Calculating Expenses: Cost of a DIY Kitchen Remodel
A complete price list and break down for the cost of our DIY kitchen remodel in our early 1900’s farmhouse.
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After months of working on our kitchen it is finally finished and we have a fully functioning kitchen. We did our entire kitchen remodel ourselves so before we get into things you should know before hand that we had no labor costs associated with our kitchen renovation.
Below, beside some of the materials we used in the kitchen they will say we paid $0.00 for them. We used a lot of scrap material in our kitchen renovation. The yellow cabinet was free because it was gave to me by a friend so for those items there were no cost.
Break down of cost for DIY kitchen remodel
- Flooring $50.00
- Floor sander rental $40.00
- Liquid nail $40.00
- Bead board on walls $50.00
- Bead board on ceiling $300.00
- Vertical boards $400.00
- Polyurethane for floors $120.00
- Chair rail $120.00
- Baseboards $75.00
- Door and window trim $30.00
- Stove $200.00
- Wire and material for stove $300.00
- Gasket for stove door $20.00
- Stove insulation $19.00
- Kitchen sink legs $300.00
- Framing for kitchen sink base $0.00
- Faucet $245.00
- Stain $20.00
- Polyurethane $20.00
- Yellow cabinet $0.00
- Paint for yellow cabinet $18.00
- Counter for yellow cabinet $25.00
- Bracing for yellow cabinet $0.00
- Stain and sealer for counter top $40.00
- Light fixture for all 4 $190.00
- Framing for pantry $45.00
- Back door $10.00
- Spray paint and rub n buff for door knobs $13.00
- Kitchen island $250.00
- Small white cabinet (ended up not using) $120.00
- New window $220.00
- Primer for walls and ceiling $270.00
- Paint for walls and ceiling $60.00
- Pegs for peg rail $10.00
- Board for peg rail $0.00
- Gasket for vintage refrigerator $120.00
- Second gasket for vintage refrigerator $220.00
- Paint for refrigerator $36.00
Total cost of remodel $3,996.00
There you have it that is the complete break down of cost for our DIY kitchen remodel. We had to completely gut our kitchen and take it down to studs, replace the floor, ceiling, and walls. Your kitchen remodel may require less or more work than ours so based on the amount of work yours will require you will need to adjust the price to plan accurately.
How to keep cost of DIY kitchen remodel on budget
Use second hand or reclaimed material
This is one of the biggest tips I can give especially when it comes to lumber. Lumber is one of the biggest expenses when it comes to any remodel. We used a lot of reclaimed bead board in our kitchen on the walls and all reclaimed poplar wood for our flooring. We got all of the material from a house in our town that was built in 1876. It was about to be tore down so we contacted the owner to see if they would be willing to sell any of the material and to our surprise they said yes. We were able to get enough bead board and wood flooring to do our kitchen and laundry room for $200.
Thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and reuse stores are other great options for finding building materials, furniture, and appliances. Often times they are in great condition and just need a little elbow grease to clean them up and add a fresh coat of paint.
If you are looking for antique furniture I would highly suggest shopping at antique stores and malls, thrift stores, auctions, flea markets, and Facebook Marketplace. We found almost all of the furniture and appliances in our kitchen at these places. The hardest part about shopping for antiques is being patient. Check these places frequently because inventory is constantly changing. Almost all of these stores/places to shop you are dealing one on one with the seller so don’t be afraid to ask for a cheaper price. Typically they are always willing to negotiate.
Don’t change the floor plan
When you change the floor plan you have to figure in cost of adding in new electric, plumbing, and any other expenses that may come with it. We changed the floor plan in our kitchen but we were running all new electric and plumbing due to the age of the house. Our house was built in the early 1900’s so they needed a major update. If you are in a situation similar to ours then changing the floor plan wont be an added cost for you. Open floor plan is an extremely popular trend right now but it is also an added expense that will need figured in if you plan on knocking any walls down.
Make a plan and stick to it
This is one of the hardest things to do when working on any remodel or renovation. If you can plan out your remodel or renovation and stick to exactly what you have planned then it will help you stick to your original budget. Of course some things break or you have unexpected cost along the way but for the majority of the project you can plan out cost. If you are about to be starting your own kitchen renovation journey and want a checklist to help figure out what steps to take you can get my free kitchen remodel checklist here.
Reuse what you have
This is one of the biggest ways you can save money on any home remodel. If you already have cabinetry you can paint them and update the hardware to give the cabinets a whole new look. If your kitchen already has hardwood floors instead of laying new floor overtop or removing them you can sand and refinish them, if they’re salvageable. Another thing you can reuse is doors and trim. Most of the time doors and trim can be updated with new hardware and paint.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them below.
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