How to Cut Kitchen Remodeling Costs – ConsumerReports.org

Before knocking down a wall to create an open-concept kitchen, consider how youll marry the flooring in the two spaces. To extend hardwood throughout, install unfinished planks parallel to the old, and either get a pro to match the existing finish or have him or her sand the old boards and stain everything at onceabout $3.50 to $4 per square foot.

If your kitchen will stay sealed off, porcelain tile is probably your best bet, says Joan Muratore, CRs test engineer for flooring. Its excellent at resisting stains, dents, or scratches. And it holds up well under heavy foot traffic. Youll find options from about $3.60 per square foot, plus $1,200 or so for installation.

When it comes to counters, granite and quartz top our teststhanks to their ability to resist staining and stand up to abrasion and heat. Installing these workhorses in the average kitchen could save between $500 and $1,000 over higher-end marble or soapstone.

Pass on trendy design touches such as a waterfall edge, which wraps the exposed side of a cabinet; in materials alone, that touch adds upward of $1,000 to countertop costs. Got marble taste on a laminate budget? Splurge on a single slab and install it on an island, then use adjacent complementary laminate to cover the remaining countertops.

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How to Cut Kitchen Remodeling Costs - ConsumerReports.org