How Frequently Do You Need to Renovate Your Kitchen?
When it comes to home renovations, most homeowners remodel their kitchens at least once. Kitchens are one of the most heavily trafficked rooms in the home with most homeowners entering them two to three times a day or more than 1,000 times a year. Due to the high rate of use, our contractors here at Legal Eagle Contractors recommend remodeling your kitchen every 10 to 15 years. However, if you are uncertain as to whether it’s time for a remodel, we’ve put together a list of tips and tricks to help you determine if it’s time to update your kitchen.
Photo by Laurie Shaw from Pexels.
Signs It’s Time to Renovate Your Kitchen
In order to determine if it’s time to renovate your kitchen, you should walk into the room and objectively evaluate it. Are the floor tiles cracked? Do you have water damage under your kitchen sink? Are there cabinets and drawers you don’t use because they’re damaged or so filthy they can’t be properly cleaned? Are your appliances decades old? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, it’s probably time to consider renovating and updating your kitchen.
It’s Outdated
The number one reason that most homeowners choose to renovate their kitchens is because they’ve become outdated, according to a study by Houzz. Over the last 20 years, kitchens have become the focal point of the home. For this reason, they are often larger with more cabinet and counter space. They have dedicated areas for coffee, small appliances and food preparation, and they contain impromptu seating via islands or peninsulas. Modern kitchens also tend to have clean lines, neutral colors and easy to clean surfaces. A kitchen remodel can update the look, feel and function of your kitchen so that it is no longer a chore to prepare and cook meals while chatting with your family, friends and guests.
You Have the Financial Means
Most homeowners would renovate their homes more often if they had more disposable income or the funding to perform the needed renovations and upgrades. The good news is that kitchen renovations are relatively affordable, averaging between $14,000 and $43,000, depending on the scope of the remodel and the size of the kitchen. For homeowners who are trying to decide whether or not they can afford their remodel, it might help to look at your home’s equity and consider the costs of renovating your kitchen versus purchasing a new home with a larger kitchen. It’s often much less expensive to update and renovate your existing spaces than move.
You Need Your Kitchen to Function Differently
Your needs for your kitchen are going to change throughout your life. Your kitchen should be ready to handle your lifestyle changes. For example, when you first moved into your home, your kitchen was perfect for just you or you and your spouse. As time went on, you had kids and those kids got older. Now, you find yourself needing dedicated homework or project space, spaces to charge digital devices and areas where you can socialize with your growing family and friends or neighbors.
A kitchen remodel can help you get the versatile spaces you need from storing more kitchen appliances and having dedicated areas for eating to homework and personal projects. If you have a smaller kitchen in an older home, a kitchen remodel can allow you to remove walls and create better flow while giving you clean sight lines into other parts of your home, like the family or dining rooms.
Existing Kitchen Is Damaged or Broken
Since kitchens are one of the most utilized rooms in the home, they are more prone to experiencing damage and getting broken. Your silverware drawer may no longer open or slide easily. A water leak under the sink may have forced you to move your cleaning supplies to another cabinet, thus reducing your storage space. You may have missing or damaged floor tiles and backsplash tiles, and some of your built-in appliances, like under cabinet microwaves and toasters may no longer function, forcing you to purchase the countertop versions. While you can choose to replace and repair broken items individually, if you have more than one broken appliance or area of your kitchen that you avoid due to heavy damage, it may be time to consider a total kitchen redo.
Kitchen Is Worn Down
Is your kitchen dingy and dark? When no amount of cleaning gets rid of the stains, ground in dirt and discolored tiles and grout, it may be time to upgrade your kitchen. Over time, countertops get dinged, dented and scratched. The staining on your kitchen cabinets wears off and food spatters land in areas that cannot easily be reached. All of this can contribute to a kitchen that appears old and worn out.
When you remodel your kitchen, you can choose materials that are more durable and easier to clean. For example, if you choose a high-quality resin countertop, you can expect it to last at least 10 years. They are also bacteria resistant and easy to clean with standard dish soap and water. If you choose a standard stone countertop and keep it properly sealed, you can expect the surface to last up to 100 years.
You Need New Appliances
Kitchen appliances are rated to last anywhere from five to 15 years, which means replacing your appliances can give you a decade or more of reliable service. For example, if you choose an enamel or stainless steel kitchen sink, you can expect it to last up to 10 years. However, if you choose a modified acrylic kitchen sink, it may last as long as 50 years. New dishwashers are rated to last about nine years, and refrigerators are designed to last up to 13 years. If you find that several appliances are reaching the end of their shelf life together, then a complete remodel might be on the cards. Alternatively, the trend towards smart kitchen appliances, such as ovens and refrigerators, means many can’t resist switching, even with fully functioning current appliances. A bigger renovation can also allow for more technology to be incorporated, such as built-in smart smokers and smart trash cans. Not to mention, most new appliances are Energy Star rated, which means you’ll save money on your monthly utility bills.
Increase Resale Value
If you are looking to sell your home in the next few years, a kitchen remodel can attract more buyers and help your home sell faster. This is because the kitchen is an area that potential homebuyers look at first. They look at the overall layout, appearance of the appliances and the amount of counter space. If these things don’t measure up to the buyer’s expectations, they may start thinking about how much it’s going to cost to perform a kitchen renovation in the near future and decrease their offer by the anticipated cost of the potential remodel.
As a homeowner, you can expect to recoup between 60 and 80 percent of your kitchen remodel costs when you sell your home according to a recent cost vs value report. Minor kitchen remodels tend to recoup more of their costs than major kitchen renovations. However, if you choose your materials wisely and don’t overbuild for your area, you’ll have a better chance of recouping more of your kitchen remodel expenses. Not to mention, you’ll get to enjoy your new kitchen for the remainder of the time you are in your home.
