If you’re hoping to remodel your kitchen but want to save money on materials, you can take used, repurposed or recycled items and incorporate them into your building plans. Not every item you use in a home renovation needs to be new, and you can substantially cut costs by finding some of the items you might want in your remodel used.
Kitchen remodels can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars, but they don’t have to. You can do your part to reuse older items so that costly new ones don’t have to be created where it’s not necessary.
Refrigerators
Do you really need to pay a couple thousand dollars for a smart fridge that can be controlled by your smartphone? It’s one of those ultra-modern conveniences that you can afford to live without, and that’s why it is at the top of our list here.
A lot of people will sell off a perfectly good fridge because they need something bigger or they want something more high tech. You don’t have to pay big bucks for yours when there are plenty of places to buy used ones.
Try checking used appliance stores, Kijiji or other classifieds for appliances when it is time to plan the remodel. It helps to pick out the fridge ahead of time so that you can plan the space in your kitchen accordingly. If you don’t know exactly how big the fridge will be yet, you can always give yourself extra space where it will be.
Just be sure to check the energy rating of the model before agreeing to purchase it. Buying a used fridge doesn’t mean you need to purchase an energy hog.
Ask about any problems it may have and make sure it works well. Remember to check the drawers, icemaker, and other features and components to ensure they are in good working order.
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Cabinets
Custom built cabinets are another incredibly expensive item that you could replace in your remodel with something that has already been used before.
The great thing about buying used cabinets is that they are pretty simple to fix up and beautify. A fresh coat of paint or some minor carpentry can make a big difference with a set of older cabinets. Once you lay down new contact paper on the inside and polish any metal components, they will look like new.
You can often find whole kitchen cabinet sets for sale at Habitat for Humanity ReStores. They might not fit your kitchen exactly, but you also might find something that works perfectly or that you can make minor adjustments to.
Try checking Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist as well for used cabinets and other fixtures that you can incorporate into your kitchen remodel. If you’re skilled at woodworking, you can take sad looking cabinets at very low prices and fix them up for your kitchen. You may also want to investigate space-saving floating shelves. For more information about these, visit How High Should You Hang Floating Shelves in a Kitchen?
Islands
Many modern kitchens have an island in the middle of them that serves as a workstation and storage, and these can be some of the most expensive components for the entire space. However, there are some environmentally friendly, inexpensive alternatives that you can try out instead.
Consider using butcher block tables, pub tables, bar carts and rolling islands instead of custom-built kitchen islands. Some of these offer the added benefit of being movable so you can make extra space as needed, and installing brakes is a simple matter so that the island stays stationary when needed.
Check out restaurants, bars and other eateries that are closing down or remodeling to find cheap tables and islands you can use in your own kitchen. Then, refinish, repaint and upcycle to make the item a good fit for your current kitchen plans.
Tiles
You can add tiles to your kitchen floors or along the walls, creating a backsplash in one area or fully tiled walls that make your kitchen attractive and easy to clean. Where do you get used tiles at a decent price, much less find enough matching tiles to finish your project?
You can keep an eye out for tile warehouse or manufacturer closeouts and sales. Often, these can be a treasure trove of discontinued tiles at dirt-cheap prices. You may want to buy extra tiles at sales like these, if you are able to, as you may never be able to replace damaged tiles later on.
Also check architecture salvage shops and antique stores. Big volumes of tiles are harder to find and matching tiles might not be as plenteous, but there are still good deals available and you could luck out.
To make the best use of your tiles and ensure that they stay in place, have your kitchen cleaned meticulously before any tiles are replaced. Consider a professional cleaning to help get rid of dust and particles that could keep the tiles from sticking securely on your floors and walls. If you decide to deep-clean your kitchen yourself, check out our guide to Simple Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tricks to make your job easier.
Lighting
If you do go browsing the antique shops for some of these items, check out their lighting options too. You can often find a variety of lighting fixtures in antique stores, some of which might be suitable for your kitchen remodel project.
You can always change out components and upcycle the fixtures to make them look right for the style you want. They can be repainted, rewired and refurbished to get them working well, and you can save big money this way and get a well-lit kitchen with a unique look.
Conclusion
These are just a few ideas for your kitchen remodel that can save you money and help you to be greener in your construction. Take your time in checking various places for used components, fixtures and appliances for your kitchen.
Be sure to examine how used the items are and if they are worth trying to salvage. Also make sure that they are a good fit for the look you are going for and your preferences.
Your kitchen remodel can be cost-effective and environmentally friendly without you having to settle for a design and an aesthetic you aren’t happy with.
Feature image: Jasmijn Jansen; Image 1: R Architecture
