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    How Much Does A Kitchen Facelift Cost?

    10 mins

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    If you’re planning a quick and simple kitchen makeover - as opposed to a more substantial project that basically involves planning and installing an entire new kitchen - then budget is probably one of the key things you’ve got in mind.

    If you’re a homeowner who has decided to go for a kitchen facelift, rather than a more extensive renovation, you’ll likely be looking for guidance on what sort of a budget you’ll need in order to achieve impressive results.

    The truth is, there isn’t any one definitive answer - and that’s a good thing. In practice, you can achieve a whole lot for surprisingly little money, provided you’re willing to think creatively and do the bulk of the work for yourself.

    In this quick primer article, we’ll provide a few tips, facts and ballpark figures about kitchen facelift costs. We’ll also compare them to more extensive (and expensive!) kitchen renovation projects, so you can see exactly how much cheaper it is to work with what you’ve already got than to start anew.

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    BENEFITS OF A KITCHEN FACELIFT OVER RENOVATION

    Benefits of a kitchen facelift over renovation

    There are numerous benefits to rejuvenating your existing kitchen setup with a simple but well-executed makeover, rather than a more sweeping and fundamental redesign. The first is obviously cost: facelifts are far cheaper than rebuilds because you can usually reuse and refresh a great deal of what’s already there, as opposed to buying everything new.

    Secondly, well-planned kitchen makeovers are also far less disruptive than a full rebuild. You won’t need to be displaced from your beloved cooking and eating space while the upgrades take place (If you’re a busy family that relies on the kitchen area as a key household hub, the significant disruption of a full kitchen refit can really throw off your midweek routines for the full duration of the project).

    There’s also the fact that you can retain full control over every aspect of a kitchen facelift much more easily than if you’re having a complete refit. You’ll sometimes experience a bit of a domino effect when trying to plan out a whole new kitchen, where any one big decision immediately impacts on several others. By contrast, making smaller incremental changes and updating a little at a time won’t typically demand much in the way of compromise, and thus frees you up to really let your creativity shine.

    How to set your budget for a kitchen facelift

    HOW TO SET YOUR BUDGET FOR A KITCHEN FACELIFT

    Homeowners looking to give their kitchen a freshen-up facelift are usually keen to spend as little as they can on doing it. After all, these are supposed to be easy, cost-effective fixes to help breathe a bit of new life into an existing setup, not a full redesign involving wholesale changes to every aspect of the room’s layout and function.

    As with most projects of this nature, the key to keeping costs on track is to set out a clearly defined budget before you begin. Any detailed plans you make will need to fit comfortably within it, so starting out with a precise number in mind really helps to sort the feasible ideas from the less practical options early on.

    Things to bear in mind when setting your initial budget include:

    Plan for the cost of any new appliances first

    PLAN FOR THE COST OF ANY NEW APPLIANCES FIRST

    A high-quality, long-lasting appliance like a new range cooker will usually be among the most important items you’ll buy during a kitchen remodel, whether it’s a quick facelift or a complete redesign.

    That being the case, you should always start with costing out these core essentials, and then figure out your other expenses to fit around them. After all, there are lots of ways to freshen up the look of a built-in kitchen unit, for example - many of which are very cheap, or even free - so it doesn’t make sense to begin by allocating precious budget there.

    Consider options for reusing units, worktops, floors etc

    PLAN FOR THE COST OF ANY NEW APPLIANCES FIRST

    Don’t assume that a ‘refresh’ necessarily means throwing out older pieces and replacing them with new. Instead, think about what other, cheaper options are available. Explore possibilities such as:

    • Stripping a tired vinyl floor back to its underlying boards
    • Repositioning units, freestanding appliances and worktops to provide better flow between different kitchen zones
    • Relocating or upgrading sockets and lighting fixtures to improve convenience, usability and ambiance
    • Creating airy open shelving by removing cupboard doors and handles, rather than painting and/or replacing them

    Figure out where to save on less important details

    FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SAVE ON LESS IMPORTANT DETAILS

    While it’s often worth investing in a set of sleek modern taps if you’re going for a bold new look, it may not be worth spending nearly as much on matching brackets for shelves that will soon be crammed with flatware and recipe books. Does that expensive farmhouse-style sink really bring the room together, or would a standard stainless steel version look just as good when they’re both filled with dishes?

    The point here is that kitchen fixtures and fittings can often be something of a mixed bag in terms of expense vs. impact. Think about how you really use your kitchen - and specifically, how it might look on any typically busy midweek evening - when planning a makeover budget. This should help you to figure out where you can make significant savings through practical compromises, and avoid wasting money on details that could end up rather overlooked.

    For kitchen design inspiration, take a look at our guide on the attributes you need to be aware of when deciding which range cooker works best for your kitchen.

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