Budget Breakdown of the Kitchen Makeover

 

 

Happy Friday, friends!

I am still trying to answer the many questions about our kitchen makeover.

One of the main questions I keep getting asked is:  “How much did this cost ya?”

Well, we paid approximately $3,300 for our floor to ceiling kitchen renovation.

 

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That sounds like a lot of money!

But when you remember what it used to look like…

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And compare it to what it looks like now…

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I think it was DEFINITELY worth the money, don’t you?

 

Let’s be honest.  If we had hired out all of this work, from floor to ceiling, it would have cost us about $11-12,000!

However, we did 100% of the labor ourselves, so this renovation was a third of what it would have cost us otherwise.

That’s pretty darn good.

 

 

So here is the (approximate) breakdown of what it cost: 

(click on the pictures to see the post about each project)

375 square feet of Southern Yellow Pine (Lumber Liquidators)

(3/4 inch by 5 inch) – $1.25 sq foot = $465

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Flooring supplies (oil-based stain, semi-gloss polyurethane,

wood conditioner, floor sander rental, sand paper) : $200

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Baseboard and Crown Molding: $175

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Paint for cabinets and walls: $120

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Cabinet hardware (Lowe’s): $50

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Wood plank ceiling (Lowe’s):  $240

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Pantry doors (Lowe’s): $300

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Recessed lighting:  $40

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White Subway Tile (plus adhesive and un-sanded, pre-mixed grout) from Lowe’s: $175

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Open Shelving (3/4 inch MDF cut at Lowe’s) and Corbels (Home Depot) and Trim: $240

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IKEA butcher block countertops (stain and poly):  $525

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Farmhouse Sink (Signature Hardware) $600

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Faucet (Home Depot):  $100

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Supplies for making extra lower cabinet:  $40 

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And that’s it!

I’m sure there were a few more miscellaneous expenses that I forgot about.

Like maybe the 128 times we went out to eat because I had no kitchen in which to cook.

Or a table to eat on…

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Oh, those were the good ole days!

 

But we made it through! 

And I’m so glad we did!

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(I promise this is my LAST kitchen renovation post for a while!)

 

Now it’s time to get (back) started on our addition!

So, do you think all of our hard work was worth the $8-9,000 savings?

Did you think our renovation would have cost more or less than what we spent?

(Please say more, please say more, please say more…)

73 Comments

  1. I really appreciate all your detail here…we have bought a second home in St. George, Ut. and this is what I want to do to the kitchen in it. My daughter sent me here to see what you have done and I really love it1 Your ideas and tips and money spent gives me a real head start. I know you guys saved a bunch and look what you did! Thanks, and I have added you to my blog list, come say hi some time. :D

  2. Traci, It’s awesome! I would have thought more for sure. Speaking from experience it’s always more work and money than anyone expects but you got a great bang for your buck and spend money in all the right places! I love it!

  3. Hi Traci,

    We are also installing butcher block counter tops in our kitchen… my question for you is in regards to the poly on the counter tops vs Waterlox. I have read conflicting arguments about doing it…. what made you decide to? Did you ever consider NOT? ANY amount of light you can shine on the matter would be MOST appreciated!!

    Your kitchen is STUNNING!!!!! It’s a dream come true!! ♥♥

  4. That’s a bargain! (I just spent a LOT more than that on redoing my tiny bathroom.) And I love the results you got. Well done. :)

  5. Um- yeah I think you got a smokin’ deal! I know what it’s taking to remodel a small galley kitchen by replacing all the cabinets and flooring and fixtures… granted it’s small, and we aren’t doing a majority. As for doing it all yourself- WHOoHOOO! You know who your contractor is. :) no surprises a few months down the road. Doing it all yourself was definitely the bump up to quality in the fixin’s. :) Enjoy your awesome new space!

