How Much Renovating Your Kitchen Really Costs – Part 1

As the saying goes: “You can judge the quality of how well a home is renovated just by inspecting the kitchen.” Actually we kid, we made that statement up, but there is a grain of truth in it. Aside from the bathrooms, home-owners need to pay closer attention to the kitchen during renovation. This is especially true if you are planning to live in the same property for a long time, due to the kitchen being frequently used as well as the accumulation of smoke and grime from heavy cooking over the years. Design: U-Home Interior Design Of course, regardless of whether you are renovating your kitchen for the first time in a BTO flat or giving it a much-needed facelift, in the case of resale flat owners, how much it will eventually cost hinges on several factors, namely: (1) The overall size of the kitchen (2) The choice of materials used (3) The amount of workmanship required (usually in the form of carpentry and masonry) (4) The degree of customization required (5) The quality of fittings and appliances Bear in mind that this is not exhaustive list, but fret not, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to chart the estimated costs for the various kitchen renovation works.

 

Countertops

Herein lies the dilemma: while homeowners are spoilt for choice when it comes to the variety of materials for countertops in the market, selecting one for your kitchen can either set you back a few hundred or break the bank entirely. Before you do decide to save or splurge, check out our nifty comparison table of the most commonly used ones to assist you in choosing the right one for your kitchen.

	Solid Surface	Wood	Stainless Steel	Engineered Quartz	Tile (Ceramic)	Laminate	Granite
Why choose it?	A popular choice among home-owners which can be custom-made to specifications	Provides a warm, homely atmosphere and is available in a wide range of colours and finishes	Ideal if you are going for industrial, contemporary look	Easily customizable to suit any personality because it comes in a variety of hues and shades	Allows for mix and matching with different design styles	Most inexpensive out of all the countertop options	Add a touch of elegance and sophistication
Average cost	$55 - $175 / ft run	$20 - $150 / sq ft	$80 - $125 / sq ft	$90 - $105 / sq ft	$30 - $80 / sq ft	$8 - $20 / sq ft	$55 - $175 / ft run
Pros	Resistant to stains	Easy to clean and can be sanded down and resealed.	Heat resistant and durable	Resistant to stains	Easy to maintain and inexpensive	Easy to clean and available in many colours	Heat resistant and durable
Cons	Acrylic surface means it cannot withstand heat damage from pots/pans and stains	Can be damaged by water and stains over time	May dent and scratches will be very visible	One of the more expensive options	Tiles can chip or crack, gets dirty and unhygienic over time due to grouting	Scratches and chips cannot be repaired; seams may peel over time	The most expensive option to choose from

Design: The 80’s Studio Design: Uno Interior  

Cooking hobs

Some homeowners are firm believers the traditional gas hob is the way to go, whereas others swear induction and ceramic hobs are much better options. Given the debate between these three choices, it is worth taking time to research which choice fits your lifestyle the best – it will depend on what you’re planning to cook and the cookware you own (or should be getting).

	Induction	Ceramic	Gas Cooker
What is it?	Utilises a magnetic field to heat up a metallic pan placed above the hob. The key difference between an induction and ceramic hob is that the former does not cause the glass surface to be heated up alongside the cookware	Heating elements underneath a glass surface heats it up and transfers the heat upward to the cookware	Standard gas hobs are a de rigueur for professional chefs, featuring four burners operated by switching / turning an ignition knobs that lights the gas burner
Fuel Mode	Electricity	Electricy	Gas (LPG / City / Natural)
Energy Loss (Average % of energy loss to boiling 2 litres of water)	10%	60%	40%
Energy Consumption in Watts (For boiling 2 litres of water)	Est. 230W	Est. 275W	Est. 395W
Operation Mode	Touchpad	Touchpad	Manual knobs
Pots to use	Stainless steel / cast-iron flat base pots	Stainless steel flat base pots	Any kind of flat or round base pots (eg. woks or claypots)
Price	S$800 - S$1,400	S$500 - S$800	S$400 - $600
Safety level	The safest option of the lot - glass surface does not heat up without cookware placed on top - even when switched on	Glass surface does stay hot after cooking, requires at least 15 minutes to cool down completely	Knobs must be firmly turned off and concerns of gas leaks with age

Design: The Local Inn.terior Design: Team Interior Design  

Kitchen cabinets

Carpentry is admittedly the most costly service home-owners pay for when it comes to renovating the kitchen. While there will always be a need to install a kitchen cabinet, no matter how small they may be- it is essential to formulate a benchmark estimate to work around in order to have a clue how much to spend. Design: Habit Generally, kitchen cabinets are a one-time investment that should be able to stand the test of time. As mentioned earlier, you should not be scrimping on the quality of kitchen cabinets you plan to install, hence the overall cost of the cabinets should represent between 40 – 50% of the whole kitchen’s renovation cost. Homeowners typically select veneer cabinets, ranging between $80 and $180 per cabinet. There are even more expensive choices such as wood, which can drive up the overall cost to about $150 to $180 for each cabinet. However, should you be in search for cheaper alternatives given a tight budget, there are laminated cabinets that fall in the from $75 to $90 price range. Design: I-Chapter Regardless of which material you do eventually go with, there will also be other charges, such as installation, to take note of. While this may differ based on the interior designer or contractor you hire, be sure to factor in at least 20 – 25% more to account for these extras.  

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