Home & Garden Cooking

Why Are Kitchens So Expensive?

Whether you are renovating an existing kitchen, or if you are building one from scratch, one thing you cant avoid is the cost. Kitchens are one of the most expensive rooms in the home and very few people really understand why. Instead of doing research into what makes up the finished cost of a kitchen, most people just decide to whine about it!

With some research, you can begin to understand what makes a kitchen expensive and as a result you can take steps to reduce the cost. Below, just a few of the reasons kitchens can be expensive to build are explained in detail. By reading about kitchens now, you can potentially save thousands of dollars in the future.

Materials

One of the easiest costs to monitor and keep under control is materials. When people get to the stage of selecting materials for their new kitchen, they can become carried away. You will need to select materials for your counter tops, splash backs and cabinets to just name a few. Most people tend to choose with their heart and not their head, selecting materials that they find aesthetically pleasing and disregarding price.

Instead of just blindly choosing the prettiest materials for your kitchen, keep price in mind. Make sure that you are aware of cheaper alternatives with a similar finish and fully calculate the fitted cost of all the materials you will use.

Appliances

Another massive drain on your budget is likely to be appliances. Stoves, range hoods, ovens and dishwashers can prove to be quite expensive. Especially in new kitchens, buying appliances is unavoidable. The big mistake many people make is failing to include appliances in their budgeting, or to underestimate their cost. This can lead to some shocked looks when the final price that includes the appliances is revealed!

Design

One thing that you may have noticed is that very few kitchens look alike. The main reason for this is that the space allocated for kitchens varies depending on the house design. Obviously, this has a major drawback – it is usually not possible to just slot in a standard, off the shelf kitchen.  Most modern kitchens require custom design work to ensure it meets your needs and fits into the available space. As you can imagine, custom design work doesn't always come cheap, so be sure to account for this when setting aside funds for your next kitchen.

Installation

Once your kitchen has been designed and manufactured, the next hurdle is installation. Installing a kitchen is a complicated affair, with electrical, plumbing and carpentry work being required. Tradesmen don't come cheap these days and having them conduct your kitchen installation does introduce a big cost to the total price of your kitchen. This is exacerbated by the fact that work on kitchens needs to be very precise – there is little margin for error!

Despite the cost, installing a new kitchen can be a breath of fresh air for your home. If you would like to enquire about getting a new kitchen, contact your local contractor today for an appraisal and quote.


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