Introduction
We renovated our kitchen in Charlotte, NC without a general contractor and set a $25,000 budget. Here’s exactly what we spent—from our GE Profile appliances and countertops to plumbing, backsplash, cabinet painting—and the little expenses that added up.
We didn’t start our kitchen renovation with a detailed spreadsheet or line-by-line budget. We just knew two things: the kitchen needed to be finished before we moved in, and we wanted to keep the entire renovation under $25,000. The reason it had to be done before we moved in is that we have a toddler. There is no way we could live through a kitchen renovation and keep her fed. The budget really came from our realtor. He told us when we were looking that if we put $25,000 into it, we could have a brand new kitchen. And he was right! We actually came in under budget. We weren’t fully aware of what we were getting ourselves into, but doing all of this without a general contractor was where we saved the most.
Our Kitchen Renovation Budget at a Glance
| Category | Amount |
| Cabinet painting | $4,000.00 |
| Island modification | $1,650.00 |
| Backsplash labor | $500.00 |
| Countertops — kitchen + bar | $4,291.32 |
| Backsplash tile/materials | $405.71 |
| Sink + faucet + disposal | $783.83 |
| GE appliances | $7,893.61 |
| Kitchen plumbing/gas work* | $2,262.57 |
| Oven electrical installation allocation | $200.00 |
| Cabinet hardware | $66 |
| Total | $22,053.04 |
Original budget goal: Under $25,000
Final cost: $22,053.04
Amount under budget: $2,946.96
Appliances: Our Biggest Expense and Biggest Wins
Products:
- GE Profile Counter-Depth 4-Door Refrigerator
- GE Profile UltraFresh Dishwasher, 3rd Rack
- GE Profile 30″ Built-In Gas Downdraft Cooktop
- GE Profile 30″ Combination Double Wall Oven with Advantium
Every single appliance was outdated. It reminded me of the appliances you see at extended-stay hotels: functional but old. We decided to stick with GE because all the previous appliances were that brand, and it helped narrow the search (I’m not a fan of too many options). Also, brands tend to make newer versions of models they created before, so dimensions usually stay consistent. By shopping around a major holiday and a few other tips I’ll explore in another article, our entire appliance package came in at under $8,000.
Cabinets: Updating Instead of Replacing
Products:
This was one of the biggest decisions that helped control the overall renovation cost. The cabinets were in great shape so there was no need to replace them. Our carpenter suggested Sherwin-Williams Shoji White and we liked that it was warm and neutral so we were sold. Also, since we weren’t living there, he had the freedom to take them all out and start doing his thing rather than doing it in phases. For the hardware, I really thought that I would need to go to a big-box store and see them in person. But our carpenter suggested buying them on Amazon and that was another way we saved money. I feel like we got quality hardware, with the bronze finish I wanted at a great price.
Countertops
The countertops were another area where we splurged because they are a big focal point of a kitchen. Initially, we thought our carpenter would install the countertops, but we realized when reading his contract that a completely separate vendor (fabricator) was responsible for that. He suggested a company he worked with regularly and we had to go to a warehouse (a very hot one at that) to pick out the material; then the fabricator company came to install it. For the countertop itself, our goal was a warm quartz; it needed to work with Shoji White cabinets and bronze finishes. The material also had to be durable because I cook a lot.
Because our carpenter had a working relationship with them, it ended up being another hidden way we saved money. We actually got a comparison quote from our realtor’s preferred fabricator company and they couldn’t beat it.
Sink, Faucet & Disposal
Products:
- Kraus Kore 32″ x 19″ undermount workstation sink
- Delta Alpen Venetian Bronze Single Handle Deck-mount Pull-down Kitchen Faucet with Sprayer
These weren’t necessarily the big-ticket items we thought about when we first said, “Let’s renovate the kitchen,” but they’re a good example of how quickly the smaller pieces of a renovation add up. The sink that was in the old kitchen was double-sided. I wanted a large farmhouse-style one. Because I cook a lot, I didn’t want to cheap out on the sink. And because I was replacing the sink, it made sense to replace the disposal. Also, the faucet was another item I chose to spend money on. I saw cheaper options, but with something as important as a sink, I thought it was critical to order from a big-box store.
Backsplash
Product:
After going through literally seven backsplash options, we landed on a sage marble tile. It was the last decision and item that needed to be completed. We knew the backsplash was an area where we wanted to add color so this ended up being the perfect choice for the kitchen. I absolutely love it; it’s my favorite part of the kitchen. My husband, on the other hand, doesn’t like it doesn’t have clean lines (lol). The marble has jagged edges that couldn’t be fixed with grout. Also, we planned on using a gray/green grout, but once the tile guy came to install it, he told us we should go with white. It ended up being the right decision.
Plumbing & Electrical
Plumbing
Kitchen-related work included:
- Cooktop/gas work
- Dishwasher installation
- Any sink/disposal plumbing included on the invoice
Plumbing ended up being a fiasco. The sellers agreed to some plumbing work as part of closing and I decided to tack on routing gas, installing the cooktop, dishwasher, sink and faucet. Well, the plumber who originally quoted the work went MIA. Fortunately, we were able to find someone else who was amazing. We saved a little bit because he was already here doing other work so the things I tacked on didn’t feel that expensive.
Electrical
For electrical, $200 is an approximation. We had the electrician come in and relocate an outlet, install the oven and install six carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Again, this is a hidden way to save money on labor because he was already here. Might as well hook up an oven too!
Does the Bar Count?
Technically, the bar wasn’t part of the kitchen renovation. But I squeezed it in anyway! I didn’t count it in the total but some of the costs overlap. Our carpenter painted the bar cabinets the same color as the kitchen cabinets and used the same bronze hardware. We even had the fabricator replace the countertops with the same quartz as the kitchen. This worked out perfectly because we were able to use the entire slab! I’ll create a separate article to go on a deep dive on creating an in-home bar on a budget.
Final Thoughts: If I could give one piece of advice to save money
Consider managing the renovations yourself! It was a bear to coordinate everything on my own but ultimately, that’s where I saved the most money. In order to do this, you have to at least be mildly organized. I was fortunate that our carpenter could do a little bit of everything so he helped determine who should come when. My main goal was that no one was getting in the other’s way and it worked out.
If you need help with your renovation and want to avoid hiring a contractor, email me at hello@practicallynested.com.