There are many reasons to add a bonus room to your house. The addition of a bonus room helps to increase square footage and property value, makes living space for additional family members, provides additional storage space, and gives your home some new life. But regardless of why you’re choosing to add a bonus room to your house, one thing is certain: it will be a significant investment in your future and the future of your home, with a significant associated cost. If you’re wondering “how much does a bonus room cost,” read on.

Average Cost of Adding a Bonus Room to Your House

Like any major home improvement, the costs of home extensions are significant. Based on the most recent data, the national average cost for building a home addition or extensions is about $42,000, with the range extending from $21,000-$65,000.

Some extensions on the smaller scale, and in which there was a setup primed for new construction, have been reported to have cost less than $10,000.

At a minimum, you should expect that adding a bonus room will cost at least $15,000-$20,000, but you should expect to spend more than the minimum, especially depending on the size of your addition.

Factors that Affect the Cost of Adding a Bonus Room

Of course, there are many individual factors that affect the cost of adding a bonus room that can sway this average number up or down.

Probably the biggest factor is the size of your bonus room, specifically square footage. According to Salter Spiral Stair, the approximate cost of adding a bonus room (specifically over your garage) is approximately $350 per square foot. So, the more square footage you want to add, the more you can expect your bonus room to cost

Another factor that impacts how much your bonus room will cost is the materials that you decide to use. There are standard materials that will have to be used as part of almost every bonus room addition project, such as insulation and standard building materials. But costs can creep up depending on how you decide to decorate and furnish your finished room. For example, what kind of flooring will you be using? What quality of paint and primer would you like to see on the walls? Are you going to adding baseboards? Crown molding? Any finishing touches? All these details can add up quickly to contribute to the overall cost of your bonus room.

In addition, the existing condition of your additional space will also play a role in how much your bonus room costs. For instance, if your addition requires you to make structural changes to the existing frame of your house, and the area where the bonus room will be built off of, then you can expect to pay more for those adjustments.

Lastly, you will have to pay for contractors and a team of specialists to help you complete the installation and construction of your bonus room. There are many projects that can fall into “DIY” territory, but adding a bonus room to your home is definitely not one of them. When it comes to making long-term adjustments to your home, and making a significant investment in your future, you’re going to want to choose a team of experts to help you get the job done well.

How to Save Money On Your Bonus Room Addition

Bonus rooms can cost at least $10,000-$20,000, and probably more, depending on the factors mentioned above. However, there are steps that you can take to keep costs down and work within the budget that you have set.

First of all, when it comes to deciding where and how to build your bonus room, your most cost-efficient option is going to be to work within the space that you already have. A great way to do this is by building “up” instead of “out,” meaning building your addition on top of the existing space of your home, like above the garage, or another room of your home that can easily withstand building on top of. If you’re able to work with your home’s existing structure, you will save yourself unnecessary costs.

Secondly, another place where you can save costs is by getting a quote from different contractors before beginning work. It pays (quite literally) to shop around, so ask friends and family for their recommendations, do your research, and make some inquiries. It doesn’t hurt to get quotes from a number of different building companies. That’s one of the best ways to ensure you aren’t overpaying for labor.

In addition, once you get to the stage of selecting materials, you can save costs by taking the time to research and price out different material options, instead of just going with the first ones you find. The great news about any home renovation, improvement, or addition project is that there’s no shortage of materials for you to choose from. And today, manufacturers are able to create affordable decor and design elements that resemble high-end products, but at a much more budget-friendly price. Either way, it’s a good rule of thumb to have more than one option for each material your new bonus room will need (like flooring, paint, finishes, etc). That way, if something unexpected happens during construction, you already have a backup option selected that you like, and you can still feel confident that you are creating the bonus room of your dreams.

How Much Value Does a Bonus Room Add to a House?

Another big question that homeowners have as they begin the deliberation process of whether or not they should add a bonus room to their house is how much value will it add? Whether you’re looking at your bonus room addition as an investment, or you’re planning to add the room to improve resale or rental value, these numbers are important.

Generally, the addition of square footage will pretty much always add value to a home. On average, you can expect your bonus room to add anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 in monetary value to your home, although it is very hard to put an official number on this quality since the market is always changing and every home is different. As a rule of thumb, if it adds value for you, it will add value for someone else.

Specifically with rentals, if you are able to add on another full bedroom (and a bathroom too), then you will see the desirability of your property go way up in the market, and you can end up charging tenants more.

Options for Adding a Bonus Room to Your House

Depending on where you decide to add on your bonus room to your home, the costs may vary slightly. Here are some of the most popular options for adding a bonus room to your house.

Adding a Bonus Room Above the Garage

If your home has a single-level garage, then one of the best places to add your bonus room is above as a garage addition. This way, you don’t have to worry about finding new land on your property to build on, since you’ll be building up and not out. Over-the-garage additions also have a positive impact on the desirability, curb appeal, and value of your home. A typical two-car garage is about 24 feet by 24 feet, or bigger, so adding a nicely finished garage bonus room can greatly improve not only the aesthetic but also the home’s resale value.

Adding a Bonus Room Above an Existing Bedroom or Room

Building up is always a great option, and if you build on top of an existing bedroom or family room, even better. This provides a unique opportunity to connect rooms by installing a fun staircase, which is always a striking feature of any home!

One of the only downsides of building your bonus room on top of an existing area of your home is that it may temporarily displace residents. Unlike building a bonus room above a garage (where people aren’t spending time during the day), building a bonus room above a more lived-in area of your home may create more disruption throughout the renovation period. But a short term discomfort can be well-worth the long-term value of your new home addition, and the joy it brings you and your family.

Adding a Bonus Room As a “Build Out”

Another way that you can choose to add a bonus room to your home is by “building out” from your existing home’s perimeter onto your land. There may be a part of your land that lends itself naturally to this, whether there’s already cleared space to build onto and a room that would flow naturally into another, new room.

However, this option can be much trickier than “building up.” For starters, you need to make sure that you have the space to build onto. If your surrounding lawn and property aren’t that big, then this will immediately present a problem. There are also external factors to worry about – any time you decide to expand the current perimeter of your home, realize that there may be other agencies that need to get involved. For example, depending on where you live, there may be restrictions for the property you aren’t aware of, or the city where you live might require a building permit. If you do decide to build out for your addition, you should absolutely do this research ahead of time to prevent any unnecessary headache.

Adding a Bonus Room As a Detached Unit

A final way that you could add a bonus room to your home is as a completely detached unit – like a “granny flat” or even a “she shed.” These are truly unique ways to expand the square footage of your property, while also creating an opportunity for rental property, or maybe a new home office (and a potential tax write-off).

This option can be truly valuable to your family (for visiting guests and older family members to have their own space), but it’s also one of the most expensive ways to add a bonus room or unit to your home. Typically “granny flats” serve as tiny houses, with their own amenities, including a kitchen and bathroom, so you would be paying for new plumbing, electrical wiring, and other structural must-haves as part of this construction. But, if it serves your family and your needs, creating a detached unit “granny flat”-style bonus room can be a great move in the long-term.

Another option is to create a detached unit more in line with the setup of a “she shed,” which is basically a single room hideaway equipped with furniture, a desk, or even a daybed – whatever fits the needs of the intended occupant for space. Whether it be a small home office, living area or small extra bedroom, a she-shed serves a great purpose. She-sheds (the female equivalent of the “man cave”) have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years as an outlet for women who work from their homes or need a space of their own.

As you can see, there are significant initial costs associated with adding a bonus room to your home, but with the right strategy, not only can you keep costs down, but you can also expect to see a sizable return on investment from your project.

Your home is one of your largest investments. And, like any investment, it needs to be taken care of. But, a home is a big project- where do you start? And how can you make sure you’re doing the right things, year in and year out, to keep your home in tip-top shape? Here’s a home maintenance checklist to help you take care of every part of your home throughout the year.

Interior Home Maintenance

You see the inside of your home a lot more than you see the outside of your home, so this is where your checklist of maintenance tasks begins. Here are the major components of your home interior that need to be maintained, and how often you should be checking up on them.

Circulation Maintenance

One of the important systems to keep an eye on is your home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. You should be inspecting your HVAC filter on a monthly to bi-monthly basis – this frequency can vary depending on the size of your home and how often you clean and vacuum up dust. Minor HVAC updates are easy, but replacements are a pain, so staying on top of maintenance for your HVAC system is crucial for the overall health of your home (and your budget). After inspecting your HVAC filter, if you find that it’s dirty, you can replace it with a relatively inexpensive one. If your filter is clean, then you’re good for another month.

Speaking of heating – if you live in an area where winters are particularly brutal, make sure you are doing seasonal home maintenance services on your heating system and preparing it for winter. These can cost an arm and a leg. You should get your furnace serviced and/or inspected at least every other year. Making sure that your furnace filter is clean and removing dust build-up, will help ensure your home is using heat as efficiently as possible. You can also take the easy step of making sure that both heating and AC vents are never blocked, which can be a safety hazard, especially in their peak seasons of use. And if your home has a chimney, you’ll want to make sure that that is seasonally inspected for safety as well, whether you are using it regularly or not.

Like your HVAC system, your water line is also an important element of your home that you need to keep an eye on. For the most part, your water line itself shouldn’t give you much trouble, but it’s in your home’s best interests to make sure that you are checking your water heater pressure relief valve, at least twice a year. This will help your heater run more efficiently (which will help you keep your energy bill at a healthy level), as well as prevent mineral and corrosion buildup, and help protect against leaks (Art of Manliness).

Overall, one of the best things you can do for your home is to keep it clean. Regularly cleaning and not letting dust, grime, and dirt build up over time will benefit the health of your home, as well as the people living in it! Aim to vacuum and sweep floors on a weekly basis to prevent the buildup of dust, and dust walls, windows and other nooks and crannies at least monthly.

Kitchen Maintenance

There are a few high priority areas in your kitchen that you need to maintain regularly for a healthy home. For example, anything related to the sink and plumbing is important to stay on top of. The last thing you want is a leak or inefficient drainage that leads to a damaging pipe flood (even a tiny leak can cause a ton of water damage!)

Stay on top of your sink maintenance by frequently cleaning out the garbage disposal (beyond just “running it”). One of the best ways to do this, according to Art of Manliness, is with vinegar ice cubes; “put some vinegar in an ice tray and let it freeze, then run the ice cubes through the disposal.” The vinegar keeps your garbage disposal fresh and also sharpens the blades to help with future draining. Flushing with hot water and baking soda is another popular disposal-cleaning option.

