Kitchen Phase I
Kitchens are the heart of the home regardless of your cooking skills. It is where we spend a lot of our time each day and it is the hub for families & friends. This space also contributes significantly to the overall market value of your home. Even in our hot Jacksonville real estate market, you don’t want to neglect this space.
A full kitchen remodel can be pricey. According to Manta, the average cost of a basic sized kitchen in the Jacksonville, Florida area is $20,500. This would typically include new cabinets, stone/quartz counter-tops, basic backsplash, sink and faucet. That would not include layout changes, new flooring or new appliances. If you have high end taste be prepared to nearly double that base price for the luxury purchases such as top grade/exotic counter top stone or custom cabinets.
Built-in refrigerator with cabinet panels & wood hoods are budget splurges
However, there are budget-friendly options to consider that will increase the function and investment value in your kitchen. One approach is to do the renovation in phases. Another is to re-use existing materials.
The first step in all renovation is to start with a thorough plan; establish your budget, prioritize the goals, set a realistic timeline and determine where you’re willing to cut costs. It is also important to define your “must-have” non-negotiable list, such as a gas cook-top or walk-in pantry.
Even when you tackle your project in phases, it is necessary to think through the entire plan. Sequencing the steps strategically will help you avoid unnecessary expenses. For example; installing new flooring before rearranging the cabinet layout does not work. Here’s how we applied the above principles in our on-going Orange Park home project.
This client chose to use the phased approach. The client had already uncovered unexpected home repairs elsewhere, so we knew compromises had to made. The kitchen had a good layout; the working triangle was well spaced, there was a generous amount of cabinet storage, ample bar seating and an island with a bar sink. The initial plan called for replacing the traditional cabinet fronts with a sleeker style while re-using the existing appliances. The quality built-in refrigerator would get new stainless-steel front panels.
Kitchen before updating
The starting point was unanimous, the busy backsplash had to go as well as the oversized, un-matching vent hood. We selected our color scheme for the space then had the backsplash & hood removed. The drywall was repaired and the walls painted in a warm taupe color. These changes were easy on the budget & dramatic in the transition.
Low-cost updates to get the project moving
As we embarked on the next steps, we ran into an issue. The refrigerator wasn’t cooling properly and the hoped-for stainless-steel panels were not available for this particular model. Replacement parts to fix the thermostat problem were also unavailable. Needless to say, new appliances had to be added to the project list resulting in a budget and timeline increase.
In our master plan, the cabinets bases were remaining in place, therefore, it made sense to keep the stainless-steel built-in ovens and match the new appliances with them. Because the cook top & dishwasher were showing signs of wear and needed to be disconnected during the counter top replacement, it was decided to replace them as well. The refrigerator was the challenge because a new stainless version of the existing built-in refrigerator was a budget buster and a standard size refrigerator was too deep for the existing layout. Counter-depth was the best solution, the French door feature was chosen for improved function and complimentary design aesthetic.
In a future kitchen remodel phase, we were going to incorporate a smaller scale wood hood. However, the added expense of new appliances drove us to select instead a more modestly priced stainless hood. This would not compromise the overall design so it was a win/win solution. We took advantage of our purchasing power with an appliance package discount as well as coinciding the purchase during a holiday sale. We ended up purchasing the refrigerator, cook-top, hood & dishwasher for less than the cost of a replacement built-in refrigerator. This delay to the overall project timeline was a necessary pivot.
We worked with Martin Appliance in Jacksonville and ordered the Café cook-top, dishwasher, hood, refrigerator in stainless-steel
Kitchen renovation Phase I was completed.
Coming Soon: Phase II-appliances installed, replace island, add new counter tops.
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