Our remodels have been done in high cost of living areas which skews my perception, as you noted. I think 25k might get you replacement of cabinets, counters and appliances. No moving anything. And all materials in the budget category.

Considering basic decent appliances will run you 5-6k, not too much. Demo would probably be about 1k. Cabinets for maybe Ikea another 6-8k. Flooring or does that stay from before? No backsplash? Preformed laminate counters?

It might be possible to have it all done for you for $25k but I wouldn't expect it to hold up well or be a professional job. Now having said that, if you were doing the work yourself, then yes, I think it's quite doable.

Let me add that a good GC gets between 15-20% so that fee needs to be subtracted from the rest too.

To me, $25K gets you the basics. I need to remove soffits so this alone would run me at least $3K to have professionally removed and the ceiling redone. Maybe $5K.

I felt guilty for telling someone in my family I was quoted three times that amount and even then, it was fairly mid-level with Dynasty cabinets, GE appliances, new flooring. However, a wall would be pushed back and again all new drywall.

I did my kitchen for about $28,000. BUT...I had already done the lighting 13 years earlier and it could be reused, the floors were also done at that time and they needed nothing, either, and I reused my Corian countertops, integrated Corian sink, Perrin & Rowe faucet, and the only appliance I replaced was my garbage disposal. Refrigerator moved but moving water line for ice maker was easy as I have a basement.

I'm sure if one uses IKEA cabinets your budget might be possible, but it depends on whether one is moving gas/water/electrical, if one is on a slab or has a basement, countertops used and quality of appliances.

If it had been necessary to redo lighting, add hardwood floors, new countertops and new appliances, my budget would have been many thousands higher.

So the answer is..."it depends"...

It depends a lot on whether you go for the cheapest price with the least expensive cabinets, counter, etc. We are almost done with our remodel, and originally were quoted 43k for a complete gut job, didn't move much but tore out soffits, floor, etc. This was for mid range cabinets, quartz counters and wood floors. It included basic sink and faucet (which I upgraded) disposal, etc but not appliances. There was a considerable amount of electrical work done too. Then we added a few things like changing to a bay window, replacing a couple of doors, etc. Also upgraded to glass panel backsplash. So we are up around 50k, plus appliances and our kitchen is not big, about 12x12.

In our neck of the woods, $25k would barely get a contractor to walk through the door.

Since you're not replacing appliances with the 25k you have to start by setting a layout. Then begin to get pricing for the different components. Then prioritize all and begin working out the substitutes, if necessary. The more effort you put in the closer you'll get. And forget about no diy. Do what you have to to get the long-term benefit you want. Post a floor plan with measurements as your initial step.

25k is what I would expect for a basic refresh, no layout change. Just cabinets and counter replacement, maybe a backslash and some new light fixtures. Pretty much any additional system or surface you touch will add at least a few $k to the price as well.

Your family is off-base. We did it for <$25K including new appliances, new floor, mid-range cabinets, Stages sink, $3K+ granite, new lighting, BUT we did lots of DIY and hired our own electrician and plumber. It takes longer this way, but it changes the price. If you hire someone in to do all the work and scheduling, you won't touch $25K. Maybe your family would like to come in do some work?

It really depends on where you live. Our area has a very low cost of living. $22K got us custom cabinets, soapstone counters, silgranite sink, new range, lighting, flooring (sheet vinyl), new kitchen table & chairs, and all labor.

Just under $25k got me demo of the old kitchen, swapping old light fixtures for new (one moved slightly), small movements in plumbing and electrical, refinished/partially replaced wood floors, IKEA cabinets (we built and had a third party install), quartz counters, and new box-store quality appliances. We didn't have any structural changes and I hired everything out piecemeal. The use of IKEA cabinets and third party installer saved us tons. You could have added on $10-15k more easy had we gone with something else there.

