Beautiful Kitchen Remodel on a Budget

Kitchen remodels can be expensive! The average kitchen remodel can be upwards of $15,000 dollars. That’s a lot of money to invest into your home, especially if you plan on selling it. That’s why we decided to DIY our own kitchen remodel to keep the budget much lower.

The Updates We Made To Keep Our Kitchen Remodel On a Budget

One of the best ways to keep the cost down on a kitchen remodel is to do much of the work yourself, and salvage as much material from the kitchen as you can without replacing. Not only does it keep the price tag low, but upcycling the kitchen materials is also a sustainable option.

Related: 5 Reasons Why You Should DIY

Before the Remodel

We bought our home as a foreclosure. Although we were lucky enough not to have to make any structural, electrical or plumbing repairs, much of the home was beat up and outdated.

The kitchen had 1990s honey oak cabinets, green formica countertops, and an outdated, shallow sink. The walls were not textured, even though the rest of the house was. Meaning the kitchen most likely had wallpaper at some point. There was no backsplash.

To top it off, the wood floors were worn down and bare wood was exposed. Although the kitchen was functional, it needed an update if we were going to sell it.

Replacing the Countertops

The first thing we did was replace the countertops. This was the only aspect of the kitchen we decided to hire out. Initially we were planning to install butcher block countertops we made ourselves. This would have saved us a bundle.

However, we didn’t have the time to get it done. We therefore went with gray granite, as it’s popular and easy to source. The granite countertops included a new sink. The price of the granite came in at $2,700. It was the most expensive part of the remodel.

The sink also needed a new faucet. We purchased and installed the faucet ourselves. (cost: $130)

Adding Backsplash and Paint

A nice backsplash really makes a kitchen standout. We wanted to go with something subtle but classic. My husband cut and installed grey subway tile as the backsplash to the kitchen. This project took him about a day. The cost of materials was $150. We already had all the tools needed to install tile, so for us there was no added cost there.

The walls were textured and painted in a light grey color. We bought the paint in bulk from a local paint store at $175 for 5 gallons. The paint was used throughout the home, so the cost of paint was no where near the cost of 5 gallons. (1 gallon of paint: $35)

Texturing the walls is a messy project and one that didn’t cost us anything because we had all of the supplies on hand. You can buy texture in a can for around $20 if you’re only texturing a small area.

Refinishing The Floors

The floors desperately needed a makeover. Much of the sealant had worn off from years of abuse and lack of care. Choosing to refinish the floors instead of replacing them was the cheapest option.

Over a long weekend, we rented a sander from Home Depot and sanded all the old sealant, scratches and damage from the floor. (Rental: $75, 2 Sanding Pads: $6.99 ea.)

Next, we stained the floors with Minwax Early American 230. (cost: $20) This took 8 hours to dry completely before we could apply any sealant.

Once the stain had dried completely, we sealed the flooring with three coats of polyurethane for durability.

Adding Crown Molding

Adding crown molding to the cabinets really helped update the cabinets without replacing them. New cabinets weren’t in the budget, so this was a nice option. The crown molding also helps the cabinets look more expensive without adding a lot of money into the project.

For this project, the materials cost about $110. We had all the necessary tools on hand, which kept costs down. For this project, I would recommend a miter saw in order to get the angles just right. We used wood filler to fill in any gaps between the crown molding and the cabinets. This really helped make the final product look flawless once the cabinets were painted.

Painting the Cabinets

The final step of our budget kitchen remodel was painting the cabinets. Giving these cabinets a new color really changes the feel of the kitchen.

For this project, I chose to paint the cabinets with chalk paint. (Yes! You can totally paint kitchen cabinets with chalk paint!) The color I chose was Hurricane, by Country Chic Paint. If you place an order with them, use the code Lavender10, for 10% off! 

Hurricane is a very striking, slate blue/grey color. The cool tone matched the cool colors in the rest of the home. Chalk paint is a multi-step process and the painting of the cabinets was definitely a big commitment. Overall, we are really happy with how the cabinets turned out.

The cost of the chalk paint and sealant came to $135 (not including the brushes).

The Overall Cost of The Project

This budget kitchen remodel created a beautiful space with a small budget. Here is how it all added up:

Granite Countertop – $2,700
New Faucet – $130
Backsplash – $150
Can of Wall Texture – $20
Gallon of Paint – $35
Heavy Duty Floor Sander Rental – $75
Sanding Pads – $13.98
Minwax Stain – $20
Polyurethane – $55
Crown Molding Materials – $110
Chalk Paint and Sealant – $135

Total Cost of Project: $3,443.98

The total cost of the project doesn’t include the cost of brushes, paper towels and additional small expenses. We also had many of the tools needed to complete the project, so aside from the floor sander rental, we didn’t have to spend any money on additional tools.

Choosing to do the renovations ourselves really paid off! Not only does it look great, but it was affordable as well. Remodeling a kitchen on a budget is an option if you’re willing to do much of the work yourself.

NEED MORE DIY IDEAS? Check out this Laundry Room Renovation. You may also like Tips on How to Convert a Loft to a Bedroom.

If you’re looking for other kitchen ideas, be sure to check out this absolutely gorgeous kitchen remodel by Missouri Girl, for only $2,000!

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