Planning a KITCHEN RENOVATION? | Do this first!

The first thing you need to do when planning a kitchen renovation is connect the budget to the expectation of your kitchen project. The sooner in the process you can figure this out the easier it will be. Many of the surprises are taken away by dealing with this issue.

In this video I talk through some real life examples that I've encountered and how I've learned to create an environment where the client isn't afraid to talk about budget, but that is a way for us to find out how to get them not only the kitchen they want, but the one they afford also.

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[hsdesignstudio]

This is so on point, Mark! I don’t know why budget and discussing money has become so difficult in our culture. Just because the budget might be smaller, doesn’t mean the kitchen won’t be beautiful! ps- thanks for the shout-out!

[bonniegreenfeld]

Amazing that I just saw this video today after finding so many others of yours. Years ago, I looked at a Lowe’s guide to kitchen and bathroom renovation. It said essentially what you just did. The big difference between your approach and theirs was that they suggested you design your ideal kitchen before you looked at the costs of everything. Then, when reality was considered, , you picked the elements that fit your vision at the price you could afford. From a contractor’s standpoint, you would want the budget first. The contractor who is doing my current kitchen remodel asked for a budget range. Then we talked about what was possible within my budget.

[hogdog]

We went in to our designer with some basic ideas of what we wanted and a budget we thought was reasonably close. The designer walked us through the items we wanted, some items we hadn’t thought about and some we didn’t realize were not so necessary after all. We took some things out, resorted areas of spending and even added some items we hadn’t considered, but realized would make the kitchen function and look better. Our budget wound up inflating, but not so much that it was out of reach. Results: we’re on our way to a beautiful, semi custom, top to bottom, wall to wall kitchen that meets, and in some areas exceeds, what we had dreamed of. And is still affordable for us.
By the way; your videos are a great help in educating us on our journey. Thanks!

[pamlano]

Such good advice. I would also add, another very early step in the process should be binge-watching your videos, which are outstanding, and which, frankly, have helped immensely in working through the budget/expectations conundrum very early in the process. I have learned a ton from listening to you, and it has already helped me identify different design features that come with cost-conscious options. It's a lot easier to think flexibly about the budget when I know where I can likely save some money in order to splurge on my priority items. You are officially my favorite kitchen designer!

[barbsdee]

I was smiling all through this! I’m going through this process with my designer. I gave him so many restrictions in the beginning as to what I thought I wanted, his first design was so boring! So I took away the restrictions (apart from the eye level double oven) and his design was so wonderful, we worked together after that to tweak it and I am so excited to have it fitted 🥰🥰

[mstinamichele]

About four years ago I started out w/getting a design quote by an RTA cabinet company. I had heard on a HGTV reno show that it was a great option to lower your kitchen cabinet cost for cabinets you assemble yourself. My first quote was $29, 000 and w/a discount made it $17, 700 and I was shocked (that was cabinets only). I told them to take out all the bells and whistles because I didn't need them. Then it dropped down to $11, 400 with discount. I was like nope, still a no go. After one last round of removing things I didn't want or need the quote ended up being around $8, 000. I was happy w/that quote, I had a beautifully designed kitchen, but then life happened and the kitchen project stalled. Then two years ago I found out about Ikea kitchen cabinets. I watched a lot of youtube videos and heard how affordable they were and how well they lasted. So now the cabinet boxes and door fronts (getting those elsewhere) will be around $6, 000. Instead of eating all my money up in cabinets alone, I get the quartz counter tops I want, new flooring and still have money to complete other projects around my house. Its been a real eye opener for sure. As usual a great video!

[RachelRhodesbud]

Our process was: what do we absolutely need in this kitchen remodel? We needed a better layout (mostly getting rid of the rolling dishwasher and getting an installed one!) and cabinets that weren't falling apart. Paring it down to that made it easy for us. Anything too high-end or trendy would look out of place in our 1940s farm house!
We went with custom dark wood (but still pretty basic) cabinets and splurged on quartz countertops, an undermount sink, and a gorgeous high arch faucet. All said and done, we were slightly over "budget" but within what we were prepared to be over, just like you mentioned in the video!