One to two times a year, clean the kitchen exhaust fan, or range hood filter. Or if your kitchen exhaust fan is getting a lot of use, you may want to upgrade this timeline to quarterly. The best way to clean a greasy range hood and filter is by using a cleaner/degreaser like “Super Clean.” Simply spray the product on the filter and let it sit for about five minutes before rinsing. This video offers a great tutorial.

If you’ve had your home for a few years, or certain appliances and structures are especially dated, it may be a better use of your time and money consider upgrading and remodeling your kitchen versus doing continual maintenance on a sink, or cabinet set up that you don’t love anymore.

Bathroom Maintenance

The bathrooms are the workhorse of your home – they are subjected to water, wear and tear, often on a daily basis. So, it’s important that you keep up regular maintenance in your bathrooms to prevent long-term water damage.

Make sure that bathrooms and commonly used areas are wiped up and disinfected often – weekly is a good goal. This includes the sink and other fixtures where water can accumulate and leave grime. Inspect grout and tile in these areas and repair it as needed to make sure that sealants are working properly, and keeping water out of unwanted areas. Take a good look at your tubs and sinks for stubborn debris and make sure drains are un-clogged on a monthly basis.

Leaks are a homeowner’s worst nightmare, so on a yearly basis, you should be checking toilets and faucets for any small leaks. In general, anything related to plumbing and water circulation in your home should be checked fairly regularly. For example, checking the water softener, cleaning faucet aerators and shower heads to remove mineral deposits, and unclogging any drains should be done on a monthly to bi-monthly basis, according to Better Homes & Gardens.

If you live in a home with multiple bathrooms, some of which you may not use regularly (like a guest bathroom), it’s important to make sure you’re still running water and flushing the toilets in these bathrooms every so often to prevent build-up and grime. Quarterly should work fine for most of these cases.

Window Maintenance

While windows technically appear on both the exterior and the interior of the house, they are of great importance to your interior home quality of life, as well as to increasing the resale value of your home. If you are looking to sell your home, then upgrading or updating your windows can be a great move. In addition, making sure windows are working effectively (keeping out/in air, noise, and unwanted pests) is of utmost importance to the health of your home.

Be sure to inspect your windows every six months or so, including window screens. Damaged window screens should be replaced quickly to prevent further issues. And any leaks should be sealed by caulking or weather stripping.

Exterior Home Maintenance

The exterior of your home is equally as important as the interior of your home. Not only does your home’s exterior provide curb appeal, but it also provides protection of your home’s interior from the elements! Here are some home maintenance tips for the exterior of your home.

On a yearly basis (usually in the summer is recommended), take a good look at the exterior of your house, including the paint, the siding, the roofing, and other details (like the doors and windows). Make note of cosmetic improvements that may need to be made, like paint chips, as well as more serious potential issues, like cracks in the foundation of your home. Repair these serious issues in a timely manner.

Summer is the best time of year to make improvements to your home’s exterior. If you have a deck or other outdoor area that’s gotten particularly dirty, summer is a perfect time to rent or employ a power washer to make that deck shine again. You can also power wash the exterior of your home to make it look sparkling bright again (depending on material). And if anything needs repainting or retouching, summer is the time to do it.

Another great task for the summer is cleaning out your gutters and downspouts – although depending on where you live and the weather, this may need to be a quarterly task. Winter and fall can be especially tough on gutters since snow, leaves and other debris tends to accumulate during these cold weather months. Don’t let this material settle into your gutters, and ensure regular maintenance by cleaning it out every couple months.

Speaking of water direction, especially if you live in an area that gets a lot of annual rain, it’s important to stay on top of the prevalence of standing water near your home. All houses and landscapes are ideally constructed in a way in which rainwater flows away from (not towards the house). As a result of this design, puddles caused by rainwater should disappear over the course of 24 hours. If they do not, then you may have a grading issue, which can be resolved in a number of ways. The important thing is to resolve it so your home does not develop drainage problems.  

Landscaping Maintenance

Landscaping should also be assessed on a biannual-to-yearly basis. Especially if you have trees surrounding your home, make sure that roots are not growing invasively, or branches are not hanging in a potentially hazardous way. As trees grow, it’s common that they will continue to impede on surrounding territory, which may include power lines, neighboring property and more. If you have especially tall trees, trim unsafe branches often to prevent accidents from a sudden fall, which can happen often during summer rainstorms and other inclement weather.

In addition, use ideal seasons to maintain and nurture your greenery. In the spring, rake up any leftover leaves from the winter, and laying down mulch in any flowerbed and other garden areas. This is a crucial step, since “a thin layer of mulch will protect plants from drought and keep weeds at bay,” according to the New York Times. Spring is also the perfect time to do any maintenance and improvement to your lawn itself, like if it needs reseeding or some extra watering treatment.

Safety Maintenance

Finally, you should make sure that your home safety measures are up to date. These can be the first line of defense in protecting your home from a major accident or hazard.

So, make sure that you first have carbon monoxide and smoke detectors installed in your home. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that you have at least one smoke detector installed “inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.” Carbon monoxide detectors should follow the same rules; you should at least have one on every floor of the house.

Test these detectors quarterly. Most carbon monoxide and smoke detectors have a “test” button installed that you can press to make sure they’re working properly. If you find that they’re not (although most detectors will let you know when their batteries are low), simply replace the batteries and test again.

You should also make sure your home has at least one fire extinguisher on the premises, and that it is in working condition. Most fire extinguishers last 5-15 years, and they almost always have a listed expiration date that you should check annually to ensure that your fire extinguisher is still functional and can aid you in case of emergency.

With this checklist of maintenance tasks, you should be armed with all the information you need to keep your house in good condition and safe, both on the inside and the outside. If you take care of your house, it will take care of you for years and years to come.

Whether your home has a basement and you’re looking to install new flooring, or you’re looking to add a new basement onto your home, the type of flooring you choose is important! Basements have a very unique set of elements that they deal with, including moisture and extreme temperatures, and flooring needs to be able to stand up to all of them. Here’s an overview of the best types of flooring for basements to help guide your decision-making process.

Carpet

One of the most historically popular flooring materials for basements is carpet. According to the National Association of Home Builders, “more than 28% of basement floors in newly built homes are finished with carpeting.” Here are the pros and cons of using carpeting in your basement.

Pros of Carpet Floors in Basements

Here are some of the major benefits of choosing carpet for your basement flooring.

Warm Underfoot: The obvious benefit of using carpet in the basement is the warmth. Since basements are located underneath your house and underground, they’re more susceptible to cool temperatures, which can mean cold floors. Carpeting helps to provide a buffer against these cold temperatures, by insulating the room from the ground up, and also keep the ground warm underfoot. If you opt for carpeting your basement floor, you can usually get away without needing any sort of radiant heating, which also helps with cost-savings.

Cost-Efficient: As far as costs go, carpeting is one of the cheapest options out there for full coverage of your basement space. But this varies greatly depending on the style and thickness of the carpet. Standard low-pile carpets are highly cost-efficient, but if you upgrade to thicker carpeting, you can expect to pay a lot more.

Great for Kids: If you have young children that you expect to spend a lot of time in the basement, carpeting is a safe bet, since it’s naturally cushioned. Especially if your children are at an age where they are spending a lot of time playing on the floor, carpet flooring will give them more padding.

Sound-Prohibitive: Even though the basement is situated away from the main area of the house, if you’re sending kids down there to play, or if you have any sort of deluxe sound system in your basement, you are going to want to make sure you have sufficient noise-proofing measures in place. Carpet works well as a basement flooring option for this reason – it helps to absorb noise so what happens in the basement is only heard in the basement (and vice versa for the rest of the house).

Cons of Carpet Floors in Basements

There are a few drawbacks of basement carpeting that should be taken into account. Here are the major “cons” of carpeting in basements.

Not Ideal for Moisture: If you live in an area with high humidity or potential for flooding, then the carpet is not going to be your best choice for basement flooring. There’s a reason why carpeting isn’t often used in bathrooms: carpet and water do not mix well. If it gets wet, carpet takes a long time to try, and mold growth can occur if water sits too long in carpeted places, which can be a huge problem.

Staining: If you have young children (or any family members who are at all messy), then you’ll need to worry about staining with carpeted basement floors. Most of the time, cleaning maintenance won’t be a huge hassle with carpeting – a weekly or biweekly vacuuming can keep carpets in good shape. But, spills are a different issue. Especially if they aren’t caught and cleaned up right away, spills can turn into hard-to-remove stains on your carpet floor.

Vinyl Flooring

Another popular flooring option, both in basements and in main areas of the house is vinyl flooring. Vinyl is available in many different forms for flooring, but the most popular option by far today is luxury vinyl flooring. Here’s what you need to know about the pros and cons of luxury vinyl flooring.

Pros of Vinyl Flooring in Basements

Vinyl flooring has a number of general benefits and some that apply specifically to basements. Here are the primary benefits of vinyl flooring you should know about.

Highly Durable: One of the main benefits of vinyl flooring, whether it’s sheet vinyl or luxury vinyl flooring, is that it’s highly durable. Vinyl flooring has been around for a long time for this reason – it continues to stand the test of time in terms of durability and strength. It’s highly resistant to scuff marks, scratches, and gouges (and even more so if you opt for luxury vinyl flooring, which is virtually indestructible).

Water-Resistant/Water-proof:

Vinyl floorings’ primary benefit is that it’s water resistant, but luxury vinyl flooring offers a distinct advantage of being entirely waterproof. As such, this makes luxury vinyl flooring a perfect choice for areas within the home that receive plenty of exposure to moisture such as the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, and etc. Laminate or engineered hardwood isn’t as ideal because they both can be ruined from moisture, however, engineered vinyl plank can provide waterproof flooring while still offering the look of true hardwood floors.

Easy to Maintain: Vinyl flooring also offers the benefit of being easy to clean. Since it’s water resistant or waterproof, depending on the style you choose, you don’t need to worry about spills causing damage, and you can easily wipe them up. In addition, many luxury vinyl flooring options come equipped with a protective wear layer that makes maintenance even easier: all you need to do is sweep or mop on an as-needed basis.

Endless Options: Vinyl is highly versatile. No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find a vinyl flooring option that fits your design aesthetic and needs. Luxury vinyl alone comes in planks, sheets, and tiles, and in many cases, is designed to look almost exactly like true hardwood, so you can get the beauty of wood floors without the hassle.

Cons of Vinyl Flooring in Basements

In addition to the benefits, there are a few potential downsides of vinyl flooring that you should be aware of.

