If you want to update the heart of your home, I have some kitchen renovation tips for you! (They’ll save you lots of money)

Whether you have a big or a small budget for your home makeover, things can quickly get out of control, and your wallet might join them too. I spent a good couple of months doing home repairs a few years ago and now I have some kitchen renovation tips I want to share with you.

Believe me when I tell you that you can achieve the look that you want and with the proper planning and budgeting tips, you can turn any dream about your home into a reality. If you want to discover the best kitchen renovation tips I developed and used throughout my house makeover, keep reading!

1. Set a budget

Kitchen renovation tip number one is to set a budget and, more importantly, stick to it. Many people associate the word budget with being cheap, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

When you spend money, it’s a good idea to know how much of your total income or savings is set aside for the purchase, whether it’s a simple coffee out or something more substantial, like a new stove.

If you intend to start your kitchen improvement work, I recommend that you first set a budget before making design decisions. Make a list of the things you need to get done and change, then search around to get a better idea of how much everything will cost. This is going to help you create a budget and make an estimation of the total value of your project.

But that’s not all. When creating a budget for your project, it’s a good idea to consider unforeseen expenses. Some experts recommend saving 10% of your budget for flexibility, but the choice is yours!

When I was upgrading my bathroom, I created an Excel document (you can do that on a simple notebook too) where I added all the items I wanted to buy. I included my flooring option (including waste), lighting, faucets, paint, vanity, outlets and switch plate covers, tile, grout, and much more!

I had to contact professionals and ask them about estimations on goods and labor, and I even included tax in my budget sheets. After I was done writing everything down, I was able to see areas that were taking up a large portion of my budget and then make adjustments by using less expensive materials or simply getting rid of certain products.

What do you think about this kitchen renovation tip? It’s a basic one that can be used on every type of home upgrade project but is necessary.

2. Pay cash

This isn’t just a wonderful kitchen renovation tip, but also an amazing tip to keep in mind if you want to save money. When you pay for something in cash, you can feel the money going, and you’re more mindful of how much you’re spending.

When it comes to home repairs, paying cash can have a whole different meaning. Paying for your project with money you already have might seem straightforward, but it can save you a considerable amount of money in interest if you take out a loan or put things on a credit card that you can’t immediately pay off.

For instance, if the main reason you want to give your home a makeover is that you plan on selling it, it might seem wise to take out a loan if you know you’ll get a return on your investment and the loan will be paid off soon.

However, in general, paying with cash is the best option. If you can’t afford it right now, you can think of a simple way to reduce your household budget to save money for your project. But don’t worry, we have many other kitchen renovation tips to talk about, and they can help you save even more money.

3. DIY

Another kitchen renovation tip I have for you is to try DIY projects if you want to save money. While you might not be able to do all the things in your home, such as putting up drywall or laying tile, I’m pretty sure you can do lots of things that can improve the look of your home.

Some professional crews are paid per hour, regardless of how easy or hard a job might be, so if you want to save some money, you can prep the space before they come. You can clean up, demo the space, and prepare all the surfaces that will receive a makeover, such as skim-coating the walls or scarping off mastic on the floor.

This simple kitchen renovation tip will help you exercise your skills, save money, and be one step ahead of the game. Effective, right?

4. Reuse materials

There are many kitchen renovation tips you could use to achieve the result that you want and stay within your budget, so if that’s your goal, you came to the right place. One of the easiest ways to reach your goal is to reuse some appliances and cabinetry.

For instance, if you only need more than a fresh coat of paint and new hardware to fall in love again with your kitchen cabinet doors, no worries. You can reface the doors to spice it up with style, or you can completely replace them while leaving the cabinet body in place.

Even if you don’t have something in particular that is worth saving or being reused, you can still stay within the budget by purchasing fixtures and materials from salvage years, building material auctions, or Habitat for Humanity ReStores locations.

And if you go online, that’s an entirely different story. There are a ton of websites and platforms where you can buy, sell, or trade your items, such as Craiglist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Etsy. You just have to be patient and wait for the perfect thing to come up.

5. Balance high and low-end materials

Let’s continue with these kitchen renovation tips, and this time we’ll talk about how you can mix high- and low-end materials and create a wonderful but budget-friendly result. You can spend more on statement items like quartz countertops or a statement stove while saving money in other areas, probably those you don’t see as much.

Of course, you’re the one who has to decide whether you try this tip or not, or where exactly you should place every item. The result and the things you prefer to be more expensive or more affordable depend on your project and style preferences.

I, for example, like to spend more money on hardware than on doors and cabinets. Find your balance, but don’t make the mistake of going too fancy with an appliance only to install cheap countertops that won’t pass the test of time. The more balance you have, the better the result will be.

6. Be creative and use money-saving hacks

This is our last kitchen renovation tip for today, but if you’d like a part two, leave a comment below and we’ll take care of it. This one is all about being creative and working your way even if your budget isn’t big.

If you have a big budget to give your home the perfect makeover, that’s incredible, but if you don’t have the opportunity to get everything you want, don’t worry, I know what you can do instead.

IKEA is there for you, especially if you try to stretch your dollars. I used to think that their products weren’t of such amazing quality, but as it turned out, I was pretty wrong and now I love the large selection of furniture pieces they have.

Speaking of that, I used IKEA pieces as the base for my closet, kitchen, and bedroom projects, and the results were amazing. If you don’t like this story, you can always look someplace else and I’m sure you’re going to find something you like that fits your budget.

PS: If you want to take even more care of your kitchen and make it sparkle, here’s one of my favorite cleaning products.

What do you think about these simple kitchen renovation tips to save money? I’m curious to know, so leave a comment below! If  you enjoyed reading this article from The Money Place and you’d like to check out something else, here’s an amazing post for you: Sneaky Costco Tactics: 7 Ways The Warehouse Club Gets You To Spend More