5 Things That Can Break Your Kitchen Remodel Budget

Kitchen remodels are time-consuming and can be a hassle. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and this is made painfully apparent when you can't use it. One thing that can bring the process to a screeching halt quickly are unexpected costs that find their way into your remodel budget. Here are 5 things that can break your kitchen remodel budget. 

1. Cost of Prepared Food

Eating out every day for every meal because you can't use your kitchen can be very costly. If you want to eat healthy meals, it's going to be even more expensive.

This is one of the often unplanned for budget breakers that first-time remodelers can run into.

A solution to this could be staging the fridge and microwave away from the kitchen so that you can at least prepare some microwave food and some fresh foods such as salads and yogurts. This will not only help your budget but also your health. 

2. Keeping Things up to Code

Keeping things up to code during construction and getting permits to do the work is often a part of the budget that is overlooked. Especially with an older home, it could mean doing some serious renovation that you had not planned on having to do.

With an older home, often codes were not strictly enforced years ago and were merely a suggestion. Nowadays, code enforcement is no joke and can land you with some serious fines if work is done incorrectly.

Plan for this type of surprise and work this cost into the budget. You can always treat yourself to a little vacation after if you don't have to use the funds.

3. Rerouting Ductwork or Electrical Wires

When demo day arrives, you may be in for a shock. There may be ducts or electrical wires running in places that will need to be moved. This can be a costly expense that can creep up into your budget.

Looking for ductwork or electrical lines before the demo isn't possible, but you can look in the basement or attic to see if you can trace anything into the area that your will be renovating. Then, budget accordingly for any surprise reroutes you might have to make.

4. Unforeseen Damage

Another thing that can eat into your budget is damage to areas that you can't see. For example, there may be mold growing behind the sink in your kitchen when it is demoed that will require specialized cleaning services that can be costly.

There could be rotten wood under the floor you've been walking on and you wouldn't know it because it's covered in tile. 

5. It's the Little Things

New cabinet fixtures are so small but can be so costly depending on what you buy. Replacing all the knobs and hardware in your kitchen can cost several hundred dollars.

Yet, it's an expense that is so easily overlooked because they are individually inexpensive and small. Vent covers and light switch coverings can also get quite expensive depending on what kind of look you are going for. 

Kitchen remodels can be costly so it's important to create a budget and try to stick to it as best you can. When planning, add an additional 20 to 25% to your budget to cover the cost of these budget busters.

When the remodel is done, if there is still money left in the budget, take a nice vacation to reward yourself for being a savvy budget planner.

Planning a bathroom or kitchen remodel? Contact us at Edesia Kitchen and Bath Studios for expert advice on all your kitchen and bathroom remodeling needs. Contact us.