designer or architect who will take you to high end showrooms. Be prepared for the sky's the limit pricing with custom cabinets starting at about $500 per linear foot and built to the exact dimensions of your space. You will probably be having some kind of construction as well to make the work triangle perfect for your needs.
And with the new crop of appliances available everything in your kitchen will be programmable and connected to the internet with LCD screens on refrigerators that you can watch TV on and order groceries. Countertops likely will be exotic stone, which are certainly one of a kind, and since most people in these price ranges can afford to have it maintained, who cares?
The Consumer Reports analysis is a good guideline, but pricing, especially for labor, can drastically change depending on where in the country you live. Timing is everything, and I hope you're having the time of your life working on your new kitchen, no matter which price range you're in.
