The Clever Kitchen Renovation Tip That Goes Easier On Your Wallet

In 2025, the average kitchen renovation costs upwards of $70,000 (according to House Beautiful). While there are plenty of reasons a kitchen renovation can make sense — including creating a more functional living space and adding to the value of your home — it can seriously put stress on your wallet. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can reduce the cost of a kitchen renovation, including keeping your kitchen's original layout as you work through appliance, cabinet, backsplash, and flooring updates.

Updating your kitchen doesn't necessarily mean you need to bring in a demolition team and start from scratch. Unless your kitchen's setup seriously hinders your cooking style, you'll likely be able to beautify your space and improve functionality without having to completely tear out walls and rearrange appliances. When you keep your major appliances in the same place, you won't just save on the cost of tearing down and building new walls. You'll also get to use the same plumbing and electrical sources, which can seriously help you cut down on overall renovation costs. This means you'll be able to up the amount of do-it-yourself projects, allowing you to spend more money on high-quality materials than on contractors. 

Another bonus of keeping your layout: You won't render your kitchen useless during the renovation process. You can complete a bit of the update at a time, only unplugging and removing major appliances when new ones are delivered.

Working with professional plumbers and electricians can get expensive — fast. When you're changing the setup of your kitchen, you may need to move plumbing lines. This isn't as simple as changing the direction of the pipes that are exposed under your sink. Your plumber may need to move pipes that are under the floor or in the walls. Getting to the pipes alone can ramp up your labor costs, and the actual materials required to reroute plumbing can be super-pricey as well. 

When it comes to electrical work in your home, it's key to work with an electrician who knows their stuff — and that comes at a price. Today's electricians need extensive knowledge of the technology used in today's kitchen appliances, and their expertise is (understandably) expensive. Sticking with your current layout may allow you to skip over electrical work entirely, allowing you to put more cash toward updated appliances and kitchen decor.

Keeping your layout as-is also allows you to keep your current ventilation system. While you can certainly swap out your current vent hood for a new, updated look, keeping it in the same place is smart. Moving your vent hood might require you to cut into your wall, which can require a ton of your time — or a ton of money for a professional to get the job done right.

Keeping your kitchen's original layout isn't the only tip you can use to save money while giving your space an update. Adding some lighting upgrades is a simple, easy way to change up the look of your kitchen without necessarily changing up the paint color or window treatments. You can also change out lights according to the seasons, opting for brighter lighting during the winter and more mellow lighting during the summer.

Another way to save cash (and help your kitchen renovation stand the test of time): Lean away from following trends if you can help it. Trends come and go, but can quickly give your kitchen a dated look, leaving you feeling like you need to renovate again in just a few years. Sticking with a classic style that you love can be the difference between building your dream kitchen and building something you'll want to change once trends shift.

Finally, taking it slow can help you save money during your renovation. By making a few upgrades (like changing out your kitchen faucet) at a time, you can develop your style as you go. This also gives you the chance to wait for sales on materials, master DIY techniques, and enjoy each update without a huge amount of financial stress.