Replacing or Refacing your Kitchen Cabinets...

Refacing kitchen cabinets might be a good option versus replacing. The results and savings could be dramatic.

Refacing your kitchen cabinets includes covering the exposed frames with a thin veneer of real wood or plastic laminate.

Doors and drawer fronts are replaced to match or complement the new veneer. New hinges, knobs, pulls, and molding complete the transformation.

 What are the Pros and Cons...
Kitchen cabinet refacing pros:
- Costs about half as much as replacing cabinets.
- Takes less time (a week or less!) and money.
- It's less hassle than tearing out cabinets.
- You can still use your kitchen while refacing.
- It’s a green kitchen remodeling solution since you're
  not adding to the landfill.

Kitchen cabinet refacing cons (there aren't many):
- Refacing is not going to fix a bad kitchen design.
- You might be tempted to spend more on exotic veneer
  and hardware (saving you less).

Source: Houselogic.com

What should I spend on a kitchen remodel?

The problem is, home remodeling costs aren’t cheap. Nearly one third of homeowners have trouble staying on budget when getting work done —and they tend to spend the most in the kitchen.

If considering remodeling your kitchen with marble or concrete countertops there are a few things you should know before diving in, particularly how much you should be spending on your efforts. According to market research, you should follow the 5 to 15 percent rule, which means your kitchen remodel should cost no less than 5 percent of your home’s value and no more than 15 percent.

Here's what that looks like. If you own a $500,000 home, for example, the lowest number you likely want to spend on your kitchen remodel will be $25,000 (5 percent). But you probably wouldn’t want to exceed a budget of $75,000 (15 percent). Spend less than 5 percent and you may decrease the value of your home. Investing more than 15 percent of your home’s value, however, could put you at risk for losing money when you sell your home.

There are exceptions to every rule, but when you’re trying to set a budget for your kitchen remodel, the 5 to 15 percent rule is a good place to start. Once you’ve decided on an amount that you’re willing to spend, it’s on to the fun part of the remodel: choosing countertops, selecting shiny new appliances, and toying with the idea of barn-board plank flooring. Let the Pinterest boards roll.



Source: realsimple.com