25K would get you 1/2" all ply mid grade cabinets like the Kemper,/Diamond/Schrock Kraftmaid/Merillat upper end lines, (NOT the lower spec'd lines that they have added lately) for an average 12x14 kitchen with island. Nothing crazy like all glass uppers. But the island would be finished off nicely with integral door side panel, maybe legs, and some organizing features. You'd also get a trash pullout, drawer bases, and taller than 30" cabinets, with a stacked crown molding.

But, that wouldn't get you the flooring, counters, lighting, backsplash, demolition, painting, plumbing, or any of the labor to do any of the rest of the kitchen.

Thanks everyone. Most of you have confirmed what I (now!) know. When I first started looking at a reno, I thought maybe $35. Ha!

Now for those of you that were able to keep it under or near $25, congrats. I have a few questions/comments:

@Anglo, how were you able to reuse your counters without them breaking? Is it because it was corian?

@Sue, you are in Ann Arbor if I remember correctly. I am very near tony Birmingham and Bloomfield. Gave up on those KD design/build firms and will move out to the east side to find more reasonable alternatives. Glad to hear your prices were budget-friendly, but hope that glass backsplash doesn't cost an arm and leg.

@Suzanne, my family actually owes me big time for all of my visits to them many hours away. But in some respects I am glad they are not near!

@Linda and Classic, thanks for chiming in as a pros.

mobuddy89, I'm in Dearborn. I hired a contractor who we have worked with a zillion times, and I have referred a zillion customers and that was still the price :-) But they totally stand behind their work. I had a plumbing problem with a high end shower they built us 10 yrs after the fact, I called them to find out what we could do, had no expectations, but they removed the tile, redid the base and all of the plumbing and retiled, all for free. Before we met with them, for the kitchen project, I told my husband that I thought it would cost 60-70k. That was to prepare him to think it was a bargain, hahahaha. Fyi, the contractor had priced for glass tile, and the glass sheets were an upgrade of around 3k. Don't know how much the contractor marked it up. They are coming tomorrow to finish the install, and I'm waiting for the electrician to come back and replace the outlets/plugs with gray instead of white. Once that's done, I'll post pictures so that you can see how it looks. Thanks again for the tip, maybe they will give you a discount for referring me?

Our first kitchen remodel was well under 25k. It was over 15 years ago. We did all the work ourselves. And we kept the cabinets and painted them. Iirc, we spent about 6k on paint, backsplash tile, new light fixtures, cork flooring, granite tile countertops, a new refrigerator, a new range, a new vent, and a new dishwasher. (The kitchen was just 8 X 8 with two doors and a window.). So, for us DIY, budget materials and a tiny ktichen kept our budget way down.

25k is what we wanted to spend. It got us demo, new cabinets with some glass, granite, bring electrical up to current code, new pendants, backsplash, new oven and dishwasher. Re used fridge, cooktop, floors, same footprint, no painting.

Hi Mo buddy late chiming in I was recently at a Starbucks by you I think?! We could have met for coffee :) Your right many variables! So much so I think it's really difficult to compare. I was given a range from $25K - $60K from Lowes to local K & Bath Stores, but those numbers were not attached to any specifics just thrown out there to me based on my kitchen size. No one told me what that included. So I started the research wanting to get a number from Lowes, local K&B's and custom. That took a while! But it let's you see what you get for price and quality. I had started to price out cabinetry at Lowes and found store samples extremely misleading. In stores like Lowes and Home Depot you can turn the sample door over and it gives you an idea of what you will pay roughly per linear foot or say a 10x10 kitchen. First of all that is a bunch of crap! I don't remember my exact kitchen dimensions maybe 13x16 so yes more but I think it said $5K for a 10x10. I went through the process with one of their KD's using Diamond and I was easily at $25K! So Linda Monier is 100% correct for those brands and the details she mentions and that is strictly cabinetry. So I did the same at the other places as well. It's a great starting point. I can't tell you anything about IKEA or RTA cabinets but I've seen some great results on here. I didn't even look at those because I was bitterly getting away from my garbage thermofoil cabinets. I just wanted all wood cabinets. So a big factor in the reno is what is important to you and what are you willing to pay? Then break down each major item expense and labor to avoid any surprises. Cabinet cost, counter, flooring, lighting, backsplash, new or additional appliances, scope of project, design changes, extras, etc. That will really help. Please learn from my mistake and really do your research to avoid additional cost surprises! I had more surprises than I'd like because I should have looked at the cost more carefully for some items i.e. countertops, design change, scope of project, additional items, etc. However, I don't take all the blame my kitchen group gave us a rough estimate of $3,200 for standard quartz countertops and we quickly learned that was so far off, but again that was something important to us so we bumped up our spending there quite a bit. DH and I pride ourselves on excellent money management and have always used the philosophy of planning to spend up to 30% more than budgeted for projects with excellent results and I have blown it this time. I'll have to do the math to see how much percent wise but we are over and it's not what we planned. Fortunately we can afford it and if we couldn't we just wouldn't do it.

