Renovations

It is crucial that you come up with a budget wherein you will remain comfortable financially. Designing a kitchen without a budget is an exercise in frustration and futility for all involved. Your project, be it a new home or a renovation, has only two limitations when you work with Hawthorne Kitchens: your imagination, and your budget. At Hawthorne Kitchens, our ‘typical’ renovation projects cost between $20,000 and $40,000. We have, however, done renovations for as little as $10,000; and we have installed cabinets and counters in a new home for as much as $140,000. A good ‘rule of thumb’ is to anticipate spending 7-10% of the value of your home on your kitchen renovation.

That being said, setting a realistic budget for a kitchen renovation involves many factors. The size of the room certainly sets the parameters of the budget; the larger the room, the more cabinets, counters, flooring etc., will be needed to do the job. Your choice of materials also affects the budget (ie. quartz counters are 5 to 6 times the cost of laminate counters), but if you have your heart set on an undermount sink, then laminate isn’t an option.

The choice of appliances can also affect the budget. You can reuse your existing appliances, or spend $5,000 to $35,000 in purchasing new ones. If your wish list includes a cooktop and wall oven, but you currently have a range, then you will need extra electrical, counter top work and cabinetry for this to happen. On average, the cabinetry alone for a kitchen with a cooktop/wall oven combination costs $2000 more than a kitchen with a range.

Accessories to make a kitchen function better will certainly increase the experience of your new kitchen, but this comes at a cost. Some accessories can only be installed during fabrication and must be planned for in advance, while others can be installed at a later date.

The cabinets themselves can be as decorative as you desire. We have all seen kitchens with large, wall-hung range hood cabinets, turned legs under the counters, mullioned glass doors, and carved bar brackets. All these items, although beautiful, will increase the final cost of your kitchen quickly.

Our recommendation is to have an idea of how much you want to spend before meeting with a designer. Then, work with your designer to fulfill your dreams within the budget you have set for your project. Remember, a kitchen renovation involves many parts and all parts have to be included in the budget to avoid surprises. Most kitchen remodels need: cabinets, counters, handles, sinks, taps, appliances, plumbing, electrical, painting, flooring, backsplash tile, lighting, trim work, removal and disposal.

Rely on your designer to help you along with the process. Their knowledge is invaluable. Give them the tools they need and let them surprise you with how easy a new kitchen can be. The more you share with them, they more they can do. We offer many different product options, materials, design levels and service packages to cater to budgets of all types. A great kitchen does not need to be expensive – it needs to be well planned and perfectly executed.

Remember – if you are getting multiple quotations, it is crucial that you take the time to ensure you are comparing similar designs, materials, accessories and scope of services. Every room in a home can be designed dozens of ways, with dozens of options. This all affects price.