Everything you need to know before starting your kitchen remodel

There are few projects more daunting and initially intimidating for homeowners than a full kitchen remodel. After all, there’s so much to consider, from selecting from a world of quartz countertops colors and types of granite countertops to finding new cabinets and flooring. We haven’t even mentioned costs yet—are granite countertop slabs any more or less expensive than quartz?

Where do you even start?

But, here’s the good news: your kitchen remodel doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, with the right advice and guidance from a design professional, the process of remaking your kitchen can even be fun! What’s more, by finding good value on the essential part of your remodel and then cutting costs elsewhere, you can get a good-looking kitchen and a major value boost to your home without going above-and-beyond your budget.

Breathe deep. You’ve got this. Let’s dive in.

According to HomeAdvisor, the national average cost of a kitchen remodel is at:

Why remodel your kitchen?

You’ve probably noticed your neighbors starting to modernize their kitchens. Maybe a family member has updated their home with white quartz countertops and gray cabinets—a modern, popular look.

There are so many reasons to modernize your kitchen, but let’s take a closer look at two of the most important ones: your personal use and your home’s value.

Your use

The way American families use kitchens has changed significantly over the past two decades. More and more families are cooking, cleaning, and spending time together in the kitchen. There’s something inherently nice about doing that in an updated, modern space.

After all, your home’s everyday life revolves around the kitchen. Does a kitchen with fading plastic countertops and small cabinets really match what you need out of it?

Your home’s value

Even homeowners who aren’t exactly into cooking or spending time in their kitchen recognize that other homeowners are. If you’re planning on selling your house in the future, you’ll be able to list higher and sell faster with an updated kitchen than an older one.

That’s actually an understatement: according to Remodeling Magazine, a major kitchen remodel has the highest return-on-investment of any home renovation project. This can offset your kitchen remodel cost.

Nationwide real estate markets are hot right now. A home with an outdated kitchen has a distinct disadvantage when being listed next to homes with remodeled kitchens built for everyday use.

How much to remodel a kitchen?

According to data from HomeAdvisor, the average American homeowner spends more than $22,000 remodeling their kitchen. Of that cost, nearly 40%—more than $8,800—is spent on countertops and cabinets. In fact, cabinets and counters are the two single largest expenses in most kitchen remodeling projects.

Here’s the thing, though: it makes sense, from a return-on-investment perspective, to spend your remodeling dollar here. Those prospective homebuyers we mentioned earlier look for high-quality counters and cabinets and are often willing to spend more on homes that already have them installed.

If you want to get the best-possible value out of your remodel, make new counters and cabinets your remodeling priority.

Which is better: granite or quartz?

Trick question! There really isn’t an objective answer: both have their pros and cons, and ultimately the choice between the two often comes down to personal tastes. Let’s explore some of the differences:

Price

Thanks in part to their popularity in American kitchen remodels, granite countertops cost less than they used to. That price point is even lower here at Superior Stone & Cabinet. We are able to offer discount granite countertops because we’re a direct importer. We cut out the middlemen typically associated with granite slab accrual and shipment.

How much do granite countertops cost?

The cost of granite installation starts at as low as $31.99 sq/ft here at Superior Stone & Cabinet. Your exact install costs will vary depending on the exact color, type, and slab in question, so we recommend that you talk to one of our design pros for an estimate.

How much do quartz countertops cost?

The exact cost to install quartz countertops depends on the type of quartz, the size of your kitchen, and other factors. Generally speaking, quartz countertops cost more than granite, but that may not necessarily be true in all cases.

What is the price of quartz per square foot?

Quartz costs vary greatly depending on quality and supplier. Generally speaking, quartz costs about $75 per-square foot, according to data from HomeAdivsor. Our recommendation? If you prefer the look of quartz but are working on a budget, let our design experts help find you quartz countertops within your price range.

As with granite, we supply discount quartz countertops because we’re a wholesaler and import directly from high-quality quartz manufacturers.

What is the best and most durable kitchen countertop?

Both granite and quartz make for incredibly durable countertops. There are some key differences between the two, however. Granite handles heat a lot better: you can typically place hot pots and pans directly onto the stone surface without damaging the stone.

That’s not the case for quartz countertops. In contrast, however, quartz is sealed and does not have natural pores like granite, which means there’s a far lower risk of liquid staining. No matter what kind of counter you have, you’ll still want to clean up that red wine right away, but granite is more likely to absorb spills and stains more quickly.

Curb Appeal

In this category, these two types of counters are virtually neck-and-neck. Granite has the advantage of familiarity: thanks to thousands of home remodeling episodes on hundreds of home remodeling shows over the past decade, nearly every prospective homebuyer knows what a granite countertop is—and wants one. Since granite is natural stone, granite countertops colors are almost unique between individual slabs.

