Thinking of remodeling your kitchen? IKEA kitchen remodels have gained popularity for good reason. They offer an affordable and cost-effective solution that can be a great choice for your home.
In this post, I’ll guide you through the various aspects of an IKEA kitchen remodel, breaking down the costs involved in each step. I’ll also share my personal experience by revealing the real cost of my own IKEA kitchen remodel.
If you’re wondering about the durability of IKEA kitchen cabinets, let me share my own experience. I’ve been using my own IKEA kitchen for over five years now, and it still stands strong despite daily use.
You can check out my IKEA Kitchen Cabinets honest review for a more detailed look at how well IKEA kitchens hold up over time.
Cost Factors of an IKEA Kitchen Remodel
The cost of an IKEA kitchen remodel can vary based on several important factors. These factors can shape the overall budget.
The size of your kitchen plays a big part in determining the cost. A larger kitchen would typically require more materials and labor, which would give you a higher overall expense.
Your choice of cabinets and countertops is another factor. Although the IKEA SEKTION line offers a variety of cabinet front options, the price does vary dramatically based on the design and materials, e.g. flat panel is generally cheaper than shaker style.
Whether you buy a countertop from IKEA or a local stone yard, the quality and look of a countertop will affect your IKEA kitchen remodel budget. Generally, laminate or butcher block countertops tend to be more affordable.
Adding accessories like pull-out drawers or high-end appliances can also contribute to the final cost. These upgrades can add functionality, but just keep in mind the price of accessories and appliances you want to add.
And of course, the cost of professional installation and labor cannot be overlooked. Skilled labor gives you a quality result, but it will control how much you spend. If you do more DIY, you can save a good amount of money on your kitchen remodel.
IKEA Kitchen Cabinet Costs
The first step is always finding out the size of your kitchen. For a small kitchen of around 100 square feet, it can range roughly from $1500 to $7000 depending on what styles and features you pick.
For a medium kitchen of around 200 square feet, it can cost ~$3000 to $12,000, and a large kitchen of 300+ square feet can cost as much as ~$6000 to $20,000 or more. So you can see how much it depends on the size of your space, not just your style choices.
The quickest way to get a ballpark estimate is to visit a local IKEA store and explore their sample kitchens of various sizes. Those displays usually have room dimensions and costs, which covers all the cabinets, appliances, and accessories.
Like I said, your choice of cabinet style also influences your cabinet costs. IKEA has a lot of cabinet styles, colors, and finishes, each with their own price range.
To get a clearer picture, you can check the IKEA 10×10 kitchen guide, so you can see how different door styles can alter the cost. Surprisingly, the choice of door style alone for the same set of cabinets can affect the cost by over $1200!
The type of cabinet also matters. Even though the base IKEA SEKTION cabinet box stays the same, different door styles come with different prices. For example, drawers tend to be more expensive than doors. IKEA also has cabinets in two depths, with the deeper cabinet box being pricier.
From my personal experience, my own IKEA kitchen cabinet cost around $3800. I opted for IKEA base cabinets and paired them with Semihandmade fronts to achieve a custom look and use my paint color of choice.
Just a reminder that my kitchen remodel took place a few years back, so there might be a slight cost increase due to inflation.
To estimate your own kitchen cabinet cost accurately, I recommend using the IKEA Kitchen Planner. It’s a practical way to plan your layout and get a better sense of the expenses.
Other Material Costs
Countertop Costs
Popular countertop options are quartz, marble, granite, and laminate. If you are looking for DIY solutions, IKEA provides both butcher block and laminate countertops, which you can install yourself. IKEA also offers quartz countertops that are sold by square footage. They look really good but will require professional fabrication.
If you’re interested in stone countertops, you might find cheaper prices and a better selection at other stores or stone yards. Check out my countertop cost guide to learn more about how countertops are priced in 3 different ways, and how to save money.
For my kitchen, I spent around $1800 on two pieces of laminate slabs, which was enough to cover two small countertops and a peninsula. Note that this is the material cost and I’ll share the installation cost later.
Appliances
The most essential kitchen appliances are the refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher. A refrigerator can usually range from ~$700 to $2500+, stove is ~$500 to $1500+, and dishwasher ~$300 to $1200+. To add on that, you may want to get a hood, microwave, or oven if your stove doesn’t come with one.
I have a small kitchen that is just over 100 sqft, so I opted for an under-cabinet microwave that doubles as a hood right above my range.
Personally, I opted for more budget-friendly options and took advantage of Black Friday sales. In total, I spent less than $3000 on a fridge, dishwasher, range with oven, and microwave.
Kitchen Accessories
Other kitchen accessories, such as cabinet pulls and knobs, kitchen faucets, recess lights, pendant lights, kitchen backsplash, and shelves, tend to be less expensive but still offer a wide price range.
