Top 7 Kitchen Remodel Ideas On A Budget

Kitchen remodels are known for being really expensive…but they’re also one of the biggest opportunities for return on investment in remodeling a home. You can easily transform your kitchen, no matter how small your budget may be!

> $100

Add pops of color.

Notice one thing in common for most dream kitchens? They’re all light and bright and airy. We gravitate toward things that feel bright, and if you can’t afford to add windows in your kitchen…the best way to bring that light in is by adding colorful accessories. Paint an accent wall. Add a bold window treatment. Paint the inside of an open cabinet with a fun color. Choose colorful cookware. Add color with your own kitchen herb garden. Whichever way you go, this is an easy way to add color and light to a kitchen without breaking the bank. 

DIY: Yes! Choose a color or two that you love and find ways to make them present in your kitchen space. This is easily a <$100 project. 
Cost for a Professional: No need with this one!

Paint cabinets instead of replacing them. 

If your kitchen cabinets are in good shape, but the color is just a bit outdated, don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, as they say. Kitchen cabinets are one of the biggest expenses in a kitchen remodel, and if yours are still functional but a little outdated, a coat of paint can be just what you need to transform the space in a BIG way. Wash, prime and then paint the cabinets with a high-quality white semi-gloss.

DIY: Yes! It’ll cost you more in time, but for less than $100, you can make this project happen.
Cost for a Professional: $1,000 - $1,200 to prepare, prime and paint 300-square-feet of base and wall-hung wood cabinets

Consider accent shelving.

If you have a smaller kitchen space, one way to make it seem less cramped is to opt for open shelf space. Remove a set of cabinet doors to open it up to just shelving. Display items should be kept simple, like a few antique milk glass items or pieces of your wedding china. 

DIY: Easy peasy. Remove a set of cabinet doors, putty the holes, prime and paint. Done and done. 
Cost for a Professional: No need with this one!

>$500

Add under cabinet lighting.

No one is sad about having more light in a kitchen. Additional lighting makes a kitchen feel like a warm and inviting place to be. Beyond making it more aesthetically pleasing, under cabinet lighting is great for making kitchen prep and cooking easier.

DIY: Depending on which under cabinet lighting you choose, this can be a DIY project. There are battery-operated options that require no experience with electrical.
Cost for a Professional: The quantity and type of light will determine the cost to hire out this project. For a small kitchen and 3-5 puck lights, budget $500 to be on the safe side. 

Replace old hardware. 

Changing kitchen cabinet hardware is a small change that can make a huge difference in updating an existing space without much expense. Expect to pay between $2 and $20 per knob or pull. For an average kitchen of 200 square feet, you’ll need approximately 40 pulls/knobs, so you can expect to spend anywhere from $80 to $800. This is totally dependent on your personal taste and budget, so just have fun choosing something you love! 

DIY: You can easily keep this project under $100 depending on your picks for hardware. All you need is a power drill and some time. If you choose pulls the same size as your current ones, it’s an even easier job. 
Cost for a Professional: For this job it will vary depending on how many need to be replaced, if new holes will need to be drilled and if you have to replace the hinges as well. Budget for around $400 to cover everything just in case.

> $1,000

Add a tile backsplash. 

Besides being practical to protect against water or splash stains from cooking, a backsplash is also a small change that can make a big visual impact in a kitchen. The addition of the tile adds a focal point in a kitchen and makes the space look more finished. Although it seems like a little space and not much effort, this is probably not the project you want to do yourself. Installing tile is no joke, particularly in a kitchen where you have corners, outlets, appliances and other things to work around. If you hire a professional, expect around 1-2 days to complete the project at a cost of about $800-$1,000. 

DIY: Don’t. 
Cost for a Professional: $800-$1,000

>$5,000

Update countertops. 

This is one of the most obvious fixes in an outdated kitchen…and also one of the more expensive. If you go with granite, one of the most popular choices on the market today, you can expect to pay around $4,500, depending on surface size and materials. Granite is super heavy duty and once you make this update, it will last for years and years to come. If you choose to go with another type of countertop like butcher block, concrete or tile, you can easily save some money. 

DIY: Don’t. Save this for the big guns. 
Cost for a Professional: Up to $4,500, including materials