Renovating a Kitchen on the Cheap Requires Careful Prioritization

The kitchen is one of the most popular rooms in the house and most appealing to potential home buyers. Sadly, modernizing a kitchen often means an expensiverenovation. (Ask Bob Vila.) Lower-budget renovations are possible if you focus on a few key items:

Get granite countertops. It’s the hallmark of the renovated kitchen. If you’re renovating to sell the house later, it’s a must. Spend most of your budget here if you have to. Change the floor plan. Move around the appliances and cabinets; tear down a wall or two. Plan the final configuration on paper. Find stores with a large variety of storage units. Ultimately, a kitchen is room with a lot of items that all need to be put somewhere: baskets, drawers, baskets in drawers.  The combinations are endless.  The larges number of items you buy will be storage units; think Ikea.   
Shop ’til you drop. The key to saving money on something is finding the one place out of many that sells it for the least. Whatever you’re buying, try to find at least 10 sources. If you’re buying online, be sure to factor in shipping.