Budgeting at least $500 for these accessories is a good starting point to consider while planning your kitchen remodel.
To check out my kitchen accessories and the source you can visit my kitchen source page.
Labor Costs
There’s a wide range of options depending on how you want to handle the installation of your IKEA kitchen. Some people like me will do a bigger remodel, such as framing or redoing insulation and electrical wiring, which can be a huge range of costs.
For this blog post, let’s focus on the kitchen-related labor costs, like the assembly and installation of cabinets, countertops, and appliances.
Assemble and Install IKEA Cabinets
Hire IKEA Professional
A few years ago, I received a quote from an IKEA-certified kitchen installer I found in the IKEA kitchen directory. He quoted me $200 per cabinet assembly and installation. So for my 11 kitchen cabinets, the cost estimate was $2200.
DIY
If you’re comfortable with DIY, assembling IKEA SEKTION cabinets yourself is free. However, installation can be a bit more challenging for DIY beginners, especially hanging cabinets on the wall using their rail system.
While my husband and I managed to install our cabinets ourselves, leveling them properly was a bit tricky. We eventually hired a construction team who is working on the rest of our kitchen remodel to re-level the cabinets for us.
Hire a Construction Team
This is a little more flexible than the first option. You can assemble the cabinets yourself and hire them to hang it. Costs will vary depending on their rates.
Take note that not all builders are familiar with IKEA kitchen construction, so be sure to share the IKEA manual with them to set them up for success.
Countertop Installation
Sometimes, countertop installation is bundled with the cost of the materials. Countertop installation costs can range from around $1500 to $3000 for a kitchen of a similar size to mine.
I ended up spending just under $3000 for the install which include plywood underneath, countertop, farmhouse sink installation, and bullnose.
Appliance Installation
Installing appliances tends to be the lowest-cost labor aspect unless you have complex requirements such as custom panel doors or plumbing changes.
Appliance hook-ups usually cost around $100-200, and you can get that service wherever you get the appliances or ask your general contractor to install them for you.
Additional Costs and Unforeseen Expenses
As you plan your IKEA kitchen remodel, it’s always helpful to consider potential additional costs. These can include permit fees, disposal charges, and unexpected issues that might come up during the renovation process.
Permits may be required depending on your local regulations and the extent of the renovation. Disposing of old materials can sometimes come with fees as well, especially for large items like countertops or cabinets. In my past remodels, hauling construction trash costs around $500 – $2000 depending on the side of the remodel.
Unexpected issues such as hidden structural problems or unexpected electrical or plumbing work can also appear during the remodel.
To prepare for these, I’d recommend you set aside a cushion for unforeseen expenses, typically around 20% of your total budget. This can help you handle any surprises that may come up along the way and make sure your remodel stays on track!
How to Save on an IKEA Kitchen Remodel
You might be intimidated by the potential costs of an IKEA Kitchen Remodel, but there are definitely ways to save money and maximize your budget. Here are a few ideas:
If you are on a tight budget, consider opting for cabinets with doors and shelves instead of drawers, as they can be more cost-effective in my experience.
Assembly costs can also pile up, so if you’re comfortable with DIY tasks, assembling IKEA cabinets yourself is a great way to save.
You could also go for standard cabinet hardware. I admit that using high-quality hardware is my favorite way of making an IKEA kitchen look more expensive – it’s like adding stylish jewelry to your outfit. But if you have a tight budget, premium hardware doesn’t have to be your priority. You can always start with affordable hardware or even buy second-hand, then just upgrade later.
Keep in mind that countertops can also be a great factor in overall cost. Check out my countertop price guide and see if there are any cost-saving tips that you can apply to your own kitchen remodel.
If you’re not really in a rush, getting quotes from multiple contractors and comparing prices before you decide can also help you find the best deal on installation labor.
And one more tip: you could wait for IKEA’s sales and promotions, which can help you with discounts on cabinets, appliances, and accessories. I do this myself! And this page is where I check for IKEA deals.
IKEA Kitchen Remodel Cost Summary
With this post, I hope you now have an estimate of how much it would cost to have an IKEA kitchen remodel!
IKEA definitely has lots of affordable and cost-effective options, so you can surely find something that fits your style and budget.
Feel free to ask any questions. Having my own IKEA kitchen, I’d be happy to share more of my IKEA kitchen remodel experiences and tips with you! 🙂
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IKEA kitchen honest review after 5 years
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I love this so much? Can I ask which colour you went for when it came to the accessories? Gold or the bronze gold? Thanks in advance!
For the hardware I went for Aged Brass which is a specific finish from Rejuvenation. I’d consider it as gold.