Moderate Costs: Depending on what kind of vinyl flooring you go with, costs vary. Vinyl sheet flooring tends to be a cheaper option, but higher quality luxury vinyl flooring (especially if it’s thicker) can add up to a greater cost. Careful Installation: Another reason why vinyl flooring is great for basements is that it is very easily installed over a concrete floor, which is a foundational element of all basement floors. However, if you’re not careful throughout the installation process, and if you don’t ensure that your concrete slab is completely smoothed out, then it’s very possible that imperfections will show through the vinyl floor (especially if you’re using sheet vinyl or thin tiles), and potentially even damage the floor itself.

Ceramic Tile Flooring

Ceramic tile flooring is another popular option for basements: and with good reason! Ceramic tile is versatile and durable. Here’s what else you need to know about ceramic tile as a basement flooring option.

Pros of Ceramic Tile Flooring in Basements

Here are some of the top benefits to choosing ceramic tile, or porcelain tile, as one of your flooring options for a basement.

Easy Installation: Ceramic tile floors are one of the easiest types of flooring to install in the home, and they work especially well in basements since they install readily over a concrete slab (House Logic). You can install ceramic tiles on your own if you’re comfortable doing so, but you can easily hire a contractor to help you out for a reasonable price.

Longevity and Durability: Another benefit of ceramic tile is that it offers durable flooring for basements. Especially if they are installed properly and well-maintained, once you lay down your ceramic tile in the basement, you’ll likely never have to replace it.

Many Design Options: Ceramic tile comes in so many different varieties, colors, and sizes. You can even opt to order custom ceramic tiles if you want a truly unique floor for your basement. As far as flooring options go, ceramic and porcelain tile is one of the most versatile choices out there.

Water-friendly: Ceramic tile is an excellent option for basement flooring, specifically, since it does so well in contact with water. Ceramic tile easily dries out and will remain “undamaged in the event of flooding” (The Spruce). You’ll never have to worry about rot or mold and mildew with a ceramic tile floor in the basement.

Cons of Ceramic Tile Flooring in Basements

In addition to its benefits, ceramic tile also has some potential drawbacks that you should be aware of; here are the “cons” of ceramic tile as a basement flooring option.

Slip Potential: Ceramic tile has the potential to be slippery, especially if it’s exposed to moisture or condensation, which can be highly dangerous in the home (especially a home with small children or older family members). There are tile flooring options that come with an anti-slip finish, so if this is a concern for you but you have your heart set on ceramic tile flooring, consider upgrading to anti-slip for the surface. You can also mitigate the slip factor by using area rugs in your basement over the tile. This will help with comfort as well.

Hardness: Another potential drawback of this type of flooring is the hardness of the tile. Depending on what your basement is going to be used for, this could be a problem. For example, if it’s going to serve as a playroom for children, you might want to opt for a softer flooring option like carpet or vinyl.

Cold-Finish: Due to the hard nature of ceramic tile, this also translates to the material being very cold, naturally. And since basements have a tendency to be chilly, porcelain or ceramic tiles can enhance this drawback. However, the good news is that radiant heating can easily be installed underneath ceramic tile – it just will be an added cost for your home.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Another potential flooring option for your basement is engineered wood flooring. Engineered wood flooring is a variation of true hardwood, but it’s made up of several layers of true hardwood, plywood, high-density fiberboard, and other miscellaneous wood substitutes. This allows engineered wood flooring to be more durable and affordable than true hardwood but still provides that beautiful hardwood finish. Here’s what you need to know about engineered wood flooring as a basement floor option.

Pros of Engineered Wood Flooring in Basements

Engineered wood flooring offers many benefits as a basement flooring choice. Here’s a summary.

Visually Appealing: Since engineered wood flooring was created to resemble true hardwood (without the upkeep and malleability), it’s arguably the most beautiful flooring option out there, depending on your style and design preferences. Since engineered wood flooring uses a thin layer of actual hardwood to achieve this effect, you’re able to reap the benefits of the beautiful finished look of hardwood, but at a fraction of the cost.

Moisture-Resistant: Engineered wood flooring also offers the benefit of standing up to significant amounts of moisture. This is because the plywood within the planks is “more dimensionally stable than solid wood, allowing the planks to withstand temperature and moisture fluctuations without warping” (House Logic). If you live in an area with mild-humidity, then engineered wood flooring may be your perfect basement flooring option

Cons of Engineered Wood Flooring in Basements

Despite the luxurious appearance, there are a few potential drawbacks to engineered wood as a choice of flooring options for a basement.

Expensive: Compared to the other flooring options on this list, engineered wood flooring is likely going to be the most expensive option. It’s more affordable than true hardwood, but you can still expect to pay for quality. And if you live in an exceptionally humid area with lots of potential moisture exposure, it may not be worth the cost.

There are many different basement flooring options that you can choose from, each with their own set of pros and cons. Depending on your family structure, your desired aesthetic, and your intended use case for your basement, some of these flooring ideas may work better for you than others.

Your cabinets are a key part of your home’s kitchen, but from an aesthetic and functional standpoint – in most kitchen remodels and renovations, the cabinets alone can take up 40% of the total budget. So, if you’ve decided to upgrade or replace your kitchen cabinets, you have a big decision on your hands! Perfect kitchen cabinets are a worthwhile investment. Use these five tips to help you choose the perfect kitchen cabinets for your home.

1. Evaluate your existing kitchen storage space

The first step to choosing the perfect kitchen cabinets is to take a hard look at your existing kitchen space. Ask yourself: What do you currently like about your kitchen? Is it functional? Big enough? Your desired aesthetic? Answering these questions before diving into cabinet design and details will help you determine if just a cabinet refinish is the ideal solution for you, or if it’s worth it to undergo a full kitchen remodel.

Cabinets are certainly a key element of your kitchen, since they both store all your important items and also contribute significantly to the overall design aesthetic of your storage space. So if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen solely for functionality, cabinets are a good place to start. But if you’re planning to upgrade your cabinets for function’s sake, you will also want to consider the design impact as well. For example, if your current kitchen is a bit dated, and your cabinets are darker that you would like, then you can use your kitchen cabinet upgrade as an opportunity to completely overhaul the aesthetic of your cabinets, and maybe opt for something more modern, sleek, and bright like white cabinetry.

The point is to think carefully about what you’d like to change about your kitchen first, and then see how cabinets fit into that equation. The last thing you want is to move forward with new cabinet implementation, and then realize that your new cabinets completely clash with your existing design aesthetic. Do the work ahead of time to evaluate your existing kitchen space, and brainstorm all possible renovation options.

2. Determine Which of the 3 R’s You Want to Do

When it comes to upgrading your cabinets, you generally have three options of kitchen cabinet types: you can choose to refinish, resurface or replace your cabinets. Here’s the difference between each of these options to help you decided which one is best for you.

Refinishing

Refinishing is the cheapest option for breathing some new life into your kitchen cabinets. This process involves sanding down what is already there and painting or staining to obtain a new look. Here are the pros and cons of refinishing your kitchen cabinets.

Pros of Refinishing

If your cabinets are already in good condition, and you are pleased with the functionality, then refinishing your cabinets by adding a new coat of paint or stain is a good option to consider. If this is the case, the price of your kitchen cabinet project may not be that high.

• Refinishing cabinets is the least expensive cabinet upgrade option
• Refinishing cabinets can be done on your own – you don’t necessarily need to hire someone, which is another cost-saving bonus. If you’re an avid DIY-er, you may enjoy the refinishing process.
• Refinishing cabinets is a shorter process than either resurfacing and replacing, so it’s the best option if you are in a time crunch
• There are many options available if you want to refinish your cabinets, with several different stains, paint colors and glazes to choose from.

Cons of Refinishing

While refinishing cabinets is a great option, there are a few potential “cons” to take into account.

• Refinishing your cabinets is not the best long-term upgrade. If you’re really looking for a better functionality solution for your cabinets, refinishing the exterior won’t help – you may be better off investing your money in a long-term solution, like replacement.
• Not all cabinets can be repainted – if your cabinets are warped, severely chipped, or if they have dramatic grain patterns, the can be impossible to paint.

Resurfacing

Another option for creating your perfect kitchen cabinets is resurfacing (or “refacing”) your existing cabinets. The process of resurfacing involves changing out cabinet doors, or applying a new layer on top of existing cabinet doors to give them a fresh new face. The most common process is to reinforce existing cabinet frames with “durable ¼” plywood, then a veneer of real wood or maintenance-free laminate is applied over the plywood” (Kitchen Magic). Here are some of the pros and cons of resurfacing.

Pros of Resurfacing

If your existing cabinets are in decent condition but you’d like to update the appearance, resurfacing can be a great option that’s one level up from refinishing. Here are the major pros of resurfacing kitchen cabinets.

• Resurfacing is a permanent solution. Unlike repainting cabinets, which may chip or wear away over time, resurfacing cabinets is a more permanent upgrade solution.
• Most cabinets can easily be refaced – it’s a very accessible option.
• Resurfacing is cost-effective – it creates an impressive transformation at a fraction of the cost of new cabinet door installation.
• You can make some functionality adjustments to your cabinets during the resurfacing process, such as increasing height, changing out fixtures and hinges, and changing out drawers. You can also add in details like crown molding, glass panels, and more during this process, so there’s some more room for customization with resurfacing.
• Many colors and styles available – as is the case with all upgrade choices for your kitchen cabinetry, you can expect a variety of options to choose from with resurfacing.

Cons of Resurfacing

In addition to the many benefits, there are some potential disadvantages to consider for resurfacing your kitchen cabinets.

• Resurfacing is cheaper than new cabinet installation, but still an investment. According to The Spruce, generally refacing “costs about 50 percent of the cost of a new custom cabinet installation and about 70 to 80 percent of the cost of installing stock cabinets purchased off the shelf from home improvement centers.” You may be better off installing new stock cabinets, depending on what you are looking for.
• You cannot change the kitchen cabinets layout through resurfacing. If you have issues with the layout of your existing cabinet setup, then installing new cabinets is going to be a better option for you.
• The interior of cabinets does not get updated through the resurfacing process. If you want to add any shelving or organizational units, you will have to do that separate.

Replacing

The final option for choosing the perfect kitchen cabinets is completely replacing your existing kitchen cabinet setup with new kitchen cabinets. Replacing will be the best option for you if the cabinets you already have were low-quality to begin with; refacing or refinishing low quality cabinets will only delay the inevitable need for replacement. Here are some of the pros and cons to consider when it comes to replacing kitchen cabinets.

Pros of Replacing

Despite the costs, replacing kitchen cabinets is always going to be a great investment for your home. Here are the major advantages of replacing kitchen cabinets.