However, today, quartz is actually the more popular option of the two, and many buyers and realtors alike feel it fits better with modern kitchens. Quartz is manufactured. Compared to granite, it has a consistent color and texture throughout.

Here’s our perspective: you can’t go wrong with either. Instead, focus on finding the countertop that matches the rest of the kitchen remodel and that you like. If you do want to know what’s trending in the world of countertops, ask our design experts here at Superior Stone to point you to our bestsellers. For example, white and grey are the most popular quartz countertop colors.

Finding the right cabinets for your remodel

As with your countertops, you’ll see the best-possible returns when you invest your home remodeling dollar in new cabinets. Today’s homebuyers are looking for modern cabinets complete with features such as soft-close drawers, organization tools, and additional storage. Make cabinets a priority in your kitchen remodel, and you will drastically increase the appeal and value of your kitchen.

How much do kitchen cabinets cost?

If you’re not careful, new kitchen cabinets can end up costing you and arm, a leg, and, well, a lot of cash. For, many, the kitchen cabinet installation cost is prohibitive: of that $22,000 average spent on remodeling, homeowners reported spending 29% of that—almost $7,000 on average!—on cabinets and hardware alone. It’s the most expensive part of your remodel. So, how do you reduce costs?

For one, work with a wholesaler. Here are Superior Stone & Cabinet, we’re your source for wholesale cabinets. We are able to install discounted kitchen cabinets not because we take shortcuts on quality, construction, or installation, but because we purchase them directly from the manufacturer, without having to work with a middleman.

In fact, for a 10’ x 10’ kitchen, we currently offer cabinets installed for as low as $1199.00! That’s far less than that national average above.

Bundle and save

You can also save by bundling your cabinets and counters. At Superior, we sell both stone countertops and cabinets, and homeowners looking to upgrade both as part of a remodel can get started for one, low price. When you visit our showroom, be sure to ask about our current kitchen cabinets sales.

Backsplashes

You can cut this cost considerably if you do the job yourself. Cheaper backsplashes options include: Thermoplastic Panels, Beadboard and Wallpaper.

Cut costs, not corners

One way to reduce your overall kitchen remodeling cost is by finding relatively inexpensive ways to upgrade your home’s kitchen beyond the essentials like cabinets and countertops. From better lighting to new paint and fixtures, there are plenty of do-it-yourself projects that homeowners can take on to boost the return-on-investment from their upgraded kitchen.

Lighting

Light influences both the utility and appeal of your kitchen in ways you may not have considered. A dimly lit kitchen with little natural light and outdated light fixtures isn’t doing its new countertops or cabinets any favors. By upgrading the lighting situation in this space, you can bring your kitchen to life, make it easier for people to use, and add tremendous value to your remodel for a relatively small amount of money.

For obvious reasons, natural light is the best-possible option. If you’re planning on opening up your kitchen by taking out interior walls, consider what kind of natural light can now enter the space. Short of major renovations or adding a skylight, update your light fixtures in a way that modernizes the kitchen and shows off major elements. We recommend considering pendant lighting over kitchen islands, light strips on the undersides of your new cabinets, and spotlighting as the main light source.

Painting

New paint is one of the least expensive ways to bring an outdated kitchen into the 21st century. After your new cabinets and countertops are decided on, consult with your design expert at Superior about what kind of interior paint complements the new style you’re going for.

Style

Do you want an apron-styled ceramic sink, or a sleek stainless steel setup? Do you want silver, standardized pulls on your cabinets and drawers, or something more homey and rustic? These small details typically don’t cost remodelers a fortune, and they’re the cherry-on-top-of-the-sundae that add an outsized amount of value to the entire kitchen.

Where to start your remodel

If you’re just starting your kitchen remodeling journey, things can often feel overwhelming. After all, there are a lot of details and costs to keep track of, and it’s often unclear where to start. No matter where you are in the remodeling process, we recommend bringing a professional design expert into the mix.

The team at Superior Stone & Cabinet lives and breathes kitchen remodeling. Our professionals not only have an eye for great design, but they can advise you on what other homeowners have been doing, what’s trending, and what tends to deliver the best value.

Getting started is easy! To have one of our design pros come to your home to take measurements and talk about your kitchen remodeling cost estimates and options, just give us a call at (602) 437-0088 or contact us online.

Alternatively, stop by our conveniently located Phoenix showroom, meet with our on-site experts, and check out our selection of new counters, cabinets, flooring, and more.

Created by Superior Stone and Cabinet