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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen
Would you renovate this kitchen?
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 3:37 pm
Our house is around 10 years old. The kitchen is spacious and nice-looking. The problem with it is the setup - it makes sense for non-kosher, but totally does not make sense for kosher. The fleishig side is all over the place - sink and stove are in separate areas... The fridge and pantry and not in convenient places. There is very litte cabinet space in the places that I need.
The kitchen materials are not the best quality - formica counters and particleboard cabinets. Some drawers have broken already.
I'm wondering if it's worth it to renovate the kitchen. It would NOT do much to increase the value of the house. (We live in a development where all the houses sell for the same price. Most of the other houses have a better setup and granite counters, better cabinets. Ours doesn't because it's one of the older houses in this development, before these upgrades were made.)
We plan to live here long-term.
Is it worth it to spend money just so I like the kitchen better?
Also, how much does the average BASIC kitchen renovation cost? (stone countertops (quartz, granite, whatever), solid wood cabinets, and some plumbing and electric work to accomodate new locations for sinks and appliances. Not buying new appliances.)
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amother
Chicory


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 3:40 pm
Of course it makes sense!
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 3:51 pm
amother [ Chicory ] wrote:
Of course it makes sense!


Thank you! Any idea how much it costs? I understand it's a range, but I'm trying to figure out if it makes sense for us financially.
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amother
Purple


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 3:58 pm
If it doesn't increase home value then the only reason it would make sense to renovate is so you can enjoy it.

Pricing will vary so much depending on size.
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Chayalle




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 4:00 pm
I consider my kitchen to be my personal territory. It definitely sounds like your kitchen is worth an upgrade.

Depending how big your kitchen is, and what you choose for the upgrade, I'd say ballpark 13-15K, but can be more. I'm saying this based on people I know who upgraded on a budget.
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 4:03 pm
My answer would depend on how long your planning on living there.

Edta sorry see you wrote long term. Then definitely I would if I could afford it
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 4:08 pm
You should renovate because it will increase your enjoyment of the home. Unless you are planning to move out in a year, renovations are for the people who live there to enjoy. And FWIW, it is a myth that you make money on a renovation as renovations only return a percentage of what was spent.

Kitchen renovation costs are very variable but frankly for a spacious kitchen your renovation costs will be closer to $25,000 to $30,000 if not more depending on your finishes.. The cost of good quality kitchen cabinets is high. The cost of quality appliances is high especially if you need to double to have multiple sinks, faucets, dishwashers, ovens and stoves. Solid surface counters are expensive.

Then there are all the incidental costs that start adding up because good labor - plumbers, electricians, tile setters are not cheap and you don't want to scrimp on that area with poor labor because you will regret the end product.

It is a great way to spend money if you have it because it will give you pleasure every day. I recently remodeled my kitchen and I love working in it and just looking at it still gives me pleasure.
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lamplighter




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 4:47 pm
You're looking at a minimum of 25k I would say.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:07 pm
Thank you everyone
I see it's quite a price range
I guess I'll ask a contractor for a quote
Thank you all for the input, esp those who posted prices! Even though it's quite a range, it was helpful.
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Sewsew_mom




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:21 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Thank you everyone
I see it's quite a price range
I guess I'll ask a contractor for a quote
Thank you all for the input, esp those who posted prices! Even though it's quite a range, it was helpful.

Ikea is a great option even though people are skeptical. They have a 25 year warranty and it'll range around 10k or so for a nice kitchen. Not sure what's available these days and in stock but if your on a budget and would enjoy a new kitchen I would go that route..
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lamplighter




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 5:43 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Thank you everyone
I see it's quite a price range
I guess I'll ask a contractor for a quote
Thank you all for the input, esp those who posted prices! Even though it's quite a range, it was helpful.


I really budgeted well for my kitchen and it was no where near 10-15k. I wish people had been more honest with me about the cost. Contractors do not buy cabinets, counters and backsplashes they just do the work. You'll need a quote from a kitchen place.
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SDmother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:01 pm
Minimum of $25-30 grand for using mid level cabinets, moving plumbing/ electrical, and decent quality counters. This does not include any appliances.

Signed opinion of someone who recently redid kitchen and looked into all cost options in detail (ended up being around $75 grand but that includes custom cabinets and appliances)
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SDmother




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 6:08 pm
[quote="lamplighter"]I really budgeted well for my kitchen and it was no where near 10-15k. I wish people had been more honest with me about the cost. Contractors do not buy cabinets, counters and backsplashes they just do the work. You'll need a quote from a kitchen place.[/quote

Some contractors provide the cabinets also but they tend to be build and design types that are pricey. Like this poster stated you will not get a good idea of the total cost by just speaking to a contractor. You will need to add $15-20 grand to their quote for the actual cabinets and counters.