• Major kitchen upgrade – installing new cabinets in your kitchen instantly up-levels the design aesthetic, as well as the overall value of your home.
• You have several options to choose from when you replace your kitchen cabinets. Whether you want to go for stock, semi-custom, or custom cabinets, there are hundred, if not thousands, of choices.
• It’s the simplest choice to make. There’s something to be said for picking out new cabinets, and then paying for someone to install them. It’s a simple process for you, the homeowner, and you know it will be handled smoothly and by a team of professionals.

Cons of Replacing

While replacing your cabinets will guarantee a fresh new look and functionality, there are some cons to be considered before you make your decision.

• The obvious “con” of replacing kitchen cabinets is that it’s the most expensive upgrade option. Even if you choose to install new stock cabinets that you purchase from a local home goods store, you can still expect to pay around $4,000.
• Replacing kitchen cabinets is also a significant time investment, since in addition to the time of installation, you also have to factor in time for ordering new cabinets, removing existing cabinets, labor, and cleanup. If you are in a hurry, then installing new cabinets may not be your best option.
• You have to hire professionals (at least it is strongly recommended that you do) to complete the installation, which means additional costs.

3. Set your budget

At some point during the process of choosing your perfect kitchen cabinets, you will need to set (and stick to) a budget. It is best to take this step early on in the process, to make sure you’re not surprised by an unwelcome price tags down the road.

Especially if you are opting for total cabinet replacement, setting your budget will help you determine which new cabinet option will work best from you, between the choices of stock, semi-custom, and custom, which rank from least expensive to most expensive in that order. Stock cabinetry is generally highly affordable and offers plenty of options to choose from, but if you have more room in your budget, you can consider upping to semi-custom or custom cabinetry for a truly unique look. Having a better understanding of price range will help you budget your project more effectively.

4. Choose your kitchen cabinets styles and materials

Cabinets take up a lot of space in your kitchen, so you need to spend careful time and attention making sure you select a style and complementary materials that achieve your desired aesthetic. Below we review some of the most common options for kitchen cabinet styles and materials

Kitchen Cabinet Style Options

When it comes to styles of kitchen cabinets, there are many different customizations you can make, including:

• Framed or frameless? When it comes to kitchen cabinet styles you have two options for framing. Framed cabinets are what you would expect, with a box and face frame, while frameless cabinets (or European-style cabinets) don’t have a frame, so the doors and drawers connect directly to the cabinet box. Frameless cabinets tend to look more contemporary and can create a modern kitchen.
• Windows or no windows? Another customization option that has become more and more popular for kitchen cabinets in recents years is the use of windows or glass panes. The obvious advantage of this style is it gives the homeowner (and any guests) a glimpse into what is stored in each cabinet. This can also create a nice contemporary aesthetic.
• Any door details? Another style element that can have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of your kitchen is any door details you add to your cabinet faces. For example, you can implement arched cabinets or cathedral cabinets, to create a classic, cozy look.

Kitchen Cabinet Materials

Another important element is the kitchen cabinet material you end up choosing. Wood and wood-based materials are the most popular materials, followed by wood veneer, medium-dense fiberboard (MDF), and particle board.

There are several different options for wood that you can choose from when you’re ideating your perfect kitchen cabinets. For example, if you want a rich, dark finish for your kitchen cabinets, then a wood like cherry, mahogany, or red oak may provide the desired aesthetic you are looking for. If you want something lighter and brighter, then a wood like bamboo or hickory can provide that.

Once you choose your wood, you still have further choices by way of finish. You can choose to glaze your cabinets, leave the wood looking more natural and textured, or somewhere in between.

These are small decisions, but they cumulate in creating the design of your kitchen cabinets, and how they play into the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. If you have a specific theme to your kitchen’s decor, such as classic, contemporary, coastal, or industrial, then you will want to factor that into your cabinet style choices as well.

5. Decide on the details

Once you have the big pieces in play for your perfect kitchen cabinets, the final step is to decide on the details. Details include such elements as hardware (handles, knobs and hinges), which can provide a nice finishing touch to any kitchen look.

You can also consider any unique features that you want to install in your perfect kitchen cabinets, such as a “pullout trash can and built-in charging station” (Consumer Reports). You can also factor in details like installing soft-closing functionality on kitchen cabinet doors to prevent the sound of slamming doors. These are little things that make a big impact!

With this guide, you’ll be able to better navigate the process of ideating, selecting and installing your perfect kitchen cabinets. If you are looking for professionals to help with your cabinetry renovation, our San Diego home remodel experts are here to help. Contact Remodel Works today to learn more about our kitchen, home, and bathroom remodel services.

Sources:

https://blog.kitchenmagic.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-diy-cabinet-painting

https://www.kitchenmagic.com/cabinet-refacing

https://www.thespruce.com/cabinet-refacing-demystified-1822044

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/kitchen-cabinets/buying-guide/index.htm

https://www.foodnetwork.com/not-available.html

The process of remodeling your kitchen takes a lot of planning, time and effort. And there are many different moving pieces. One of the most significant elements of any kitchen remodel is the installation of the kitchen cabinets. Here’s how long it takes to install new kitchen cabinet doors , as well as some other frequently asked questions about kitchen cabinet installation.

Steps of Kitchen Cabinet Installation

To understand the process of “how long does it take to install kitchen cabinets,” it’s helpful to first get an understanding of the timeline of the process, and get a sense for how long each individual phase takes before choosing your kitchen cabinets . Here are the major steps of kitchen cabinet installation.

1. Plan Your Design

The first step of any redesign or remodel process is to gather inspiration and plan out the design. Depending on how many changes you are planning to make, and how long you’ve been thinking about executing the remodel (or the kitchen cabinet installation), the timeline of this step can vary greatly: anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months. This timeline shortens considerably if you enlist the help of an interior designer, who can help provide a vision and assistance on what specific kitchen cabinet options will best suit your desired look and feel.

Here are all the elements that you will need to consider as you map out your new kitchen cabinet installation:

Will you refinish, resurface, or replace your cabinets?

Depending on your budget, and exactly how great of a change you are looking to make in your existing cabinet setup, you may find you’d rather refinish or resurface your existing cabinets, instead of completely replacing them.

For the most part, refinishing or resurfacing cabinets is a cheaper option than installing brand new cabinets, and it can be significantly less complicated as well. If you are pleased with the functionality, size, and setup of your current kitchen cabinets, then an aesthetic upgrade by refinishing or resurfacing may be a better solution.

If you want to “start over” and rework the layout of your kitchen cabinets, or if your current cabinets are very old, then replacing them will be your best option. Decide which option will work best for you, and then you can begin to design and plan accordingly.

Do you need some design help?

If you are planning to do a full scale kitchen remodel, or a major kitchen cabinet rework, then it may make sense for you to enlist some extra help. This can be as simple as heading to your local home improvement store, perusing their selection of cabinetry, and striking up a conversation with one of their design team members.

You can also choose to seek out and hire the services of an interior designer, if you have the budget. This will cost you some extra money, but the benefit is that you will get recommendations that are completely customized to you and your space.

A third option is to work with a company that specifically deals with and specializes in remodels, whether in the kitchen, the bathroom, or other key areas of the home. If you’re interested in this option, you can always strike up a conversation, ask questions, and then get a quote for your project, no strings attached. You can even repeat this process with several remodeling vendors to compare quotes and price points – in fact, it is highly recommended that you do!

2. Decide on Your New Cabinets

Once you’ve determined which option between a new kitchen or a cabinet refinish will work best for you, decided if you are going to get some professional help with your remodel, and have locked down your initial design plan, it’s time to select your kitchen cabinet materials. This process will take about 1-2 weeks, depending on how quick of a decision maker you are.

Here are the elements you will need to consider as you decide on your new cabinets:

What material do you want your cabinets to be made out of?

There are many benefits and drawbacks associated with different types of kitchen cabinet materials. Hardwood is luxurious and durable, but expensive. Particleboard is affordable but can be weak and susceptible to sagging. At the end of the day, you’ll probably end up choosing a mix of materials, and if you decide to go with stock cabinets, your decision will be incredibly easy.

Do you want stock, custom, or semi-custom cabinets?

For the most part, kitchen cabinets can be purchased in three varieties: stock, custom or semi-custom. Stock kitchen cabinets are the most readily available to homeowners, and can be shopped for at your local hardware and home improvement store, or online. These types of cabinets are completely “buy as is,” and your installation team will install them directly. Stock cabinets are the most affordable option.

If you want something truly unique, and you have a sizeable budget, then you can consider custom cabinetry. Depending on how custom you want to get, you can even build cabinets completely from scratch with this option. But, it will cost you.

A great middle-ground option between stock and custom is semi-custom, which, as you can expect, is a more customized type of stock cabinet that you can choose to install in your home.

Take the time to decide what level of customization you need in your cabinets, and what fits in your price range.

What other aesthetic elements are important to you?

Your kitchen cabinets take up quite a bit of space in your kitchen, so you need to make sure you like the way they look. After deciding on material and your level of customization, think about any other aesthetic elements that you want to manipulate in the design and building process. For example, if you want to paint your cabinets a certain color to match your design aesthetic, or if you want to install custom fixtures for a special touch.

3. Hire Your Team

While it is probably possible for you to install your kitchen cabinets on your own it will be much more time efficient for you to hire a team of professionals to complete the installation process.

Reach out to family and friends, use review sites, and talk with your local home improvement vendors to find a contractor or cabinet installation specialist who can assist you with your specific needs. Depending on the level of specification you need, this process can take 2-7 days to find the right contractor for you.

Once you hire your team, make arrangements with them for when the installation will begin

4. Demo Day

Depending on which option you move forward with (refinishing, resurfacing, or replacing), you may have to completely remove your existing cabinet setup in order to install your new cabinets.

Fortunately, this is a pretty quick part of the process. Most demolitions for kitchen cabinet installation take less than a day, although it can take longer than a day if you are doing a full-scale kitchen remodel, and need to remove other pieces around the cabinets.

5. Install or Treat Your New Cabinets

Depending on which new cabinet option you’ve selected, you can expect a slightly different “installation” timeline for each.

How Long Does it Take to Install New Cabinets?

After you’ve done all the planning and prep work, the last step in the kitchen cabinet installation process is to actually install your new cabinets. Depending on the level of customization, and the unique setup of your kitchen, the length of time it actually takes to install your kitchen cabinets can vary. For the most part, it takes a week on average (usually closer to three working days)  to complete a new kitchen cabinet installation.

If you are just installing new kitchen cabinets’ doors, through either refinishing or resurfacing, then you can expect this process to take a much shorter amount of time. You won’t have to make nearly as many design choices. You won’t have to worry about ordering new cabinets at all. And you won’t have to worry about new materials.

How Long Does it Take to Refinish Cabinets?

