What Is The Cost Of A Kitchen Renovation?
What to Consider When Costing Out a Kitchen Renovation
Breathing new life into a tired or inefficient kitchen is one of the smartest investments a homeowner can make. In fact, according to the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC), you can expect a 75% to 100% return on investment by completing a major kitchen renovation.
But, when it comes to the cost, every project is unique. The overall price tag will vary depending on your desired budget, design, scope, priorities, and the age of your house. With a wide range of products available, there’s a kitchen renovation to suit almost any budget – from modest to over-the-top.
Here are some common kitchen renovation costs to consider when planning a remodel:
Design
Every great kitchen renovation begins with a well-thought-out design. By working with a professional kitchen designer, they can help you develop your vision into a functional, beautiful space that showcases the right materials, products and finishes.
Cabinetry & Hardware
According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the largest expense in a kitchen renovation is cabinetry. It’s also an area with so many choices ranging from semi- to fully-custom. When selecting cabinetry, it’s important to remember that the cabinet door style and material will affect the overall cost, as will add-ons, like soft-close hardware, pantry pullouts and lazy susans.
Countertops
Countertops are more than just kitchen surfaces. They offer a vital function to the home – we cook off them, eat off them, work off them and gather around them. When selecting countertops, it’s important to be aware of the available choices and their respective price points. Take granite or quartz, for example – both are quality products that are available in different grades ranging from affordable to very expensive. Other materials, like laminate, can achieve a similar look and function, but at a lesser cost.
Backsplashes
The same can be said for backsplash tile. Considered the “jewelry of the kitchen”, there is a huge range of price points and material choices available, including stone, ceramic, classic subway, glass, mosaic, metal and mixed material. Depending on your kitchen’s square footage and the backsplash material you choose, the cost will fluctuate.
Flooring
The two most popular kitchen flooring choices are hardwood and tile. From a cost perspective, hardwood is a more affordable option in terms of material and labour costs. It also offers a greater return on investment since it rarely goes out of style. Tile, on the other hand, offers a range of choices, with porcelain being the least expensive option, and travertine or slate costing more for labour and materials.
Lighting
A growing trend in kitchen design is the extensive use of lighting for overall illumination, task lighting and mood-setting. When pricing out a kitchen renovation, consider your lighting choices. Pot lights, under cabinet lighting and extra outlets will add to your costs.
Wall removal
Wall removal is a smart way to improve the flow and functionality of your kitchen. Before embarking on this type of work, it’s important to know if the wall is a partition or a structural wall.
If it is structural, you can expect added costs for the structural design and required permits to remove the wall. In a two storey home, walls often contain plumbing pipes, heat ducts and electrical wiring that will also need to be relocated. Of course, this comes with added material and labour costs, due to the extra drywall work that is required, and the impact on flooring, paint and trim work in adjacent rooms.
Age of House
A kitchen renovation in a newer home will be less costly than a kitchen renovation in an older home. This is due to different construction methods used in older homes that make it more costly to renovate, and the required upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems.
Consider three homes: a 20-year-old house in Mississauga, a 55-year-old house in Etobicoke, and a 100-year-old home in Toronto. Assuming all other things are equal, the kitchen renovation in the Toronto home will be the most costly of the three while the Mississauga kitchen renovation will be the least.
Summary
Whether you are planning a modest kitchen remodel or a major kitchen renovation, here’s what you can expect when costing out your project:
Basic Kitchen Renovation Checklist
With this scenario, all walls, plumbing and appliances remain in their current locations:
Kitchen design
Removal of cabinets, countertops and flooring
Installation of new flooring, basic kitchen cabinets, granite countertops, sink and faucet
Labour and materials for minor plumbing, trim and drywall work, and paint
Cost: Small $25K+, Mid-size $35K+, Large $45K+
Upgraded Kitchen Renovation Checklist
With this scenario, all aspects of the above basic kitchen renovation are included with the following:
Removal of bulkheads above cabinets
Relocation of walls, plumbing and appliances
Electrical upgrades, including pot lights, under cabinet lighting and additional outlets
More expensive cabinetry with customizations to maximize space and organization, including soft-close hardware, pantry pullouts, lazy susans and some glass doors
Installation of backsplash tile
Cost: Small $35K+, Mid-size $45K+, Large $55K+
As an award-winning, full-service design build firm, Inspire Homes can ensure that your new kitchen is not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing and within structural constraints.
To learn more about our kitchen renovation services, please click here, or visit our kitchen gallery to see some of our completed projects.