4 Ways to Save on Kitchen Rehabs

By Christina El Moussa

So you’ve bought a flip house and you’re ready to start rehabbing. You already know that you’re going to spend more on the kitchen and the master bath than on the other rooms, and you’re okay with that because those rooms sell houses. As you look at your budget, though, you can’t help but think how tight it is and how it could get completely ruined if something goes wrong or if you find something that needs more work than you originally thought. What do you do?

Well, in situations like these I like to look at the rooms that I know are going to be taking up a lot of my budget and find ways to save. Kitchen rehabs are incredibly important, but they don’t have to be super expensive. These are some of my favorite tips for saving on kitchen rehabs and still impressing your buyers.

Keep Your Cabinets and Drawers

This isn’t always possible, but a lot of the time you don’t have to buy new kitchen cabinets and drawers. A little bit of sanding, some paint, and some new hardware can make old kitchen furnishings like these look brand new. And it’ll cost you a lot less than tearing out your existing cabinets and buying new ones.

You Don’t Have to Go with Marble Countertops

Marble countertops are really luxurious and beautiful, but they’re also really expensive. Instead of splurging, take a look at some of your other options. While I don’t recommend a particleboard laminate like you see in a lot of rentals and houses built in the 80s, I do like quartz, granite, and some of the synthetic options out there. You can save a lot of money if you do a little bit of research, and you’ll still get material that’s beautiful and functional – it just won’t be quite so pricey.

Don’t Move Appliances or Sinks

You’re probably going to have to trash the old refrigerator and oven and buy new ones. That may be an unavoidable expense, but you can save money on your kitchen rehab by keeping all of your appliances, sinks, and faucets in the same place. This way you don’t have to get a plumber to come out and redo your pipes, and you won’t have to worry about running electricity or gas to another part of the kitchen.

If you design your new kitchen around these details, you’ll be able to “plug and play” with your new appliances and you won’t have to spend a lot of money or waste a lot of time redoing everything to get them into place.

Opt for Porcelain Tile for the Floor

Ceramic tile is beautiful, but it’s also expensive, so you should use it sparingly. Go with ceramic tile for your backsplash, but then opt for less expensive porcelain tile for your floor. Porcelain has come a long way, and it’s a great alternative to both ceramic and stone tile because it can be made to look like just about anything. I’m a huge fan of saving money with porcelain tile because you really don’t sacrifice anything when you go this route. Your floor will still look gorgeous – you just won’t spend as much on it.

Now you know my four favorite ways to save money on kitchen rehabs. Each of these tips will reduce your budget for your kitchen without reducing the quality of your rehab work, so you’ll still impress your buyers when it comes time for your open house. Try them out on your next house flip and see how much you can save!

4 Most Popular Home Styles for 2016
July 5, 2016

How to Determine What Financial Freedom Means to You
July 1, 2016

5 Things to Keep in Mind During Real Estate’s Hottest Season
June 29, 2016

The Do’s and Don’ts of Working With Friends
June 27, 2016

Cutting Costs Without Cutting Corners
June 23, 2016

4 Paint Colors to Avoid on a Flip
June 21, 2016