If you’re opting to refinish your cabinets, you have the easiest task in front of you. On average, refinishing it takes about 3-5 days to complete, according to Ehow.com. This timeline involves: preparation, stripping, sanding, and finishing with paint. Of all those steps, sanding takes quite a lot of time and varies greatly on the type of wood or material of your cabinet doors. Painting, or finishing the application, should be expected to take at least two days.

How Long Does it Take to Resurface Cabinets?

If you’re opting to resurface your cabinets, you have a similar timeline ahead of you to refinishing. In almost all cases, it is recommended that you enlist the help of a professional to complete resurfacing your new kitchen cabinet doors. According to Home Advisor, “most refacing can be done in 2-4 days,” although this does depend on the size and efficiency of the company working on your installation. This 2-4 day timeline does not include any time you need to spend planning or ideating your ideal design.

Other Elements That Impact Timeline of Kitchen Cabinet Installation

In addition to the steps listed out above, here are some other elements that can potentially impact the timeline of your kitchen cabinet installation.

Do you need to order your cabinets?

If you find your perfect cabinet set, and you need to order them either online or in-store, you might need to add in some time for delivery.

How busy is your contractor?

If you are dead-set on a certain contractor, you will have to be flexible with their schedule and wait until they have availability to work on your specific project. If time is more important to you than who your contractor is, then be sure to ask that question during the vetting process.

Are you making any major layout changes?

If you’re opting for a stock cabinet tear-down and install, that’s fairly simple. But, if you’re looking to adjust the layout of your kitchen, and install a differently-shaped kitchen cabinet setup, then you can expect for this to take more time.

Are there any additional changes you want to make?

The process of completing a kitchen cabinet installation or remodel takes a lot of time and effort, so you might as well make any other changes you’ve been considering for a while during the process. For example, if you want to install new flooring, or a new backsplash, or upgrade your appliances, you can easily enlist the help of a contractor to perform that work in addition to your kitchen cabinet upgrades.

Plus, the kitchen cabinet installation process is messy – you can expect lots of dust and exposed walls during the process. Capitalize on this teardown period to create the kitchen you’ve always dreamed of. Otherwise, it will probably be a long time until you’re ready to go through the process of hiring a contractor, demo-ing your space, and overturning your daily routine, all over again.

In Summary: How Long Does it Take to Install Kitchen Cabinets?

While the process of physically installing new kitchen cabinets can take about a week, the process of ideating your design, selecting materials, demolishing your existing setup, and fine-tuning details can take anywhere from two weeks to six months.

Either way, this is a decision that shouldn’t be rushed. Regardless of your worries around “how long does it take to install cabinets,” take your time to decide which styles, materials, and price options work best for you and your family. Do your best to enjoy the process, and keep the kitchen remodel process a positive one, where you are happy with the end result. Kitchen cabinets are truly an investment, so you want to make sure you completely love the final product. To learn more about kitchen and bathroom remodels, please contact our San Diego renovation experts at Remodel Works today.

Sources:

https://www.ehow.com/info_8317132_long-refinish-cabinets.html

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2693597/how-long-should-cabinet-install-take

https://sebringdesignbuild.com/how-long-does-a-kitchen-remodel-really-take-a-realistic-schedule/

If you are looking to replace or install new kitchen cabinets, there are a number of factors you’ll need to consider, including look, finish, size, and of course price. In this article, we will review the average kitchen cabinets’ cost, as well as factors that affect price, and affordable alternatives to new cabinets.

Average Price for New Kitchen Cabinets

While the cost to install or replace kitchen cabinets will vary based on the project, the overall average cost of installing new cabinets is $4,000-$6,000.

In the scope of a larger scale kitchen remodel, installing new cabinets typically takes up about 40% of most kitchen remodel costs, according to Better Homes & Gardens. In the scope of your kitchen, your cabinets, which include upper and lower cabinets, as well as all drawers, take up a lot of space. So the high percentage of total cost in understandable.

Suffice it to say that your kitchen cabinets are a long-term investment. You can expect to put down a decent amount of money, but to fully understand the process, let’s break down each of the factors that affect the kitchen cabinets price breakdown.

Factors that Affect Kitchen Cabinets Cost

There are a number of specific factors that affect the total cost of kitchen cabinets. Here are the most signficant price factors you can expect to encounter.

Removing Existing or Old Cabinets

To install new kitchen cabinets, you must first get rid of your old or existing cabinets. While this is something that you can do yourself, if you are into “do it yourself” projects, most homeowners opt to have a professional remove existing cabinetry. Especially since the tear down and removal process can be quite extensive, and you don’t want to run the risk of damaging a surrounding wall, kitchen counter, or other element that juts up against the old cabinet.

Plus, many cabinet installation professionals and contractors will bundle in the cost of removing existing cabinets into your overall project cost, and even then, it won’t cost you very much. On average, the cost of professional kitchen cabinet removal is $300, but that number can fluctuate higher or lower depending on the size of your kitchen, the intensity of the cabinet setup, and other miscellaneous factors.

There’s no way to skirt the cost of removing your existing cabinets – in order to install new cabinets, you must remove the existing ones. However, if you’d rather not go through the hassle of teardown and rebuild, then you can also consider the option of refacing or refinishing your current cabinets, which will be detailed later on.

Cost of Installation

Similar to removal of existing cabinets, you will also have to pay for the installation of your new cabinets. This is a job that should be reserved for professional installation specialists who have been trained to install cabinets both securely and safely.

The average cost for kitchen cabinet installation ranges from $3,000-$4000, but installation costs will depend on the size of your project, and the rates of your specific contractor.  As a rule of thumb from Cliq Studios, you can expect the installation cost to be 50% of the total cost of your new cabinets.

Customizations

One factor for kitchen cabinet cost that you have significantly more control over is the level of customization you choose for your new cabinets.

While most homeowners choose ready-made or “stock” cabinets that can easily fit into their existing kitchen design, you can opt to buy custom cabinets and create them specifically to match your home. Of course, choosing custom kitchen cabinet styles is the most expensive kitchen cabinet option. According to HGTV, you can expect to pay around $500 and $1,200 per linear foot for custom cabinets, with the average custom kitchen cabinet unit landing around $800.

If you’re looking for the most affordable option, then your best choice is stock cabinets. Stock cabinets are also the easiest to find, either from large home improvement and furniture retailers or online. These types of cabinets are fully prefabricated and sold as-is by these retailers. Stock cabinets are also the best choice if you are on a tight timeline, as you can usually take them home same-day, or within a few days at the most. For this reason, stock cabinets are favored by the majority of homeowners, as well as those in the home improvement and house-flipping business.

Compared to custom cabinets, stock cabinets are significantly cheaper, with the an average cost per linear foot at around $60 to $200 per linear foot. So you can see why many homeowners favor this price range! Plus, even though they are “stock,” there are so many options available for purchase today in the stock cabinet space, so you’ll likely be able to find something that fits both your budget and your aesthetic, no matter what you are looking for.

If you’re looking for something in between stock cabinets and the price of custom cabinets, the third option you can choose is semi-custom cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets allow for slightly more customization, so they can be a nice in-between option for homeowners looking to create something unique with lots of storage space.

Like custom cabinets, semi-custom cabinets typically require a longer lead-time for build and assembly. From a pricing standpoint, semi-custom cabinets range from $100 to $650 per linear foot, according to HGTV, so they provide a nice financial middleground between stock and custom kitchen cabinetry.

When we look at all three kitchen cabinet options side by side, and add up costs for an average-sized kitchen, here is the average cost of new kitchen cabinets for an average kitchen for each cabinet type:

Type of Cabinets	Average Cost of Kitchen Cabinets in 150 Square Foot Kitchen
Stock Cabinets	$3,000-$4,000
Semi-Custom Cabinets	$6,000-$9,000
Custom Cabinets	$15,000-$20,000

Data supplied by Cliq Studios

Choice of Materials

An additional factor under the umbrella of types of kitchen cabinets that will affect the price for kitchen cabinets  – whether you opt for stock, custom or semi-custom cabinets – is materials.

When it comes to kitchen cabinets, wood and wood-based materials are the most popular for construction. The most popular materials for kitchen cabinets  include: hardwood, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, and wood veneer.

Over the years, hardwood has come to be the most popular type of materials for high quality kitchen cabinets. But since hardwood is expensive, and also more pliable and less water-resistant than other types of woods, it is typically paired with other materials, or applied as a veneer over a plywood or veneer base.

Some different types of hardwood options available for kitchen cabinets according to Better Homes & Gardens, are red oak, white oak, hard maple, hickory, cherry, birch, ash and pine.

True hardwood kitchen cabinets are appealing, but your best bet is to opt for an engineered wood material or composite wood product, where you still get the benefit of the hardwood finish and look, but also the durability of an engineered product. Plus, true hardwood or plywood cabinet boxes tend to be more expensive than engineered materials, so you can save money on your bottom line by opting for engineered material cabinets.

Size of Kitchen

A major factor that will affect the cost of kitchen cabinetry installation is the size of your kitchen. It may seem obvious, but installing cabinets in a larger kitchen will cost more money than installing the same type of cabinets in a smaller kitchen.

If you want to determine the number of cabinets that your kitchen will need, and get a benchmark of cost based on just the size of your kitchen alone, follow this formula from ImproveNet: measure how many linear feet require cabinetry, and then, “multiply that number by $100 for basic cabinets, $200 for mid-range cabinets and $300 for upscale or custom cabinets.”

Other Factors Affecting Kitchen Cabinets Cost

In addition to the factors listed above that affect kitchen cabinets price, you should also consider your geographic region and home location, as well as how quickly you need the project done by. Anytime you need to “rush” a project, you can expect increased costs. Same goes for if you live in a particularly affluent neighborhood or region.

Other Options for Kitchen Cabinets

If you’re not ready to fully commit to brand new kitchen cabinets, you have other options you can pursue. Namely, you can choose to refine your existing kitchen cabinet setup by either refacing or resurfacing. Here we break down the differences between each on.

Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

Rather than replacing kitchen cabinets, you can just reface them by applying a new veneer covering to your existing cabinet setup. The full range of refacing varies from project to project, but refacing typically includes all exposed parts of the cabinet frames, the kitchen cabinet doors  and fronts of cabinet drawers.

There are three options for cabinet refacing when it comes to materials you can choose from. In order of highest quality and most expensive to least, they are:

1. Solid Wood
2. Laminate
3. RTF (fiberboard coated with a tough vinyl film)

Solid wood tends to be the most popular option due to the high-end appearance it creates, but laminates offer a number of options for homeowners to choose from, in tandem with maximum durability.Cost of Refacing Kitchen Cabinets

Compared to installing new kitchen cabinets, on average, refacing existing cabinets will cost you about $3,200.

Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets

Another option for improving your existing kitchen cabinets is refinishing, which improves your existing cabinets’ exterior by either staining or painting. This tends to be the cheapest option of all for improving your kitchen cabinet set up, even more so than refacing.

If you want to pursue refinishing, you need to take a look at your existing cabinets and decide which type of refinishing would work best. For example, if you have wood cabinets, then staining is a preferred option (although painting would work too – you may just need to do some sanding first, especially if your cabinets are older). Staining is the easiest refinishing option.

Painting is the other popular refinishing option – a good coat of paint can make cabinets look new again in a matter of hours! And, it’s a process you can do completely on your own – no professional help needed.

Cost of Refinishing Kitchen Cabinets

Compared to installing new kitchen cabinets, on average, refinishing existing cabinets will cost you about $2,264.

How to Decide Between New Cabinets, Refacing Cabinets and Refinishing Cabinets

When deciding between the options of new cabinets or refacing or refinishing existing cabinets, there are a few major factors you should take into consideration. Ask yourself the following questions to help you make your decision:

• What is your budget like?
• Are the existing cabinets in good condition?
• Is time a factor?
• Are you willing to invest for the long-haul?
• Do you want to complete the process by yourself?

If you have a sizeable budget and want to make significant changes for the long-haul, then new cabinet installation may be the best route for you. If you are short on time and looking to spruce up a rental, then refinishing by paint is probably your best choice. The bottom line is that you have options, and they all have varying price points for you to consider.

How Much to Spend on Kitchen Cabinets

In addition to deciding on which kitchen cabinet option to pursue, you also need to determine how much you’re going to spend on the process. Take into account factors like: length of time you have lived (or are planning to live) in your home, whether you have children and pets and the value of your home and neighborhood.

Weighing these factors will help you determine a viable budget for your kitchen cabinets, and decide which kitchen cabinet option may be right for you and your family.

As you can see, there are many options for upgrading your kitchen cabinets, and they all have different price points and use cases. Take some time weighing which option may work best for you, determine how you can get your best price for kitchen cabinets, and get ready for a serious kitchen remodel upgrade! For more information on home renovation projects, feel free to contact our San Diego remodeling company today.

Sources:

https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/cabinets/styles/kitchen-cabinet-costs

https://www.improvenet.com/a/how-much-do-kitchen-cabinets-cost

https://www.hgtv.com/remodel/kitchen-remodel/kitchen-cabinet-prices

https://www.bhg.com/kitchen/cabinets/styles/kitchen-cabinet-material-types

If you’re planning on a kitchen remodel, you have a lot of choices that you will need to make. You’ll need to decide on new appliances, countertops, paint, backsplash, and, of course, cabinets. Within cabinets alone, you have many options: you can refinish your existing cabinets, or opt to choose brand new kitchen cabinet doors. If you choose the latter, there are so many styles of kitchen cabinets to choose from, all with different cabinet door types that affect both functionality and aesthetic. Here are the main types of cabinet doors, and everything you need to know about choosing the right kitchen cabinet doors for your home.

3 Types of Cabinet Doors

When it comes to kitchen cabinets’ doors, there are generally three types of doors you should be aware of. They are: inset, partial overlay, and full overlay. These are some of the key terms used to describe cabinets – we’ll go over what each one specifically means below.

#1 Inset Cabinet Doors

One of the oldest and most long-standing styles of kitchen cabinet doors is the inset style. In this style, small hinges are “mounted right on the face frame” or immediately inside of it, so hinges are usually visible with the inset cabinet door style, even when the door is shut (Houzz). In inset cabinet doors, all elements are on the same plane – the inner element of each cabinet door is almost recessed back into itself to create a flush look.

Advantages of Inset Cabinet Doors

Since this style of cabinet door has been around for a while, it is notoriously reliable. The inset style was the first cabinet door type ever designed, and is “associated with Shaker, Craftsman and Mission styles” (Cliq Studios).For this reason, many kitchens constructed in the early 1900s have inset cabinet doors, so this style of door naturally creates a very traditional look, which is appealing to a lot of homeowners.  Inset cabinet doors look especially nice in kitchens which are looking to evoke a farmhouse or classic style.

Disadvantages of Inset Cabinet Doors

Probably the biggest disadvantage of inset cabinet doors is that they are expensive. On a design level, it takes a higher level of craftsmanship to be able to create this antique-level style. The inset design, with its naturally recessed interior, takes great attention to detail to fit perfectly inside the frame. In addition, inset doors require special hinges, and other fixtures, which also impact the price of kitchen cabinets.

Plus, due to this recessed interior, inset cabinet doors also create a smaller interior surface area inside the cabinet, so you’re getting less space for more money, in many cases.

#2 Full Overlay Cabinet Doors

Overlay is a popular genre of kitchen cabinets that has been around for many years. More recently, full overlay has become the more modern and popular style, but partial overlay provides a classic look and feel.

Full overlay cabinet doors (also called “Euro style”) are the most modern type of cabinet doors available. In the full overlay style, the door of the cabinet (or the drawer face) completely overlays the box – it covers the entire surface area, with “as little as 1/4″ to 1/2″ of frame” visible between cabinet units (Cliq Studios). With this style, there is no visible face frame when the cabinet doors are closed, so special hinges (usually concealed) and tactile fixtures are installed to ensure that doors can be easily opened.

Advantages of Full Overlay Cabinet Doors

The obvious advantage of full overlay cabinet doors is the modern look and feel. Sometimes, just upgrading cabinet doors to full overlay is enough to modernize a dated kitchen in need of a renovation.

In addition, with full overlay cabinets, there are very small gaps between each individual door or drawer, which creates a “consistent and continuous appearance” (Houzz). This can help make kitchens look bigger and more spacious. It also creates the largest internal surface area within each cabinet and drawer, which can give you the most bang for your buck in terms of functionality. Full overlay cabinets offer the most sizeable amount of storage space.

Disadvantages of Full Overlay Cabinet Doors

While full overlay cabinet doors look modern and sleek, they have a couple disadvantages that should be considered. For example, since the edges of the cabinet doors are almost flush to each other, there is less available space in between cabinet doors, especially when opened. So, homeowners must be careful to make sure doors don’t bang against each other when opened. In addition, since full overlay cabinet doors require knobs, handles or some sort of fixture for ease opening (the cabinet doors are flush to each other, there’s no “side grip” to hold onto to open), these should be carefully considered as well. Knobs can easily ding open doors if opened to quickly and carelessly. These are easily avoidable scenarios, but they are certainly worth being made aware of.

Furthermore, since every inch (and quarter-inch!) is utilized carefully in full overlay cabinet design, it’s essential that you work with a contractor who has experience installing these types of cabinet doors. Otherwise, you could end up with some dimensional or functionality issues when installing new kitchen cabinets.

#3 Partial Overlay Cabinet Doors

Another style of cabinet doors is “partial overlay.” Also known as “standard overlay,” this style serves as a happy medium between inset and full overlay, since the doors completely cover the opening of the cabinet, and partially cover the finished frame. It is probably the style you are most familiar seeing in either your own home, or the homes of friends and family members.

Advantages of Partial Overlay Cabinet Doors

One of the advantages of partial overlay cabinet doors is their accessibility – the relative affordability of partial overlay cabinet doors make them a popular choice in homes throughout the country (and the world). Partial overlay cabinets tend to be the most affordable because the doors and drawer fronts are smaller, which means they naturally use less material, and manufacturing costs are naturally lessened. This also makes partial overlay cabinet doors a top choice for contractors and those who work in the business of “flipping” homes.

In addition, the construction of this style of door makes it much easier to install. Since each cabinet door has about 1-2 inches of face frame exposed between units, functional hardware can be more easily installed.

Disadvantages of Partial Overlay Cabinet Doors

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of choosing partial overlay cabinet doors is that they have come to be associated with affordability. Partial overlay cabinet doors are not modern, nor necessarily unique, so if you’re really looking to make a statement with your cabinets, you will either want to customize, or choose a different door style.

In addition, since the partial overlay affords a lot of extra space between cabinets, it can make cabinet doors and drawers look disproportionate – like small doors on a larger surface area. You will also likely have to be okay with visible hinges if you opt for a cabinet design that uses partial overlay doors.

Different Styles of Cabinet Doors

Now that you have a handle of the three kitchen cabinet door types, it’s helpful to also understand specific styles for each type. Here are some of the most popular styles of kitchen cabinet doors, and the names that they go by. These styles can be used to customize the types of cabinet doors listed above.

Raised Panel Cabinet Doors

As the name implies, raised panel cabinet doors have “a center panel that is raised from the rest of the door, many times with a contoured edge that gives it a specific style” (MasterBrand Cabinets). This is one of the most popular and versatile styles of cabinet doors out there, and is available in many colors and wood materials. They are often employed in a more traditional design aesthetic (similar to the inset cabinet door type).

Recessed Panel Cabinet Doors

Popular in modern designs, recessed panel cabinet doors (or “flat panel cabinet doors”) are characterized by a center panel that is recessed and appears lower than the rest of the door. The outer edges are higher, and can be unique stylized to create a desired aesthetic.

Arch Cabinet Doors

Arch cabinet doors are characterized by a signature arch at the top of the interior panel, which is raised. The half-oval or circle-shaped curve is the signature of this door style, which lends itself well to a very classic, homey look. This style of door is making a comeback in recent years, as the “farmhouse” and antique styles are becoming more popular in home renovations and remodels.

Cathedral Cabinet Doors

Cathedral cabinet doors are similar to arch cabinet doors, however the raised panel is marked with a more open, medieval-style arch. Cathedral doors are often used to “enhance entryways, or they may used for decorative touches on cabinet doors” (Kitchen Cabinet Kings). They are sophisticated and elaborate.

Shaker Cabinet Doors

Shaker-style cabinet doors are inspired by the original cabinet style and are an example of the inset cabinet type. They are simple, which light finishes and minimal hardware, which is where their beauty comes from. Homeowners who appreciate a truly classic look and feel will like Shaker-style doors.

Slab Cabinet Doors

Slab doors get their name from their simple and straightforward design, with flat panels that are even. These types of doors are typically employed in “transitional and contemporary designs” (Dura Supreme). Despite the name of this style, slab doors can be created in a number of materials, including wood and even acrylics.

Glass or Mirrored Cabinet Doors

A style that’s becoming increasingly popular installing glass or mirror panels within traditional cabinet doors. These are also often referred to as “open frame” cabinet doors, since the interior is open. There are also options for glass-types in these doors, including lead glass, painted glass, and even stained glass. This creates an open aesthetic, and is also functional in that it allows the homeowner to see what’s inside the cabinets (in the case of glass panels). On the flip side, this also means that the interior of cabinets are exposed – and there’s extra pressure to keep them tidy!