I think here people can get a kitchen for$25K using something like Thomasville cabinets and a granite or even quartz countertop and some new flooring, but you'd have trouble if you started doing a lot with the electrical. Part of this is because kitchens here are small.

I am working on two bathrooms and the total for those is going to be over 50K, though. But there was major plumbing and electrical involved. Baths I have been involved with have ranged from about $6-7K up to $25K ish. Kitchens from about $15,000 to over $100,000, although I had only peripheral involvement with the expensive one. The most expensive kitchen done by a person I know of was $300K, but I am sure people spend more than that.

(And honestly, I had a bathroom put in my house right before I bought it that couldn't have cost more than a couple thousand dollars, because the sellers wouldn't have done it otherwise. It was awful and was demo'd by the time it was three years old, but I see a lot of this sort of bathroom in a lot of real estate, and kitchens of that sort, too.)

@Dovetonsils, that is pretty darn good though. You said wanted, did you go over in the end?

@Pal, thanks for your input. I often read your posts and find your responses filled with good info and balanced thoughts. By chance, do you work in the industry?

I am a diy when I can. In 2009, we reno'd a kitchen for 25k. Electric to replace fluorescent box light and put in cans and under cab lighting. Tore out old wall paper and replaced back splash. New granite, custom island (10k)

, mid level appliances., new faucet, new sink. We did nothing to the cabinets and did not re do plumbing or basic orientation of stove, ovens, sink.

In 2016 we did to pretty big Reno to a different house. 80k and I think we got a good deal. Search nightowls 2016 kitchen to see before and after and prices.

I don't really work in the industry, no. I have another profession entirely

I have an interior design degree, and I belong to ASID, but I only occasionally design kitchens and baths for people and occasionally do consulting-type work on things that have been designed by other people. So in terms of numbers of experiences, not so much. I've been heavily involved in my own renovations projects of course, from design to acting as GC, but that's not representative of doing projects for someone else on a particular timeline. Most of my own projects have no particular timeline, and despite my affinity for modest-looking stuff, I am very picky about execution and quality. And there is a fair amount of custom stuff, and I don't know how that would necessarily play out in a larger project. It's not what most people can or want to do on a large scale project, or at least not the people I know.

Mobuddy,

We stayed on budget at 25k. Washington DC area. If you want to see before and after, I think you can click on my name.

25K gets you a minor consult with Christopher Peacock. But not even 1 cabinet. Or any design drawings.

@Nightowl. Wow, you got a lot of nice kitchen for $80K, but you seemed very proactive in sourcing. Great job.

@Dovetonsils. Nice to see HD worked out. And good decision on the table being removed.

@Sophie. I am a blue collar kind of girl who likes to get her hands dirty. A consult like that would not be my style!

