Price is the biggest concern for most people when it comes to just about everything, and your kitchen renovation is no different. Who wants to pay more than they need to, for anything, ever? Of course, there’s that old saying that “you get what you pay for”, so in our opinion, simply going for the cheapest option is rarely a good idea. Since we get this question often, we decided to put together this guide to help you budget for your next kitchen renovation or expansion. At the end of this consumer awareness guide, we will provide a link to our estimated costs for standard and upscale kitchen remodeling projects.
NJ Kitchen Renovations – Introduction
One question that people often have when it comes time to remodeling their kitchen, is “How much will it cost?” This is a very tough question to answer though, because there are so many variables that cause the price to fluctuate.
One of the best ways to go about this isn’t to figure out how much it will cost to remodel your kitchen, but to figure out how much you have to spend and then seek out the contractor that can build what you need within your budget.
The first step in the Design Build Planners process is meeting with you to establish a realistic budget range for your project. We help you to be realistic with your expectations and time frames, and then work with you to plan and manage your project accordingly.
6 Tips for Your Next Kitchen Remodel in Monmouth County
Tip #1 – Define a Budget
This is the most important step, because you shouldn’t spend money you don’t have, right? Figure out how much money you have and how much of that you’re willing to spend on your remodeling project. This is not the time to lie to yourself or trick yourself into thinking you have more or less money than you actually do. Just be honest with yourself about what you’re willing to spend or it will come back to bite you later on.
Tip #2 – Figure Out What Kind of Kitchen You Want
While you won’t be able to estimate these things as well as a kitchen remodeling contractor would, start looking at magazines and around the Internet for ideas on what you’d like to do to your kitchen. If you really want to have some fun, we recommend you browse Houzz for kitchen remodeling ideas. While there will be no way for you to predict the cost accurately, you might already have a pretty decent idea of what type of things you’ll be able to afford. Once you’ve got some ideas together, then it’s time to start picking out contractors.
Tip #3 – Talk With Contractors With Budget in Mind
Now that you know what you want and how much you’re comfortable spending, you can start talking with contractors and see if everything is realistic or not. When you have an initial budget discussion with a contractor, we recommend being conservative with your maximum budget. For example, if your maximum budget for your new kitchen is $100,000, you may want to start discussions around an $80,000 kitchen. This way, when you add things on and make changes along the way, you should still be under your maximum budget. You don’t want to get into a situation where you’ve blown your budget on your new kitchen and you grow to resent it.
Tip #4 – Get a Range of Quotes and Decide on a Contractor
It is very unlikely that the first contractor you meet with will be the right choice for you and your NJ kitchen improvement project. Some won’t be able to work with the budget you have in mind, and some just aren’t the right contractor to handle the type of work you’re looking to have completed. Once you have quotes collected from several different kitchen remodeling contractors, you’ll be able to go over all of them more closely. You should see a pattern in what seems like the real price. Eliminate all contractors whose quotes are too high (for obvious reasons) or too low (that brings on a host of problems of a different variety). Once you only have the reasonable quotes left, start figuring out which contractor is best to perform the work itself. Of course, when you work with the Design Build Planners, we will help you evaluate contractor quotes and will advise you on which contractors are the best fit for your project and your lifestyle.
Tip #5 – Agree to a Down Payment Amount
In most cases there will be a down payment, and we would even go so far as to say that we would be suspicious of any company that doesn’t ask for a down payment. Who knows what else they will do to guarantee they get paid? That said, also make sure that the amount asked for in a down payment is reasonable.
As a rule of thumb, paying 1/3 to 1/2 of the quote amount is standard as a down payment. The contractor will need to be able to buy materials and pay his crew during the time the work is being performed.
Tip #6 – Keep an Eye on the Work as it’s Going On
We don’t mean to stand over the kitchen renovation crew, watching them like a hawk and criticizing every move they make along the way. Keep in mind, they do this type of stuff every day and are probably much better at it than you are – if they weren’t, you wouldn’t be hiring them for your kitchen makeover in NJ because you could just do it yourself.
What we mean is that you need to oversee the operations from afar to make sure everything is being installed in the way you like and the team is staying on schedule and below budget. Depending on the contractor you choose, they may deploy just a couple of people or a whole team to remodel your kitchen. If it’s a whole team, then it’s likely only the person in charge will be able to answer your big questions about timeframe and budget. Don’t be afraid to ask him or her about these things though – s/he’s expecting at least a few of these questions.
Also keep in mind that sometimes things take longer than expected or go over budget. This may or may not be the fault of the contractor, depending on the situation at hand. If you see the team working hard and not taking excessive breaks, then it might not be their fault and you should be understanding. If they are slacking off though, then don’t be afraid to take issue with your point of contact.
Kitchen Remodeling Ideas – Conclusion
So while there is no definitive guide to pricing out how much a kitchen renovation should cost, if you follow the tips above, there is no reason you can’t get your kitchen remodeled within your budget. Just make sure you define a budget first and figure out what you’re actually looking for – without first knowing what you want, you’ll never get what you want.
To help you get an idea of what different types of kitchen renovation projects cost, we have compiled a handy local kitchen remodel guide to get you started in the right direction and to help you manage your expectations. You can access our New Jersey kitchen remodeling guide here:
Estimated Remodeling Project Investment Costs
Kitchen Design and Renovation Experts
The Design Build Planners have over 30 years of experience in Ocean County and Monmouth County kitchen remodeling projects, as well as other home improvements such as
- Luxury Kitchens
- Spa Bathrooms
- Decadent Master Suites
- Outdoor Living Areas
- Add-a-Levels and Additions
- Wine Cellars and Tasting Rooms
- And More…
NJ Home Improvement Experts – Local Areas We Serve
The Design Build Planners provide kitchen remodeling and renovation services in the local areas of Avon NJ, Belmar NJ, Bradley Beach NJ, Ocean Grove NJ, Asbury Park NJ, Long Branch NJ, and surrounding Jersey Shore towns.