Mullion Frame Cabinet Doors

Similar to glass-frame cabinets is the mullion-frame style. Mullion is a unique pattern in which wood is designed in a striking pattern overtop a glass interior panel. The wood can be laid out in horizontal and vertical directions, or patterned in more geometric or curved shapes. This is a truly striking cabinet style, but these types of doors can also be expensive and difficult to wrangle.

Beading

Another style element of cabinet doors that should be considered is beading. Specifically with inset cabinet styles, these doors can be personalized with “either beaded or non-beaded inserts” (Master Brand). With this type of customization, a beaded insert is added to create a custom edge detail.  The beaded insert is fitted into the cabinet door itself, providing an edge detail that evokes fine craftsmanship.

The use of beading can also be paneled to create a “beadboard” look, which is popular in many different styles of decor. Beadboard paneling is available in many different kinds of wood and materials for cabinets and can add a nice finishing touch to any cabinetry display.

Now that you know all the terminology and categories of the different types of kitchen cabinet doors, hopefully you will be able to make a more informed decision on which type of cabinet door will work best in your kitchen. If you feel overwhelmed with choices, you can always choose to go the route of refinishing or resurfacing your cabinets. There are so many possibilities for how to make your kitchen, and your cabinet setup, uniquely yours. For more information on kitchen cabinet remodels, contact our San Diego home renovation experts at Remodel Works today.

Sources:

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/23429483/list/learn-the-lingo-of-kitchen-cabinet-door-styles

https://www.cliqstudios.com/cabinet-door-types

https://www.masterbrand.com/get-started/design-your-room/cabinet-101/cabinet-doors

https://kitchencabinetkings.com/glossary/cathedral-door/

https://www.durasupreme.com/door-styles/slab-doors#.XD2B7c9KjOQ

If you want to update the backsplash in your kitchen, the good news is there are literally thousands of options you can choose from. The bad news is: this many options can be incredibly overwhelming! And unless you are an interior designer or already have a very strong sense of the kind of backsplash you want, it can be tough to know how to begin your perfect backsplash search. Here are tips for choosing the right design for your kitchen wall backsplash.

What is a Kitchen Backsplash?

Having a backsplash in your kitchen isn’t just an aesthetically pleasing choice – backsplashes serve an important protection purpose as well. As the name implies, backsplashes protect your kitchen walls and surrounding decor in the highly-used areas if your kitchen: namely the stove and the area immediately surrounding the stove, like the back wall. Therefore, the most important feature of a backsplash is that it must actually be resistant to the food and other substances that could be splashed on it. Backsplashes are truly a merge of both design and function in the home.

While there are many different material options for backsplashes, the most common choice is tile, due to its durability and water-resistant qualities. Similar to how you would use tile in bathroom flooring (including sealing it with waterproof grout), you would also use and install backsplash tile behind your stove. In addition, tile (specifically ceramic tile, which is the most popular kind) is easy to clean. When you wipe down your countertops, you can simply reach back behind the stove and wipe down the backsplash as well!

While wall tiles are the clear material frontrunner for a decorative backsplash, followed by glass and even porcelain, in recent years, other alternative materials have become popular as well. For example, natural stone has become a popular choice for homeowners looking for a water, grease and fire-resistant backsplash. It also gained popularity since it’s a natural material and easily found in the world, making it a favorite for sustainable home-builders and engineers. Another newly popular kitchen backsplash material is stainless steel.  Whether you make a mosaic kitchen tile backsplash or a simple chevron design, you are bound to improve the look of your cooking space with just this simple home improvement.

Regardless of material and function, one thing is clear about backsplashes: they have become a true focal point in today’s kitchen designs, with homeowners realizing that a unique, beautiful backsplash can really make a statement. Though they may not take up much room, a beautiful backsplash can pack a design punch.

How to Choose Your Perfect Tile Backsplash Design

With the rise in alternative material choices, in addition to the many different color and style options available, choosing a backsplash design can be a tough task. Follow these steps to make the process as easy as possible, and help you choose the perfect design for your home.

Determine Your Budget

One of the first things you should do in the early stages of selecting your backsplash design is to get an idea of your budget: how much you’re willing to spend to redo and create your perfect backsplash. The good news is, as far as renovation projects go, installing a new backsplash is a fairly simple. To find out how much a kitchen tile backsplash costs, we recommend talking to your contractor and getting direct estimates for your specific project and needs.

According to Fixr.com, the average cost of installing a glazed ceramic tile backsplash that covers 16 square feet in the kitchen ranges between $400 to $600. This sample cost includes the cost of the tile itself, the cost of mortar and sealant, and the cost of hiring someone to complete the work for you. Although you probably could install your new backsplash on your own, it’s actually very technical work that requires a bit of artistry. You are much better off hiring a professional to install your backsplash, especially since the cost of labor is reasonable.

Of course, this cost will increase if you have a significantly larger backsplash space, if you choose a more expensive tile or backsplash material option, or if you want to do any sort of custom work in your backsplash. Take all these factors into account, and come up with a figure you are comfortable spending. Doing this legwork early on and setting a clear budget with your team will help prevent headache and hassle down the road.

Research Design Inspiration

Once you have an idea of how big your backsplash area is, and how much you’re able to invest in your project, it’s time to do some creative research. With the popularity of online decor inspiration sites and platforms like Pinterest, there’s no shortage of design ideas out there for you to discover. Our recommendation is to start broad – use traditional search in addition to social media platforms (which often show more trendy and recent designs) to broaden the scope of design inspiration you seek out.

Ultimately you are looking for designs that resonate with you and your home – not just backsplash designs that look cool online or are “the it trend” of the moment. Start to save pictures and example kitchens that jump out at you. And don’t be afraid to think (or look) outside the box! The backsplash in your kitchen is a design area where you can choose to get a little more creative than you normally would.

Note Your Existing Decor

In addition to doing visual research on backsplash inspiration, make sure that you also take note and factor in your existing kitchen design. Your new backsplash should accentuate your current kitchen, and make a big impact through a relatively small change. So, take a look at the general layout of your kitchen, and ask yourself the following questions:

-What color are your walls?

-What color are your cabinets?

-What material/color are your countertops?

-What do your appliances look like?

-What’s your general design aesthetic of your current kitchen?

Unless you want to do a full-scale kitchen remodel (which is an option as well), you’re much better off working in harmony with your existing design elements, and finding a backsplash design that will complement your current decor. You can certainly uplevel or experiment with your new backsplash design – it may be a great way to test the waters for a new style of decorating you want to apply to your whole kitchen.

Above any other factor, make sure you consider your countertops. Your countertops are an expansive part of your kitchen, and your backsplash is going to jut right up against your countertop material. So, it’s imperative to make sure the materials and colors of your backsplash and countertops work well together. If your countertops are neutral, you will have a little more flexibility on which direction you can go with your backsplash, but still, choose wisely.

Determine Your Aesthetic

Once you’ve noted any current prominent design in your kitchen, you’ll be able to make a congruent decision on the desired aesthetic of your backsplash. Does your kitchen have a dark-hued modern vibe, with metallic appliances? Is your kitchen rather bright, and airy, maybe even soft and feminine? Is “classic” the first world you’d use to describe your kitchen? Take note of prominent design elements, and think of how you can choose a backsplash that complements them.

Or perhaps, you’re looking to use your new backsplash as a way to revamp your aesthetic. A blue-toned, oceanic backsplash can easily turn a classic white kitchen into a beachside-ready haven. Whether you’re going to use your backsplash to emphasize your current aesthetic, or test out a new one, be sure you have a direction in mind. Lack of clarity here will lead to an underwhelming final product, and no one wants that!

Determine Your Color Palette

In addition to determining aesthetic, determining your color options is a choice you’ll have to make fairly early on in the design ideation process. And one of the biggest questions you’ll encounter as your determining your new backsplash design is: color or neutral? You will have to decide whether you want your backsplash to be colorful, or remain either white or neutral. A pop of color will of course make a more pronounced impact, as a “statement” piece, but a neutral backsplash can also provide character.

Again, take a look at your current kitchen design. Do you have white cabinets and countertops? If so, then either colored backsplash option will work for you. A white backsplash (perhaps in the popular white subway tile) will create an open, bright aesthetic, but with a neutral existing palette, you’ll also be primed for a brightly colored backsplash.

Determine Materials

Once you have a handle on color palette, aesthetic, and overall look and feel, you can start to refine your selection for materials. As mentioned above, ceramic tile is easily the most popular and common backsplash material option, but there are many alternative materials to choose from today.

In addition to alternative materials like stainless steel and natural stone, there are other unique options, such as brick or manipulated wood. Similar to some of the wood flooring alternatives that have developed in recent years, there are also backsplash options that mimic the look and feel of real wood, without the malleability. Wood substitute backsplashes create a rustic, unique look, but still offer the benefit of easy cleanup and waterproof resistance. A brick backsplash would also create a rustic (or industrial) aesthetic.

Even if you want to go with the classic option of ceramic tile, you have wiggle room for how you use it. You can create a truly unique custom creation with hand-painted tile, or mix and match a few complementary styles together.

Determine Size

There are many ways you can customize your kitchen backsplash and create your perfect design, but one element that’s often overlooked is the size of your backsplash. Yes, you will have to cover the minimum area around your stove and cooking surface, but you don’t necessarily have to stop there. You can craft your perfect backsplash design by thinking outside the box in terms of size and scope. You can extend the height of the backsplash up the back wall, perhaps even to the ceiling. Or, you can go for an extreme look and cover the entire wall where the backsplash exists with your chosen backsplash pattern. With this approach, your backsplash becomes more of an accent wall than a small focal point. And depending on your chosen material, this may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Finalize Any Custom Touches

Even if you’re using a store-bought tile, or opting for one singular material, you still have some room to customize your backsplash so it’s 100 percent unique to you and your home. For example, you can take a traditional tile, and install it in a unique pattern, like chevron or harlequin diamonds. Or you can add in a signature tile piece, like a calling card, to make your backsplash truly personalized. Or if you’re feeling especially brave, you can DIY create your backsplash tile. Just purchase plain ceramic tile and paint away.

One note about custom backsplashes: with any design you are considering, make sure that you thoroughly layout the tile and are able to envision what it will look like once it’s up on your wall. Especially if you’re pursuing a very unique and different design, spend some time making sure you like what you see. While backsplashes aren’t necessarily hard or time-intensive to install, it’s not a process you want to have to do over. Having to redo your backsplash is a waste of time, money, and emotional investment, so do some in-depth thinking ahead of time to prevent it from happening.

