Hello again! I am trying to accept the fact that summer is behind me and anticipating getting excited about the joys of fall. Looking back at the spring and summer, I’m sure you would agree that this year has been crazy with home sales and lots of people have decided it was the right time to move. If you were one of those who found your new home, congratulations! The excitement of a new place can also include a renovation, specifically, a kitchen renovation, and that is where we come in! If this is you, I wanted to help out with some valuable information that I know you will appreciate. If you are staying in your home sweet home, but decided this is the year to do some upgrades, this is also for you! If you haven’t thought about a kitchen renovation or are on the fence because of the cost, this is for you too! Basically, when thinking about redoing your kitchen, the biggest concern is….cost. It’s like the elephant in the room, but we have to take a good look at it and address it because it never goes away.
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
What happens most of the time is that we start with a budget when planning to renovate, and that really is a great place to start. However, even with the best of intentions, going over budget is a concern for most people. Keeping you inside that budget is what we aim to do. Here at Elite Kitchens & Bathrooms, we respect that everyone has a budget and we will give you a price quote based on that budget, keeping in mind that there are areas where you can splurge and other areas where you can be conservative. We know that a kitchen renovation is likely the very best investment you can make for your home. After all, the kitchen is the heart of your home and it is the place where you spend most of your time (even those of us who aren’t truly chefs at heart!). I believe you should create a space that feels good every time you enter, but knowing that your kitchen will also help sell your home one day, it is good for the future too! Remember that good design, not price, is the best investment!
Our goal is to keep you inside your budget!
Okay, enough said-on to the budget…you have one, and now the biggest challenge is to stick to it. According to a Houzz survey, the number one reason most people go over their budget is due to choosing more upscale products and finishes. We will do our best to keep you on track by showing you your options within your price range, but there is the risk of going outside your budget, especially when looking at appliances. We will give you a price range to aim for to stay within your budget, but those shiny appliances can really be tempting! So, bottom line-there are lots of lovely appliances that are within your budget and we will guide you to help you keep on the straight path.
Another problem that can result in going over your budget, is changing your appliances once the cabinetry is being built. We build according to specific measurements, including those of your chosen appliances, and a change during the process can be costly and cause delays. We want you to be enjoying your beautiful, new, dream kitchen on time and on budget, so please keep the lines of communication open and we will keep you on track! Changing your mind during the process is the third most likely reason for blowing a budget and also results in time delays which can be costly all around.
Another area that can increase costs is what goes inside the cabinets-and I don’t mean the fine china! I am talking about those special features like built-in knife drawers, wine racks, built in organizers. It’s not that you cannot have them, it’s just that adding them later can increase your costs. We will always let you know of the cost of these special features and help you decide if they are truly what you would like to have before adding them in. Personally, I love all the special features and would prefer to be conservative in other areas so I can include them within my budget. It’s all about a balance and we have had 26 years of experience in helping people get what they want while staying within their budget.
Many special features are available, such as custom dividers.
There are some hidden costs that just cannot be avoided, such as structural issues. You may be removing a wall and find out that there is a termite issue or remove the flooring to find it was covering an undetected water leak. These are unfortunate, but can sometimes happen. Keeping this in mind, if you are staying within budget on the areas you can control, this is easier to deal with.
We will keep you on track with reminders to choose your countertops and pick out your handles or knobs, etc. We take great care to ensure that every detail of your kitchen or bathroom is exactly as you would like, however, sometimes people change their mind. If you had chosen a laminate countertop and then part-way through the building of the kitchen, you changed your mind and would prefer a granite one, this can definitely impact both your budget and your time frame. This is one of the most common reasons that people go over their budget. If you change your mind, just let us know and we will do our best to accommodate and we will let you know up front if this increases your cost.
One final comment, sometimes there can be a domino effect. When you have finished your lovely dream kitchen and look around the rest of your house, suddenly things might need an upgrade in other areas too. Although this isn’t directly related to your project budget, it is something that can happen. Happily, we are able to help you with other rooms like the laundry room, the bathroom, the ensuite, the theatre room….happy renovating and remember, we are happy to help you with that elephant in the room!