Im in the process now. 9K complete kitchen remodel. If I decide to add options like bring kitchen floor into dining room and remove breakfast nook and create a penninsula adding cabinets, more countertops=13k. Top of the line plywood cabinets not the MDF junk Quartz countertops and quartz backsplash, flooring, hardware, cabinets, sink, plumbing, electrical=20. 33k for everything. I already found the flooring 1200 cheaper. I am shopping around to get the 8k cabinet pricing down checking online. So far I have been able to save 1200 on the flooring, 3k on the cabinets, 5k on the quartz from 120 sqft to 50 sqft. I'm looking to save approx. 9k making the renovation 24k total instead of 33k.

I don't tell our numbers to friends, family, even myself lol

small galley kitchen, no island, no reusing materials since the house has been gutted

(we did put old kitchen in the garage...)

due to its small size-I think the surfaces including cabinetry are between 25-30 K. We saved like crazy on appliances.

I might be mistaken..on the cheaper side..that's a defense mechanism of sorts.

But plumbing, electricity, drywall, flooring ..you name it..part of the general work, and I'm not reminding myself the numbers, and it's hard to break it, in this case.

and-of course labor! GC!

having said that-we're in HCOLA..and we didn't DIY unlike some of our very talented friends..well they don't have gut remodel either, but I still admire them.

Takes ages though

On the other hand..took us ages too lol

ah, and one needs to have tools, if one DIY s..a lot of expensive ones..space for said tools..then he's hooked for life because so many tools..))

@April, you are absolutely right about not telling info to family and friends. I am learning not to volunteer anything. And when they do ask, I fib. Now lying is not good, but there are always judgments. I am trying to stop this often automatic human response myself.

@Mawizz, can't wait for your reveal as well. Sounds like you planned for the contingencies. But even then, it is very easy to spend more.

Actually spending more on project creep and going over budget is exactly what is keeping me from moving any farther along right now. Plus, retirement may only be 3 years away (job situation may call for it) although we hope to work another nine.

Your responses are helping to formulate some additional ideas (well, except Sophie's humorous/sarcastic one about hiring the Peacock guy).

The huge L-shaped Corian countertop did break right at the seam. That was just fine as that section was going to be removed anyway. Corian is most likely the only material that could be reused like this - it's one reason I'm such a huge fanboy!

I was able to use Shiloh cabinets (very good quality) and I have glass doors on one wall, and a custom size near my sink. I truly got every single thing I wanted in this redo, but I was lucky that I had done work over the years that was reusable. If I had had to put in a hardwood floor (it would have to have been onsite insisted to go with the adjacent rooms), new countertops, the wiring for the ceiling can lights and under counter lighting, a new sink, new faucet and all new appliances, I think it would most likely have been at least $45,000. I was very lucky that I had made the upgrade choices I did over the 32 years we'd been in this house.

$25,000 got me my semi-custom cabinets 14 years ago (but, I'm paying in Cdn$, so not as bad as it seems?). My custom cabinets last year were substantially more than that,

We live in an expensive area and did an IKEA kitchen with custom fantasy grown granite, led can lighting and remival

of a non supporting walk for less than $25k.

@Tmnca, moving the non supporting wall too! Good job.

Hi there, I think I can add some insight here as we are going through a water damage loss (flood) and dealing with insurance replacement values and upgrades.

Our kitchen is medium size, about 16x12 in an open floor plan. The whole thing had to be gutted due to damage so we are starting from scratch.

To replace our slightly better than builder grade oak raised panel cabs and formica countertops, exactly as they were, we were quoted 16k, installed. This does not include any fancy moldings, trim, or under cabinet lighting. Add about 2k for vinyl tile floor and 300 for basic tile backsplash. Another 800 for plumbing hookups using our existing sink, disposal, and faucet.

This is not what we did though. Our upgraded kitchen was 33k for semi-custom maple cabinets with moldings and with lighting, and quartz counters, 3K for flooring, 800 for backsplash, and 2K for new fridge, dishwasher, and MW, 300 for faucet, and prob a few things I am missing. It costs about 1K more to install the upgraded version.

Hope that helps.