  6. Your kitchen is AMAZING!!! Cy did such a great job!! What a wonderful husband you have! It’s certainly a gift to have a hubby that’s handy with stuff like that! YES, you got an amazing deal! Plus, you got to make all the decisions without someone else limiting you to two flooring choices, or having to mess with worker-people walking around in your home! We were blessed to have hardwoods in our house when we moved in; we completely re-did them ourselves. That was hard work…but I can’t imagine how hard it is to install floors!! Those look beautiful…and if you DO do another kitchen post, please include how that floor installer hammery thingy works (great technical term, don’t you think ;) ) that Cy has in his hand in the photo. I’d love to know how to install such beautiful floors (for our next house!).

    I’m way impressed that you kept such detail — thank you for posting the breakdown! It really makes a kitchen reno seem attainable. :) I’m so proud of y’alls hard work & beautiful results! You are such a sweet lady – and I think this kitchen is a wonderful addition to your home! :)

  7. Yep, I definitely thought it would cost you more, even if you do all the labour. That was an amazing transformation for so few dollars! Super impressed! And thank’s for the breakdown, makes me realise not only that it can be done, but how to actually do it.

  8. First – it looks AMAZING!!!!!! Every detail is perfect. And Second – I would have guessed you spend WAY more than that. I was floored when I read the number!

  9. Awesome!!
    just beautiful!!
    I would have guessed a lot more $$$ spent!
    It certainly LOOKS as if big bucks were spent!
    I know you and Cy did the work.
    I think you mentioned he did a lot at night after his day job..
    what is his day job?
    again, beautiful! I’m very happy that your dream kitchen is now a reality!
    Cant’t wait to see the next stage of the addition!!
    warmest hugs!
    Loui♥

  10. Money well spent! Talk about a deal! And to think one of the most expensive things was the sink…….Again and again, this kitchen is amazing! Love, love, love it! Can’t wait to see the rest of your 2012 projecting!!!!

  11. Wow! What an amazing transformation! You guys are professionals now! I *LOVE* it & I bet you’re enjoying being in there! It may have been a lot of work & a PITA, but looks to me like it was completely worth it! :) Enjoy your new, fabulous kitchen!!! :)

  12. Oh, no! Don’t stop the kitchen renovation posts! Really, though, you guys did an awesome job with your kitchen reno. I’m sure it makes you smile every day when you see your beautiful kitchen. Come do mine?

  13. I absolutely love love your kitchen!!! How does the floor hold up? I recently redid my kitchen cabinets using the rustoleum transformation kit. I’ve been wanting the butcher block countertop and that sink but hubby intimidated to do it =(

  14. It’s amazing how much you can save by doing things yourself. What a wonderful blessing to have such a talented (and I would guess patient!) husband. Thank you for sharing the budget breakdown, it helps me as I think through what I am wanting to do in our kitchen.

  15. OH.MY.GOSH…..I would have expected it to cost SOOOOOOOOOOO much more!!! IT S ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!!! You and Cy do AMAZING work!!!

  16. No….don’t stop….talking about your kitchen. I can’t get enough of it. Right now I am in the middle of a kitchen remodel and because my husband and I do not have the talents of you and your hubby….. our little remodel is going to be considerably more. I loooove your kitchen! I only hope I love mine as much when we are finished. Did I miss the paint color that you used on the walls? Fantastic job!

  17. I’m sooooooooo happy for you! It looks incredible! I love the beadboard ceiling and the pantry! Hard to choose a favorite part. I love the countertop and sink and faucet, too! Can’t wait to see what you tackle next! Take care,
    Lori

  18. This is amazing!!!! I can’t believe the transformation. And for only $3000?! WOW, I’m just stunned. Absolutely breathtaking! And I think I need to use your idea for the pantry doors. Really lightens up the space! Man, I wish my hubby was handy :)

  19. You did a great job! Time is money, as evidenced by the amount you saved. We built a custom home about 18 months ago, so I certainly know what a kitchen can cost! Good for you for working with what you had where you could (cabinets, layout), and having a clear vision.