Alternatively you can get a quote from a cabinet distributer who also does installation. Those types will usually do everything in the kitchen and will therefore give you an all inclusive quote.
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amother
Birch


 

Post Wed, Oct 06 2021, 7:09 pm
If you are looking to do it on a budget then I suggest trying IKEA. I know a few people who did it recently with them and are really happy with the results and it looks really nice. Especially if you aren’t doing it for resale value anyways so don’t need top of the line products, but just want something for you to enjoy
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 10:35 am
IKEA cabinets are not necessarily less expensive than other cabinet lines.

Part of the cost savings for IKEA is that they are assembled on site and so are geared to people who DIY. Once you factor in labor for assembling the cabinets AND installing them, there is less cost savings.

There are also limitations in terms of what is available in terms of sizes and configuration as well as door styles. Some people use the IKEA boxes and get doors from another source which increases the actual final cost.

IKEA cabinets are good quality for their price - but you truly have to compare the final net cost of assembling and installing.

GC do NOT design kitchens nor can they give you an actual price until you have a design which states all of the elements. And even then you need to add a contingency of AT LEAST 10% if not more. I had some surprises when I remodeled including needing a new electrical panel because I upgraded my appliances and under current Code every major appliance needs to be on its own circuit.

Avoid any kind of spurious quotes from any kitchen company that gives you pricing by the foot because that is a sign of bait and switch. The actual final cost for kitchen cabinets depends on the configuration of the cabinets and not the linear footage. For example, drawers are more expensive than doors but drawers are infinitely preferable to doors in lower cabinets and are a necessity in any well designed kitchen.

To proceed and get the best kitchen possible, decide on the amount that you can afford. Then spend as much time as possible researching every aspect of kitchen design and products so that when you are able to proceed you will be able to get the best kitchen possible. The best kitchen is one that is a true collaboration between you and your kitchen designer.

By spending time NOW educating yourself about stuff, you will be able to evaluate recommendations and get the best results. For example, while I am very far from being DIY or doing carpentry I educated myself about how cabinets are constructed and what goes into an excellent cabinet so that I could evaluated advice that I was given and not just have to "trust" people who after all are making money by selling stuff.


Last edited by Amarante on Thu, Oct 07 2021, 10:52 am; edited 1 time in total
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amother
Phlox


 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 10:46 am
lamplighter wrote:
I really budgeted well for my kitchen and it was no where near 10-15k. I wish people had been more honest with me about the cost. Contractors do not buy cabinets, counters and backsplashes they just do the work. You'll need a quote from a kitchen place.
this
We recently did a small kitchen- about 9 ft long. We did it with a very reasonable/cheap place. It was around 4000 just for cabinets and countertop + labor. We added in a convection oven and burner. Plumbing and stuff was around $12-1500. (Also with a very reasonable guy).
So if you’re redoing a full kitchen, plus getting new appliances and possibly have to move plumbing/gas you should estimate at least $30,000. Don’t forget, you probably have to redo flooring as well once you move things.
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amother
Camellia


 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 10:55 am
You're saying it won't affect your resale value, but if most of the other homes have updated kitchens, then yours will suffer by comparison. Also, for a kosher kitchen, it makes life much easier if you ever have outside help, to have things organized properly so people don't make mistakes.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 11:02 am
amother [ Camellia ] wrote:
You're saying it won't affect your resale value, but if most of the other homes have updated kitchens, then yours will suffer by comparison. Also, for a kosher kitchen, it makes life much easier if you ever have outside help, to have things organized properly so people don't make mistakes.


A renovated kitchen might make it easier to sell but it doesn't necessarily make your net profit higher. That is because the cost of the renovation will exceed the actual increase in purchase price almost always. Realistically a $50,000 kitchen will probably not increase the value of the home when you sell by $60,000 or even $50,000

And after a few years, the kitchen will be "used" anyway.

You don't renovate to make money unless you are in the business of flipping and so you are paying wholesale prices for materials and also for labor.

There are many people who would prefer to buy a home that clearly needs renovation in kitchen and bathroom so long as the price reflects that because they will be able to get exactly their taste and what they want as opposed to paying for someone else's job.

The reason for OP to renovate since she is planning to stay in her home for the foreseeable future is because she will get to enjoy all the benefits of a great kitchen.

If you can afford it, go ahead because it is a wonderful way to spend money that improves the quality of your life. Just make sure that you have spent time researching so that the end result is everything you deserve.
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rosesandlilies




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 11:10 am
In my opinion your kitchen is the room in your house that you'll get the biggest return on your investment. You spend so much time there every day! Of course everyone has to know their budget but it's the one place in a house that I'd stretch myself to get a bit of an upgrade
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Oct 07 2021, 11:21 am
You plan to stay in your home so take resale out of the cost/benefit analysis. It's not relevant. By the time you sell, your new kitchen will be an old kitchen.

If you can improve your kitchen layout to have a more functional and pleasant cooking and gathering spot, that's a big plus for how your family interacts. The kitchen is a room where people spend a lot of time every day. So how bad is the kitchen for you now? A little inconvenient or really uncomfortable?

If I were you and could afford it, I'd remodel. But I'm a kitchen designer (not in Lakewood).
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