The kitchen is without question one of the most important rooms in any home, and a main selling point when selling your home in Albuquerque. In fact, it can make or break a deal. In fact, a home with a remodeled kitchen can sell up to 8% faster, according to Realtor.com.
In the “old days”, the kitchen was kept in the background to reduce heat and control odors. Now, the kitchen is the center of attention in modern homes. That’s why your kitchen is such an important room, and how it looks and operates makes such a huge difference.
If you plan to remodel your kitchen soon, here are some tips to help save money.
Choose mid-range efficient appliances
There’s no law saying you must buy the most expensive appliances for your kitchen, especially if you plan to sell your home soon. There’s a great range of affordable, practical, energy-efficient appliances that look amazing.
When you choose your appliances, keep an eye on consistency of how they look together. In other words, try to stick with one brand and appearance. Stainless steel is the way to go, as it gives your kitchen a high-end and modern look.
Opt for affordable yet durable counter materials
When home buyers walk into a kitchen, they will usually look at the counters first, since that’s is where all the work happens, and they make up for most of the look of your kitchen. The counters should dictate the look of the rest of your kitchen, such as the cabinetry, room furnishings, and color scheme.
To save money on granite countertops, you can get away with granite that has a rating of 2, as opposed to 3. This difference won’t usually be noticed by most buyers, and can save you a good deal of money, offering a greater return on investment.
Another way to go is with laminate countertops. They look like granite, but without the higher cost. In the past, you wouldn’t be able to install an under-mount sink in a laminate countertop, but designs have changed and now you can. Laminate hovers at an affordable $5 to $30/sq. ft.
Quartz (an engineered stone) and concrete countertops are other cost-saving options. The average cost of quartz is $55 to $200/sq. ft. and concrete runs $75 to $200/sq. ft. Resurfacing an older countertop with tile is another option. This project typically costs around $10 to $70/sq. ft.
Go for a cosmetic upgrade instead of a whole cabinet replacement
When it comes to upgrading your cabinets, you don’t have to replace them completely. A complete cabinet replacement can run into the thousands of dollars. Instead, think about resurfacing them. You can even make it a DIY project and save even more money.
If you absolutely need to replace your cabinets, you can go with veneer models instead of real wood. you can expect to spend around $70 to $100 per linear foot for budget cabinets.
When it comes to hardware for your cabinets, you can also save money, as you don’t need to spend a ton of money. You can really define your price range with hardware, as you can spend as little as $1 for knobs and hinges.
Remodeling your kitchen is a great way to increase the value of your home. Just make sure you don’t eat up that profit by spending too much.