This Is The Kitchen Renovation That Will Hurt Your Wallet The Most

For homeowners who love to cook and entertain, creating the perfect space for their culinary needs often tops the list of home renovations they want. If that's true for you, when you begin to create a budget for everything you'd like in the space, whether it's the latest look or a vintage kitchen trend like open shelves, you may experience sticker shock. A typical total remodel for a medium-sized kitchen, including materials and labor, can run you anywhere from $60,000 to more than $71,000. And one of the biggest financial hits comes from the kitchen cabinetry.

They can eat up as much as 40% of your budget, depending on factors like the kind of cabinets you choose and the labor involved in demoing the old cabinets and installing new ones. If you're wondering why they cost so much just look around your current kitchen. If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the cabinetry is the heart of the kitchen. Or perhaps more accurately, it's the foundation, and it can affect the look, feel and usability of the entire space.

The biggest factor in the cost of cabinets is the material they're made of. Solid wood cabinets made from maple, oak, or cherry are obviously going to cost more than particleboard or the next step up, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). But they're also going to be way more durable, so it comes down to your needs, wants, and budget constraints. Any customization and additions like soft-close drawers will also up the price.

If you're pinching pennies and the cabinets are solid wood and still in good condition, a new coat of paint or stain along with replacing the hardware or adding crown molding are a few more economical options that still give the space an updated look. Plus, it would free up cash for other aspects of your kitchen renovation. Even so, even a minor kitchen remodel can still run you more than $27,000. And as you redesign your kitchen space remember to adhere to the triangle rule of kitchen design that allows you to easily navigate between the stove, fridge, and sink. While kitchen cabinets can eat up a lot of your remodeling budget, they're a vital part of your kitchen and they can make or break a space.