  20. I think the $3,300 price tag sounds like a steal. It turned out great and you got exactly what you wanted. You and your husband should be proud of yourselves for what you accomplished. congratulations.

  21. You did an awesome job. Our reno cost much more than that for one thing our cabinets could not be used..so the cabintes alone cost over your whole reno budget. Love the look and it was worth it in spades. Now go start something else spectacular for me to watch and enjoy.
    tammy

  22. what an amazing transformation!!!
    as i have stated before…LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! :)
    worth every penny and what a deal!
    you two are blessed indeed.
    much love and thanks for sharing!
    mary
    xo

  23. Girl your kitchen turned out amazing! It’s so gorgeous; looks like it should be in a magazine. I think I have kitchen envy lol My mom designs kitchens and does kitchen renovations…you saved way more than $9000 for the record AND you did it much faster than what is the norm. I’m all around very impressed with your budget and the outcome. Give yourself a HUGE pat on the back Traci!

  24. Traci, you and your husband are truly gifted to have the vision and the skill to pull this off. And then, add in the benefits: the savings, the patience, the reward you get every time you walk in the room….also the lesson that this teaches your children—hard work pays off, and the memories this has created for all of you….. I would say that you gained, gained, gained on this makeover. Congratulations. You are an inspiration in more ways than you realize!
    Diane

  25. I can’t believe you did this all for a little over $3k! If I would have guessed, I would definitely have thought it cost twice that, even doing it all yourself – I am so impressed! It also gives me hope that if you can do a remodel on a budget, so can I!

  26. SO worth it! I totally scrolled down. then up. then down. then up to compare the before and afters. Love ALL the little details. Like planked ceilings, never would’ve thought of that. But adds so much character! Or the open nook above the microwave. Great job! How long did it take?

  27. Traci, your kitchen is beautiful! I work for a bath and kitchen remodeler in Virginia, if our company had done the job it would have been at least $25,000!

  28. Love it! I’m sure you guys at least doubled your return on this DIY project. I have to ask if you think you’ll ever miss not having those upper cabinets? I just don’t think I could live with open shelves (you have to be way too organized). Between the french doors and the shelves though you certainly managed to keep things bright. Oh and that ceiling… I wouldn’t think that you would really notice a white ceiling but man do you ever, beautiful!

  29. Your kitchen is stunning! You did a fabulous job.

    (I thought the last photo at the end of the $ breakdown might be: Hardworking Husband: Priceless) :)

  30. You accomplished a LOT on that amount of money!! I can not even believe the difference and can hardly believe it is the same kitchen! There are so many great ideas I can take from it. The wood ceiling, the pantry, the combo of open shelving and cabinets….. You used pine for the floors, right? Does pine tend to mark and show wear more than harder woods? Just wondering. I haven’t had experience with this. I was surprised that you didn’t have to spend more of the floors…that was a lot of wood! Great Job Traci! I loved every kitchen post!!

  31. It looks amazing. My husband and I have learned that you can save so much money and have better quality work by DIYing. Great job and thanks for your inspiration!

  32. Traci,
    I think it looks awesome. I would have guessed you spend much more than you did. It looks so clean and polished in there now, the white on white trend is defintely starting to grow on me and I love the open shelving. Your husband did such an awesome job! He deserves a big pat on the back. Thanks for sharing and being so open with us on each step. Your blog is so inspiring to me and I look forward to reading each post.

  33. Your kitchen is amazing. Dream home material. I agree with others that said you should really be considered a PRO. That was a lot of bang for your buck!

  34. Thanks for posting the breakdown of each area/item. We actually have the exact same faucet!! I don’t know about you, but I found that Lowes is better on the decorative items, while Home Depot has nicer quality builder items. Another great place to get doors (or other builder materials) from is Habitat Restore…don’t know if you have one near you.

