So, just how much does it cost to renovate a kitchen in 2024? Badel’s kitchen guide will help you get a good understanding of the costs for homeowners in Sydney in 2024. You’ll find out what you can expect for your renovation dollar, as well as tips from the experts on where to save (and where not to) in order to get the best out of your kitchen reno budget.
If you’ve found yourself wondering “how much does a kitchen renovation cost in Sydney these days?”, you’re in good company. Kitchen renos are on the rise and whether you’ve just finally had enough of your kitchen’s 1980’s “Pretty in Pink” cabinets or you’ve been finding yourself spending more and more time on Pinterest fantasising about organising your pantry by colour and category, finding out the typical costs is a great first step towards making your dream kitchen a reality.
If You’ve Got The Renovation Itch, You’re Not Alone…
Kitchens are the heartbeat of the house. They are a space where we come together to cook, chat, eat, work and have fun with our family and friends. It’s no wonder then that a recent survey of over 7000 Aussie homeowners, conducted by Houzz, found the kitchen is the most popular room to renovate. If you’re one of these homeowners yearning to transform your kitchen into a space that’ll make you feel as warm on the inside as a batch of choc-chip cookies (fresh out of your new euro steam oven), you’ll undoubtedly be wondering how much your dream will cost and what your budget will allow.
What Does An Average Kitchen Renovation Cost?
Getting a grip on the cost of your project is vital to planning and getting maximum bang for your buck. However, it’s a bit like asking how much a car costs. It really depends on your needs and can vary widely. Given the variation, probably the most helpful way to answer the question of how much a kitchen renovation costs, is to look at the typical ranges of cost for a new kitchen.
Kitchen renovations can typically be broken down into three categories:
- Budget kitchen renovation cost – $15,000 – $ 25,000
- Mid-range kitchen renovation cost – $25,000 – $45,000
- Premium kitchen renovation cost – $45,000+
Budget Kitchen Renovation Costs
To keep costs low, budget kitchen renovations typically deal with the aesthetics and surface-level upgrades. In order to get the most bang for their buck, homeowners will often opt to upgrade their current kitchen layout rather than do a complete remodel involving major switch-ups in the structure and function.
This type of reno is often described as a “kitchen makeover” because it aims to keep as much of the structural bones of the kitchen intact as possible whilst beautifying and modernising it. It typically involves new benchtops, splashbacks and appliances, which can give a tired space a new look.
Having said that, a really excellent new kitchen in this price range is still totally doable. Those building a completely new kitchen in this range should be aware that certain concessions may be required to keep it in budget. For example, the design might have fewer drawers and more cupboards (which aren’t as useful or storage friendly).
Other significant aspects that are likely to go over budget include:
- Work involving major electrical or plumbing changes
- Major structural changes – for example opening up the kitchen into the dining room to create an open-plan space
Recommendations and Tips for a Budget Kitchen Renovation
Our general recommendation is to invest in quality where it truly matters, such as solid, well-built Australian-made cabinets, drawers, and components like hinges and drawer runners. Expect to spend a big portion of your budget on cabinetry. This could be anywhere from $4,000 – $10,000. Although you can get cheap alternatives from places like Bunnings, high quality Aussie boards and hardware brands like Blum are a worthwhile investment in the long-run as peeling doors and wonky drawers are not a cheap fix. Instead aim to save on less expensive finishes. Melamine is a great option as it is the most economical material for both cabinets and countertops. Engineered stone in conventional colours is also a budget-friendly choice.
Mid-range Kitchen Renovation Costs
According to Zaia Badel, Director of Badel Kitchens, “with this price range, you can definitely get that coveted dream kitchen. With more money to spend, you can expect a kitchen that is custom-designed for your lifestyle and needs, while making the best use of the existing space. Kitchen renovations in the mid-range budget category include a lot of custom design and often, an overhaul of the layout, opening up of the room, creating big changes in function and form.”
Because it is custom designed, you’ll have more flexibility and freedom when it comes to the layout of your kitchen. You’ll be able to change the floor plan to suit your needs, which may entail reworking the electrical wiring and plumbing as well – want to add french doors out to the garden and move your kitchen sink under a big picture window (and make it a huge farmhouse apron sink while you’re at it?) Yep you can definitely do something like that in this price-range!
How much it will cost and the division of the budget will depend on what you intend to use it for. For example, with homeowners who love to cook, a majority of the budget could be spent on high-quality countertops such as natural stone or on a 6-hob cook-top. For homeowners who love to entertain guests, the money could be put towards getting quality lighting fixtures, seating and homewares.
