Can You Remodel A Kitchen For $5000? (Find Out Now!)
If you believe that your dream kitchen is out of reach because of your budget, here’s some great news! You can do a kitchen remodel for as little as $5,000. Looking for sales, getting creative, and doing a little work yourself is all you need to do.
You can remodel your kitchen for $5,000 or less. Use your budget wisely to maximize the investment. Look for sales on cabinets, appliances, lighting, fixtures, flooring, and other materials. Reuse what you can from your current kitchen. Give things a bit of a facelift instead of replacing them. Do some of the work yourself.
Let’s go through the major parts of a kitchen that may need some attention to transform the space. There are tips along the way to help you stretch your budget as far as possible.
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How to Remodel Your Kitchen on a Budget
Before we get into the details of remodeling a kitchen, there are some things to keep in mind. First, be realistic about what you expect from a $5,000 kitchen remodel. The layout of your kitchen needs to stay the same. Demolition and putting up new walls and islands are costly. Second, be as creative as possible.
What You Can Get For a $5,000 Kitchen Remodel
Cabinets, appliances, flooring, countertops, wall treatments, fixtures, and lighting are the major components of a kitchen remodel. With the budget in mind, let’s look at each of these to find ways to remodel a kitchen for $5,000 or less.
Cabinets
Cabinets are the most visible part of your kitchen. Making even some minor changes adds new life to the space. You can paint the cabinets yourself for about $110, or have a professional painter do the job for about $550. Veneers are another way to spruce up your cabinets, and the cost is about $50 per cabinet. Be sure to change out the hardware at the same time.
Appliances
Appliances are where you really need to watch the budget. Watch for sales in your area, even if it means storing the appliances until you are ready to do the remodel. This is where you also need to be realistic. You may not be able to afford a large-capacity refrigerator or professional stove, but you can find brand-name stainless steel appliances that fit your budget.
A basic stainless steel refrigerator costs $450 to $670. You can find stainless steel ranges for about $550 stainless steel dishwashers for about $450. This comes to about $1,500 for three new stainless-steel appliances.
If you prefer black appliances, budget about $1,820 for a refrigerator, range, and dishwasher.
Countertops
Liquidation sales are excellent resources for new countertops. You can find granite slabs for about $600. Add another $900 for installation. If that is too far outside your overall budget, you can resurface countertops for as little as $50.
Use a paint that is designed specifically for countertops. Kits are also available to create a faux granite finish. Sand the countertops and backsplash, apply the paint, and let it dry. Add a polyurethane coating to seal the countertops. This gives them a nice gloss sheen, protects against bacteria, and makes cleaning easy.
Wall Treatments
Giving the walls of your kitchen a fresh coat of paint livens up the space. Painting is a great DIY project that can save you quite a bit of money. Expect to pay $200 to $600 for the paint and supplies. Self-adhesive tiles are another great option for kitchens. The materials cost $2 to $30 per square foot.
Fixtures
Replace your sink and faucet for a sleek, modern update to your kitchen. A new faucet costs $40 to $80. Drop-in sinks start at $40 for one basin and $70 for two basins. The cost of labor for a professional plumber to install the faucet and sink is between $150 and $360.
Lighting
New lighting is another great way to give your kitchen a new, modern look. The best option is to replace the current lighting rather than add new lights. For a professional electrician to replace your lights with recessed lighting, it will cost $100 to $480 per light. Another affordable option is pendant lights that start at $60 per light.
Flooring
Second only to cabinets, new flooring transforms a kitchen. The best flooring for a $5,000 kitchen remodel is durable, simple to install, and easy to clean. You can find vinyl flooring for as little as $0.50 per square foot, including faux wood vinyl flooring. Water-resistant laminate flooring and tile flooring start at $2 per square foot.
Cork is a newer material for kitchen flooring. You can find click-and-lock squares starting at $3 per square foot. The material is comfortable to walk on and resistant to bacteria. The downside of cork is that it is not as durable as other materials, especially if you have pets or children.
Save on Labor
On average, the labor cost for a kitchen remodel is 30% of the total project cost. For a $5,000 kitchen remodel, this means that you could spend about $1,500 for labor alone. That’s a big piece of your budget that could be used for appliances, countertops, cabinets, or even flooring. Maximize your budget by doing as much as you can on your own. Work with professional kitchen remodelers who are willing to let you do some of the work to reduce the cost.
Budget Kitchen Remodel Tips
Here are some tips for staying with your $5,000 budget for a kitchen remodel.
- Spend time with the design and planning
- Look for sales and liquidations
- Do the work yourself, or split labor with a professional
- Order the materials well before you start the project
- Use paint colors that hide the age of your cabinets
- Replace cabinet doors with shelves or glass
- Get creative with wall tiles
- Install battery-powered button lights under cabinets
Related Questions
How do I repair a crack between my countertop and backsplash?
Remove the old caulk and grout. Seal the gap with caulk, and paint it to match your countertops.
How do I replace kitchen kickboards?
Buy particle board or wood from a home improvement store that is cut to width for kickboards. You will need to cut the boards to length. Attach the kickboards to the cabinets with screws. Paint them, or cover them with viny baseboards.
What are slate appliances?
Slate appliances are black with a low sheen. The finish hides fingerprints and smudges better than stainless steel.
Need to Hire a Kitchen Remodel Contractor?
Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.
Summing It Up
You can remodel your kitchen for $5,000 or less. Be realistic with your expectations. Have a good plan, watch for sales, do some of the work yourself, and let your creativity flow.
Appliances will be the highest expense at $1,500 to $1,820, but making your kitchen remodel a DIY project saves you this much in labor. Liquidated granite countertops with installation run about another $1,500. That leaves $2,000 for lighting, flooring, fixtures, wall treatments, and refacing or painting the cabinets.
Gather the materials gradually, taking advantage of any specials and discounts. Once you start the project, take your time so the final product looks finished. Work with professionals who are willing to split the labor with you. Use materials that are affordable and durable to save yourself from unexpected costs and repairs in the future.
Jennifer L. Eggerton loves being hands-on, whether it's with a home DIY project, making repairs, re-decorating a room, or keeping life organized. She enjoys helping people by sharing her knowledge, insights, and experiences, as well as her lessons learned. In addition to her work as a writer, Jennifer is a Jeep® overlander, self-published author, and nature photographer who loves being outdoors.
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