Countertops And Cabinets

What’s hot and what it costs

Cabinets: $10,000-$80,000
• Trends: Mixed woods and finishes with lots of bells and whistles like designer hoods and extensive moldings. There’s also a huge movement to the “green” side of things, like cabinets manufactured with urea-free formaldehyde. European-style frameless cabinet boxes are another trend, as are glass-front doors.
• Cost: Price range is from $10,000 up to $80,000 or more, depending on type of cabinet — box vs. custom made — and kitchen size.
• Budget: Allow 40 percent to 50 percent of overall remodeling budget for cabinets.
Appliances: $6,000-$40,000
• Trends: High-end commercial grade (if you can afford it) stainless steel. The more efficient and energy-saving, the better. And gas cook tops continue to be more popular than electric.
• Cost: A complete appliance package will start around $6,000 for standard appliances up to $40,000 plus for commercial high- end products. Why such a big discrepancy? Brand affects the price. An energy-efficient Maytag refrigerator costs about $1,200, compared to a custom-panel Sub-Zero refrigerator that’s about $12,000.
• Budget: Allow 20 percent to 30 percent of your budget for appliances.
Countertops: $35-$80 per square foot
• Trends: Solid surfaces remain the preferred choice. And with the huge growth of imports and less expensive look-alikes on the market, adding granite has become an option for almost any budget.
• Cost: You need to really look at your budget. Do you want granite? Marble? Concrete? Laminate? The options are endless, and the price range is wide. A typical laminate countertop in an average-sized kitchen can run $35 to $40 a square foot, whereas a solid hunk of granite runs about $80, depending on the particular piece.
• Budget: Allow 20 percent to 25 percent of your budget for countertops…(more)…