High-end Kitchen Renovation Costs
For a lucky few, sometimes, the sky really is the limit when it comes to their kitchen renovations.
These custom designed kitchens come with top-of-the-line materials and finishes such as marble countertops, industrial cooktops and premium appliances. Think Sub-Zero appliances, Wolf ovens and a Miele dishwasher. With elaborate design elements which take more time and skill to craft, such as corbels, feature glass and mantels, Hamptons or French Provincial kitchens also tend to fall into this range.
Apart from the pricey elements your kitchen may feature, high-end renovations are also expensive because of any structural, electrical or plumbing changes necessary to make your dream layout come to life. This may include tearing down existing walls to make way for an open layout kitchen or changing the layout to create a more efficient workflow in the kitchen.
Some homeowners also opt to have their appliances seamlessly hidden behind custom joinery so it blends it with the rest of the cabinets. This can easily ramp up the price tag as each part has to be carefully designed, measured and constructed.
How Does Sydney Kitchen Renovation Cost Stack Up?
Location also plays a big factor when it comes to computing for your kitchen renovation cost. The average kitchen renovation cost in Australia comes in around $17,000 but this average increases to $20,000 in Sydney.
Usually included in this are compliance certificates and permits, labour fees and materials.
Sydney kitchen renovations cost vary greatly from project to project and the complexity as well as materials used can greatly affect the end price tag.
What if you’ve got champagne taste (but beer money)?
As already mentioned, the average costs should be taken with a grain of salt. A low-budget makeover may cost as little as $10,000 for one property, while in another it could cost as much as $25,000 or more. No matter your exact budget here are our top tips to curb costs if you want to achieve a more luxurious kitchen on a budget:
Invest in Quality Cabinetry
Firstly, try to get the best quality cabinetry that you can afford. This is not the area to scrimp on cost. Cheap cabinets chip, scratch, peel and get damaged easily. There’s nothing quite as gutting as investing a healthy whack into a kitchen reno that should last you for years to come, only to have the shine wear off in the first year or two, literally.
Keep Plumbing and Electrics
Where you can definitely save money is in leaving your sink and electrical outlets in their existing location. This will save you big on plumbing and electrical installation.
Cut out the middleman
Do what big builders do and deal directly with a kitchen manufacturer. Rather than going to a retail store with a showroom of pre-designed kitchens, skip the middleman and skip a whole bunch of expense. Think overheads – that showroom and the team of salespeople adds directly to the bottom line of your new kitchen. Going straight to the source and getting your kitchen from the manufacturer is a great way to design and build your ideal kitchen for a fraction of the cost of large retailers.
Backsplash Selection
Instead of spending money on costly, designer wall tiles, opt for an attractive acrylic splashback.
Flooring Options
Instead of ceramic or porcelain tiles, consider vinyl flooring. There are alot of great modern flooring options that have good durability. These can save you a packet compared to tiles whilst still giving you an updated and modern look.
Appliances
If any of your current appliances are still in good condition, keep them.
Consult a Kitchen Designer
If you pick fittings and finishes properly, quality and style do not have to be massively more expensive. Kitchen designers are educated to show you all of your alternatives, not just the most costly ones, if you need assistance.
Conclusion
It’s difficult to pinpoint how much a kitchen renovation will cost, but the key factors in pricing are size of the kitchen, scale of work, materials and finishes.
The great news is with a knowledgeable kitchen designer to help guide you, the amount of options available in the market today means there will always be places where you can reign in to costs and prevent your reno from going over budget. So at the end of the day, how much you shell out is entirely up to you.
So, where does Badel Kitchens fit price wise?
We typically fall into the second and third pricing groups indicated above. We do not provide more expensive or less expensive kitchens. In every kitchen we build, we employ the same high-quality components.
Blum drawer runners and hinges (the best on the market today), for example, or Australian-made boards and Hafele accessories. Our quality standards inform our price point. Price differences are also influenced by the type of raw materials such as the stone and door materials that you select, and the quantity of accessories you want in your kitchen.
Badel consistently aims to provide quality and value for money for our clients. We can work within your budget, and you can rest assured that quality will never be sacrificed.
Whether you opt for a budget kitchen renovation or go the whole nine yards with a luxury renovation, what’s important is to work with a knowledgeable kitchen renovation company. They not only have the proper licenses and insurance for peace of mind, but can guide you so you get the most from your money.
Badel Kitchens and Joinery has had over 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing the quality, value-for-money kitchen designs in Sydney. We invite you to get in touch for a free design consultation to find out what is possible.