[kitchinsider]

Great video Mark! I can definitely relate. Thanks so much for the shout out, you're too kind! 😊

[loveyourland]

Yes to this whole video! Here’s another little FYI … quartz has doubled (at least) in cost from 4 years ago. 4 years ago, we got new quartz for kitchen and it was around $5k. Today, same kitchen, it’s $10k. (Down from the $12k original quote.) Talk about sticker shock.

[darlene]

Great video…thanks for being so real in reality vs budget….no one wants to be pushed into something yet guiding into best options….you have a knack for being balanced and at same time very informative which builds confidence in the fact you know what you are doing when we don’t…many successes to you❗️❗️❗️👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[jaxandmore]

I've updated many of my own kitchens, but none of them required replacing cabinets. I either left cabinets alone because they were fine or at the most sanded and painted them. So the biggest spend had always been on the countertops and appliances. I'm currently in the midst of planning a kitchen full gut and remodel and I'm shocked by the cost of cabinets. I'm gaining some perspective though. It's like each cabinet unit is priced like a piece of furniture. In the case of my 8x11 L-shaped kitchen, there are 12 cabinet units. That's like 12 pieces of furniture in the room. It adds up!

[TwentyMinuteGuitarPlayer]

Great video! Best kitchen design channel on YouTube by far! Do you have book or anything? I'd like to support ya man! Keep up the great work!

[Fabh]

Kitchen designer here. People who don't want to give you a budget almost always end up disappointed. Having a budget really helps tailor the project to their needs, and people don't realize that.

[prva]

The kitchen designer and I agreed I'd say what wanted and then we'd go through item by item to see which I could do without or could scale down on so as to get back on budget. But because I'd saved for over 7 years and compromised on previous kitchens, I kept everything, downscaled some, and raided my savings. Wondering if you'd consider discussing common problems that in your experience customers seem to encounter? e.g. decision fatigue, under-estimating, changing minds even during the fitting, buyer's remorse?

[winston]

Word of experience, and I caught it before I made the mistake: If going from a one-piece range to a separate oven and cooktop, don't plan to put the oven under the cooktop. You will find the oven is too low to work with comfortably.
I'm setting the oven high under a 12-inch higher split-level countertop allowing the convection toaster oven to be at eye level but still at a comfortable work level, along with the coffeemaker and the pressure pot. A warming drawer and a couple of pot-and-pan storage drawers are going in under the cooktop instead, stainless steel and made by the manufacturer of the appliances.
I have my oven, cooktop, over-the-cooktop microwave (don't judge, I don't see how the space can allow a different location), a nice double-bowl sink (don't judge, I want the advantages of separate prep and clean-up basins and don't have the space for two sinks) reusing a nearly new dishwasher, and am replacing a left-side-swing door fridge with either a side-by-side or a French door because my galley aisle is narrow and changing the load-bearing walls would bust the budget.
One set point is, I want a seating space at one end of a countertop for prep and/or a light nosh.

[Kiki-uupc]

When redoing a kitchen do you put the flooring in before the cabinets go in or after?

[erine]

Great videos! We just moved into a home that needs a kitchen remodel because it's so dated & not at all functional, but are not sure what our budget expectations should be? We can be flexible on this but don't want to break the bank because we will have to move for work again in about 4 years & simply want to bring the kitchen up to date for us & potential buyers down the road. Ideally looking to replace the 11ft x 7ft L & include a pantry in Ontario. Currently waiting on quotes from local contractors.

[waharris]

Financially speaking, is it ok to split up kitchen projects? Such as, lower cabinetry and counters, then later redo the uppers?

[jerryfinzi]

Pleeze, Mark... the music is 🤪 crazy distracting! No music track!

[lyndonfoster]

thank you for doing these videos. very useful. and now for a comment that u know your wife will appreciate. I think is time for you to get a hair cut and maybe a beard than that keep up the good work! :)