What Affects the Cost of a Kitchen Renovation More, Layout or Materials?

Knowing where to invest your kitchen budget can be invaluable to both cost saving and maximising performance. Two of the most significant cost-affecting areas of a kitchen renovation are its layout and materials. Both can have a substantial impact on its appearance and usability, but one can certainly rack up costs more than the other…

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So How Does Layout Affect Cost? 

Your kitchen’s layout defines the positioning of all your fixtures, furniture, and appliances. It dictates the ebb and flow of your kitchen, making sure that everything you need is placed smartly, efficiently, and conveniently. Typical kitchen layouts include: single wall, galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, peninsula, and island.

Size

Single wall kitchens take up the least real estate, and condense the essentials onto a single benchtop. A galley kitchen uses two parallel benchtops with moving space in between, while an L-shaped kitchen uses a single benchtop with a 90-degree bend.

They take up more space than the single wall style but typically less than the rest. U-shaped kitchens surround you on three sides, while the G-shaped peninsula is nearly entirely enclosed. Kitchens with an island feature a separate, freestanding bench unit and can enhance any of the aforementioned styles.

Layout & Area

The more benchtop area used, the more expensive a kitchen is typically going to be; as it doesn’t simply demand more benchtop material, but also the unit’s cabinetry and hardware. Of course, all that extra room also needs something to occupy it – you’d be hard-pressed to not use it for more appliances.

Many kitchen renovations choose to retain the same layout, which would be the most cost effective. This is because there would be no need to reposition plumbing and electrical services and fewer design considerations need to be made. Because it is replacing an existing platform that “works”, reduced labour is required to get everything operational, which keeps costs down.

Positioning & Services

A new layout can introduce drastic changes to the positioning and delivery of services and may require extensive use of specialists. More work is also required in the design stage, which needs to ensure the proposed layout is functional and practical rather than simply improving on an existing layout.

Extensive layout changes can extend past your original kitchen area and require additional home work to be realised. Breaking down walls and columns is commonplace for large-scale renovations that accommodate complex arrangements or even a scullery. These can also come with hidden costs in the form of discoveries such as asbestos, structural issues, or outdated wiring.

What About Materials? 

 It can be sneaky how subtle changes in material can ramp up kitchen costs. Choosing high end materials can make even single wall layouts fetch hefty price tags. The two major areas that can eat up your budget are the benchtop and cabinetry, but smart selection and efficient planning can cut down costs while looking akin to more premium offerings. Elsewhere, the floor, splashback, and accessories can also vary in material price.

To clean like a pro, treat each material differently and use gentle solutions that won’t damage the surface. A mild soap and warm water, or a dedicated cabinet cleaning solution is ideal. Knowing your cabinets’ materials and cleaning accordingly can save you a lot of stress and work.

Benchtop

Chiefly among renovators’ minds is the kitchen benchtop. Oft seen as the centrepiece of one’s kitchen, it comes as no surprise that a hefty amount of the budget is dedicated to the bench. Laminate benchtops are the cheapest and provide excellent value for money. Engineered stone is a popular mid-range choices that may require maintenance. Porcelain is expensive, but with performance to justify its price.

Cabinetry

Cabinetry also has the potential to quickly drive up costs. Here, materials typically come in the form of the core material and the finish. For the core, particleboard is the cheapest but also the weakest. MDF strikes a good balance between durability, price, and finish variety. At the high-end, real wood is a pricey yet premium option. For the finish, melamine is affordable with a good range of aesthetics. Acrylic and veneer are pricier but offer unique looks. At the top, solid timber once again proves to be a first-class option.

Splashback

The splashback also has a diverse number of options, with tile being the cheapest yet perhaps the most versatile. Even within tile options, price can still vary drastically depending on material. Glass, stainless steel, and engineered stone are all valid mid-range choices. Porcelain makes another appearance as an expensive choice here. Elsewhere, the little things such as handle materials and cabinet systems can slowly add to the price.

Overall, the price of changing your layout depends entirely on how drastic an upheaval it is of your existing kitchen. Changes to your services and structure will be expensive, but with little room to blow past your quote. Larger layouts also mean more materials and labour.

Material selection can sneakily eat away at your budget over time. Opting for the next level up can make even simple layouts fetch a premium price. Layout changes have greater potential for necessary budget overrun, while material changes often come down to temptation, but can you really resist that shiny new benchtop?