Q&A from Remodeling Magazine:
Budgets for Kitchens & Baths

What cost-effective product and design choices are clients making for kitchen and bath projects?

We help all clients explore the design-build process, because by allowing Encore to design the project, we can take into account the scope of work and the client’s budget and in that way control the cost of the project.

Clients are taking advantage of the different cabinet manufacturers’ promotions. These promotions have the potential to save them 5% to 40% on cabinet orders. We steer clients to the right cabinet line during the promotional timeframe. Tall pantry cabinets with roll-out shelving are expensive. Increasingly, we are designing 18-inch deep cabinetry without roll-outs, which allow our client to see most items without difficulty. In addition, we are designing shelved pantry closets with a door rather than purchasing and supplying pantry cabinetry.

We are ordering and installing some after-market items ourselves, such as tray dividers, and utensil and cutlery drawers, which saves on the cost of the manufacturer’s customization and modification process.
Some clients are purchasing ranges, instead of a cooktop and wall oven, saving cabinetry costs. Many customers are opting for small microwaves sitting on a shelf, instead of larger, built-in models. Many clients are opting to purchase counter-depth free-standing refrigerators instead of the more built-in versions.
We are purchasing stone at promotional prices, so we are able to offer our clients a broad selection of stone and quartz products at a savings. We are designing some kitchen floors, backsplashes, and bathrooms with inexpensive field tiles, and accenting those with a smattering of more expensive decorative tile. For some backsplashes, we’re using laminate sheets instead of tile. Other alternatives for walls include Chemetal metal laminate, magnetic boards, chalkboards, and dry-erase whiteboard.

Jodi Swartz is an Encore Kitchen Designer & Selections Specialist

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