Our kitchen remodel was $30K, including appliances (except DW), custom cabinets/installation, quartz counters, flooring, electrician, and all the little miscellaneous things (like a new paper towel holder). I acted as my own GC and designed the layout, DH and I demo'ed the old kitchen, and I painted. We didn't change the plumbing, and the footprint didn't change much.

It is not a high-end kitchen, but suitable to the house and neighborhood, and a vast improvement over the builder-grade kitchen that we had been living with for 20 years. We live in eastern North Dakota.

I live in a low-cost-of-living area, and the bid for my reno is just under $25k. That does not include flooring materials ($3k - we're sourcing it), cabinetry (I'm making my own inset cabinets, ~$4k for materials and hardware), countertops (we're using upcycled lab countertops - gratis), appliances (recently replaced at very low cost due to happy fortuitous circumstances), or backsplash (~$3k).

So what is my $25k paying for? Demo, framing new windows, drywall, paint, flooring install, cabinet install (with my help), electrical, plumbing, and countertop install. Add the other costs and we're at $35k - in a low-cost area.

Sure, you can do a full kitchen gut remodel for $25k - but you'll spend a LOT of time doing stuff yourself, searching for deals, and thinking up other creative ways to cut costs. If your family thinks you're going to spend too much, but you can afford it, just don't tell them what you're spending!

I am greatly impressed that so many people are able to keep their costs in line. As many of you noted, it will take good sourcing, compromise, re-using, and DIY. However, without those talents and fortitude, it is not easy to keep under $25K.

And I am no longer telling my family anything! Stopped talking politics long time ago (well before the current administration -- learned our lessons the hard way during the Bush eras). Now, we will tell nice little white lies when they ask about home renovation costs!

I think location makes a huge difference. We're remodeling my family home in the midewest and I'll be surprised if we hit 20 grand. This includes hardwood flooring throughout the first level, new stair threads, trim/wainscoting, mid-level cabinets, knocking down walls, electrical work and pulling all the permits.

The kitchen itself is only 11'x9', so the cabinet quotes came in around $8,000 - $9,000 even with a pantry cab tacked in between the DR and kitchen. We're keeping the fridge, so that's saving a bit. Some of the demo was done by us, shaving off a few hundred.

In our home on the east coast, that didn't even cover the (higher end) appliances.

Avocadogirl - I think you are right, location DOES make a difference, but also remember that all the little details can sneak up on you and create what I call "scope creep". The big items are easy to budget for - cabinets, counters, floors, etc... but then all the little things start to come up.

I have a few good examples that I am experiencing now.

1) In my new kitchen remodel I ended up purchasing new appliances that I had not planned for, simply because I could not stand the way my old ones looked in the new kitchen design, even though they were fairly new. It wasn't anticipated, but I bit the bullet, because I would cringe every time I walked in the room.

2) In our bathroom remodel,the budget accounted for the replacement of vanities, counter tops, and floors. Even though our new vanities were exactly the same height as the old ones, we did not anticipate that the integrated backsplash on our new cultured marble tops would be 1" taller. This only mattered because we had a 66" long and a 120" long wall mirrors that prevented the vanity tops from being installed. So down came the mirrors, and of course they broke, and new ones had to be purchased for $1200.

What I ultimately did was create an excel spreadsheet and walked through a day in each room, imagining everything I touch, use, and look at. I then asked myself "will that still function? will it still look good? Will it still fit? -- and made a list of everything I could think of. Its amazing how fast the numbers add up!

@Jill Oh, I definitely agree on the little things that pop up during the remodel and add up. We pulled up carpet to find an osb subfloor instead of plywood, redoing electrical work to add the pantry cab, last minute paint changes, etc

I think someone on this board mentioned to add 40% to whatever quote you're expecting and I think that's a good rule of thumb. Ouch, that $1200 must have hurt though!

@Jill, it is hard to experience a loss from a natural occurrence. It might sound like fun to get all new, but it can be very burdensome too. I am glad to hear you can upgrade. I took a look at some of your photos. It is going to turn out very nice!