  35. WOW!!! i thought wayyyy more. Makes me ashamed that we spent what we did on our reno. Like 6 figures ashamed. lol. BUT we aren’t handy. Like at all and we have to hire for everything.

  36. WOW! I’ve been a regular visitor to your site for quite a while now but never commented. $3300??!! I figured at least $5K! You and your husband make a great team. I wish I had a smidgin of your talent. I’ve been planning a kitchen upgrade and it has me skeered! Your renovation has been very inspiring.

  37. I would say that every penny you spent was worth it! And the fact that you did it yourself!! PRICELESS! It may have been a pain while going through it…..but now it seems like just a moment ago and the rewards are so great! And you can share it with us. I love how your kitchen turned out. I would love to do that to mine! You are an inspiration!

  38. That is an amazing price that you spent. We spent 18,000 to cover our two car garage into a den.
    Your kitchen looks GREAT!

  39. Not only did you do an amazing job on the kitchen, you did an amazing job on the budget!!! Now that we have a house I realize how much money goes into making it your own. It’s totally worth it. Keep the inspiration coming!

  40. We don’t mind telling you more, more, more!! You and your husband did a fantastic job on this kitchen and it was worth every penny you saved! And, we certainly appreciate all of the cost breakdowns, ‘how-to’s’ and photos on how to get it all done. You two are true inspirations!! :O)

  41. I can’t believe that’s all you spent- wow! You did a great job! Did all the stuff that was in the previous upper cabinets go into the pantry?

  42. Actually, I think you saved A LOT more money than what you calculated by doing it yourself! Y’all did a fabulous job on your kitchen. Do you get up in the middle of the night, turn on the kitchen light and just stand there, smiling? I know I would! We’re in the midst of renovating our 1940’s era Cape Cod, and I thought we were finished with our kitchen, until I saw your plank ceiling. Oooooooh, want that!

  43. What a great site for all of who don’t have talented husbands. I just wanted to say thanks, you did a great job not mention the price total. We have been pricing items to update our kitchen and it is way beyond what you paid. Stand proud because you did a great job.

  44. Thanks for sharing your budget breakdown of the kitchen remodel. I think you more than spent your money wisely! I believe when it comes time to sell, you will get back at least 3-4 times what you spent on the kitchen! Well done!!!!

  45. Did I tell you that I LUURRRRVE your kitchen!!! SWEET! I am now starting to buy some red accents for my kitchen redo. Got a goodwill score today. Brand New RED serving platter from DILLARDS with the $40.00 price tag still on it – my price $6.99! Thinking about hooking up my cricut and doing a vinyl monogram on it!

    Marilyn C.

  46. Your kitchen is AMAZING!!!! I am always shocked at what materials cost but it would be worth it to me for this beautiful kitchen! I know it was a lot of hard work too but you did it beautifully.

  47. It is absolutely amazing, absolutely wonderful.

    You should win some major bloggy award for this amazing-ness plus some lifetime gift card to the home renovation store of your choice. :)

    Seriously.

    It is.

    AWESOME!!!!!

  48. Your kitchen is so cute! Doesn’t it make you so proud to see what is possible with a little vision and lots of hard work? I think you did great with your budget! Awesome!

  49. Awesome job for $3,300!!! You are quite the bargain hunter! My husband does most of the labor on what we do around the house, and he is worth every penny! As I’m sure yours is!!! ENJOY!!

  50. You guys did an AMAZING job!!!!! Congratulations on a beautiful kitchen!!! All that sweat and hard work sure paid off!!!! Your husband did a GREAT job too!!!! You guys should be very proud of yourselves!!!! Love how much brighter your kitchen looks!!!! Enjoy!!!!

  51. Great break down for your kitchen remodel! We have half of our kitchen done; just need to complete the countertops, backsplash and sink! Still debating about the farm house sink. I love your kitchen times 10 and a little jealous you can have open shelves. I own entirely too much kitchen stuff to ever have open cabinets! lol.

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