When it comes to your kitchen backsplash, even though the surface area of this design element is relatively small, you can see how it makes a large impact. You can make a statement with your backsplash through a pop of color and unique design, or you can opt for something more classic, timeless, and understated. The important thing is that you choose a design that feels authentic to you. Your home is a representation of the things that you and your family love. Choose a tile backsplash design that feels like home, and turns your kitchen into even more of an extension of your unique home life.

In your home, your bathroom gets a lot of use. Specifically, the floor. So you need to make sure that your bathroom floor is durable, resilient, and waterproof. But that doesn’t mean that the aesthetic of your bathroom floor has to suffer.

In fact, there are numerous types of bathroom floor varieties, each one boasting unique benefits, drawbacks, and visual representations. Which one should you choose for you bathroom remodel? Use this complete guide to bathroom floor types to help you decide.

Vinyl Flooring

One of the original floor types for bathrooms is vinyl, which has been used in bathrooms for decades. Vinyl flooring is incredibly resilient, which is why it’s often used in heavy-traffic buildings like hospitals, grocery stores, and, of course, bathrooms. According to industry reports in Floor Covering Weekly, it has long been the most popular hard surface flooring in the United States.

Benefits of Vinyl

With several benefits, it’s easy to see why vinyl is so popular as a flooring option. First of all, vinyl is highly affordable: the average cost of linoleum and vinyl flooring is $2-$2.50 per square foot, but vinyl flooring can be found for as low as $0.50 per square foot. This makes vinyl a popular option with house-flippers, as well as homeowners on a budget.

In addition, vinyl flooring is highly customizable. There are actually three different kinds of vinyl flooring: sheet, plank or tile. Sheet vinyl offers the benefit of being cut in very large sizes. Small bathrooms may be able to be covered in just one large piece, with zero seams. And this can help save on material costs as well.

Vinyl plank flooring, specifically luxury vinyl plank flooring, has become increasingly popular choice in recent years. People are latching onto this trend because luxury vinyl plank flooring looks expensive and high-end without the scary price tag. In addition, even though many luxury vinyl plank flooring options look like wood or wood substitutes, they offer the benefit of being waterproof and scratch-resistant, which makes them a great choice for bathroom floors. LVP also offer the benefit of possible installation over existing flooring, which means less demo and shorter installation time.

If you want vinyl flooring in your bathroom, you will have no shortage of style, color and size to choose from, all at a reasonable price.

Drawbacks of Vinyl

Like any material, vinyl flooring in bathrooms has a few downsides as well. For example, it is affordable, but if you’re not careful with your selection, that cheap quality could come across in person. In addition, for homeowners, installing a flooring option like vinyl is probably not going to improve your property value (unless you go with luxury vinyl, which is increasingly attractive to homeowners today). And speaking of installation, vinyl can be difficult to install on your own – you will have to enlist the help of a professional.

Tile Flooring

Another historically popular choice for bathroom flooring is tile. There are two primary types of tile to choose from: ceramic and porcelain. These tiles can be used throughout the home, but the most popular rooms for tile installation are kitchens, entryways, and, of course, bathrooms. Ceramic and porcelain tile make a great option for bathroom flooring, but can also be used on countertops, as kitchen wall backsplashes, and with the shower/bath as well.

Benefits of Tile

Tile is perhaps one of the best possible materials to use when choosing a bathroom flooring since it’s waterproof, stylish, and highly versatile. This versatility is arguably the biggest advantage of tile flooring (over any other floor type). Tile offers a wide range of prices, styles, colors and patterns. You can create a classic look with white marble tile, bring the outside beauty of nature indoors with oceanic blue tile, or create something completely unique and original. Even after you choose your tile, there are more customization options based on how you choose to lay the pattern.

Tile is also very cost-effective bathroom flooring option: the average cost of ceramic or porcelain tile is $0.49 – $15 per square foot, depending on what quality you go for.

In general, tile looks great in any bathroom and is highly durable for years and years. With the right installation and consistent maintenance, a tile floor can last 20 years or more.

The difference between porcelain and ceramic tile comes down to water absorption rate, with porcelain boasting a lower water absorption rate (and usually a higher cost). Porcelain is also slightly harder than ceramic tile.

Drawbacks of Tile

Tile always looks great when installed as a bathroom flooring option, but part of this is because you pretty much have to hire a specialist to help with installation, which is an addition $4-$5 per square foot, on average. You can save money on your tile flooring installation by choosing a lower quality tile, but at that point, you are also risking durability.

Homeowners can save costs on installation by completing their own prep work (like removing the existing flooring), but if this isn’t in your wheelhouse, you’re definitely better off leaving it to the professionals.

In addition, depending on the tile you choose, it can become quite slippery when wet. Be sure to counteract this by choosing a tile with texture, especially on any walking surfaces.

Lastly, tile can be cold to walk on, even more so on cold mornings in winter! You can splurge for an under-floor heater, or a simpler solution is to integrate some rugs on your bathroom floor layout.

Stone Flooring

Stone flooring is a beautiful choice for bathrooms, especially for naturalists who want a Zen-inspired bathroom.

Advantages of Stone

Overall, stone flooring is highly durable, scratch-resistant, and is a home improvement that will help to increase the resale value of your home. It’s aesthetically pleasing and offers a rich, unique look in any home where it’s installed.

Functionally, the most popular stone flooring types, marble, granite, and limestone, are naturally resistant to water, and easily waterproof, so they make a great choice for bathroom flooring. You won’t have to worry about water damage or warping with a stone floor.

Drawbacks of Stone

Probably the biggest drawback of stone flooring, in general, is its price. Since stone is a natural material, it has to be harvested from nature, which isn’t a cheap process. Generally, stone flooring is the most expensive flooring option out there.

In addition, stone is, by nature, hard and cold, which can be uncomfortable underfoot. Despite being waterproof, stone can also be very slippery, so you must be very careful how and where you install it in your home.

Cork Flooring

In recent years, cork flooring has gained a lot of buzz among homeowners as a new, sustainable option for flooring in homes. Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork oak tree: natural material is harvested from the tree, ground up, processed into sheets and baked in a kiln to create tiles.

Cork flooring has become very popular as a natural alternative to expensive flooring options like hardwood and can be frequently found in both homes and commercial locations alike.

Advantages of Cork

The most unique benefit of cork flooring is its sustainability. The cork oak tree is found in abundance in nature, and it’s easy to produce cork flooring efficiently and without any waste. Furthermore, there are highly regulated processes for harvesting the cork oak tree: harvesting is limited to nine-year cycles, and individual trees must be at least 25 years old before they are harvested. And, the bark of the cork oak grows back, so trees do not have to be destroyed to harvest the cork. In addition, the tiles are largely recyclable after use if the homeowner decides to take them out.

As far as installation and maintenance go, cork flooring is easy to install and easy to maintain. Cork is naturally moisture resistant, due to a natural component of the cellular makeup: a waxy material called suberin. Suberin also helps to make cork mold and mildew resistant, though it’s important to sweep and dust cork flooring regularly.

Cork flooring is soft underfoot and also has a natural warmth to it (unlike tile), which makes it a great choice for frequently occupied rooms.

Drawbacks of Cork

As mentioned above, cork flooring is naturally moisture-resistant. So it’s highly resistant to water, but not waterproof, which can be a tough battle for the bathroom area. Cork is another flooring option that may work well in powder rooms, but it probably not your best choice for highly-used bathrooms and bathing areas.

In addition, since cork flooring is natural wood, it’s not entirely scratch-resistant and is more susceptible to damage (especially from pet claws).

While no natural wood floor is entirely scratch-resistant, cork flooring is more adaptable to claws caused by dogs and cats than many other natural wood flooring options

Laminate Flooring

If you have your heart set on wood flooring (or the look of wood flooring) in your bathroom, your best bet is to go with laminate flooring. Laminate allows you to get the classic look of hardwood, without having to worry about water damage, malleability, or any of the other concerns commonly associated with hardwood.

Advantages of Laminate

The biggest advantage of laminate flooring is that it looks like the real deal: there are so many styles of laminate available today, that you can mimic the look and feel of almost any type of wood. Most laminates include the visual wood details and texture, color and graining, making it hard to tell the difference from the real thing!

Laminate is made from the layering of a number of different synthetic fabrics, usually resin and fiberboard materials, underneath a wood photographic applique, and a clear protective layer to top it all off and allow the wood visual to show through. According to HGTV, laminate is typically made from four layers of material that then gets fused together: “a melamine wear layer; a high-resolution photo of the surface it is emulating; a dense core board; and a melamine backing layer.”

Due to this structure, laminate helps you achieve the beauty of true hardwood at a fraction of the cost. Hardwood is known for being the most expensive flooring choice out there.

In general, laminate is affordable, durable, and resistant to stains and moisture, which makes it a great option for any home. It’s easy to clean, and highly customizable. It’s also hypoallergenic, and won’t harbor mold or mildew.

Drawbacks of Laminate

Because of the unique way that it’s constructed, laminate is a highly debated material for use in bathrooms, and as bathroom flooring.

The common agreement about laminate is that it can withstand water (it’s water-resistant), but don’t rely on it to be 100% waterproof. And definitely don’t leave puddles or other water residue sitting on laminate for long periods of time.

For these reasons, laminate is a great option for powder rooms, but for your primary bathroom where you (or your kids and family) use the shower, bath and more, you will probably want to go with a more solidly waterproof flooring choice.

Worst Floor Types for the Bathroom

Now that we’ve shared some viable bathroom flooring options, it’s also worthwhile to share a few flooring options that are not ideal for the bathroom.

Real Wood/Hardwood

Hardwood is a beautiful flooring option, but it has no place in the bathroom or any other room where water is frequently used. Hardwood is not waterproof and is highly susceptible to water damage. If even a small amount of water makes its way into the core of hardwood planks, it can rot the wood from the inside-out. Do yourself a favor and stay away from hardwood in the bathroom.

Carpet

We all know the feeling of tiptoeing your feet across a cold bathroom floor, but the solution to getting around this discomfort is not installing carpet in your bathroom. Carpet soaks up moisture, so if you place it in a room where there is constant wetness, you are setting yourself up for disaster.

Concrete

Concrete is a trendy floor option, but it’s not a great choice for bathroom flooring because it’s incredibly slippery, and by default can be very dangerous. If you want to see concrete in your bathrooms, consider a concrete countertop instead.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are a wide variety of flooring options for your bathroom. No matter your budget or the layout of your space, there is a type of floor that will fit your needs. For more information on bathroom remodels or kitchen remodels, please contact our San Diego home renovation company today.