My $7,000 DIY Kitchen Reno Cost Breakdown + Source List

Last fall, I tackled a kitchen renovation.

Other than help from my awesome dad who pitched in, I did everything by myself to save money, save for hiring professionals where absolutely necessary.

Admittedly, my kitchen isn’t massive, so the $7k price tag is easier to swallow, however, I saved thousands by doing all of the demo, construction, installation and finishing touches myself. Below is a breakdown of everything in my kitchen (see more after photos here), what it cost, and where I bought it all.

Cabinets + Doors:
The majority of my kitchen is from IKEA. I spent far too many hours using their kitchen planner tool, and eventually made a final call using their new SEKTION cabinet system.
Cabinets and GRIMSLÖV doors — $2,000~
LANSA handles — $10 x 9 = $90
Toe-kicks and cover panels — $300

Countertops:
Carrera White Quartz (found a cut-off piece from Elite) — $1,500

Hardware + Accessories:
BREDSKÄR sink — $199
Peerless Faucet — $100
UTRUSTA garbage pull-out — $35
VARIERA utensil trays — $25
BITTERGURKA hanging planters — 2 x $16 = $32
GRUNDTAL shelves + hooks — 2 x $5 = $10
GRUNDTAL wall self  — $35
GRUNDTAL utensil holders and container — $28
Baskets + decorative jars/bowls — $0 mostly thrifted / hand-me-downs
ECarpetGallery Rug — $50

Materials + Finishings + Paint:
Drywall (including taping, screws etc.) — $150
Wood + random hardware store items — $150
Mud — $50
Backsplash (including grout and adhesive) and white subway tile— $150
Paint (Worn Cedar by Beauti-Tone Designer) — $100
Top-down bottom-up blinds — $108
Lighting (from DVI) — $0 (my sister works there and designed the lights I used!)

Appliances:
Gas Range, Over-The-Range Microwave, French Door Refrigerator and Dishwasher — $0
(Getting my appliances for free from Frigidaire Professional and Leon’s was a massive money-saver.)

Hired Help:
Flooring (from Core)  — $500 (I extended what I had in the living room, so it was only a few hundred square feet)
Electrical — $700 (the bill for my updating electrical for the whole main floor of my house was $2,100, so I figured a third went into just the kitchen)
Professional Mudding — $400 (we mudded most areas ourselves, but where walls came down, I got a professional to even and taper it all out)
Carpenter friend (who trimmed out my windows + cut my IKEA side panels) — $150
Plumbing — $? (have yet to receive the bill)

= $6,862

*Just for fun, I’m also adding a small list for the cost of making my dining area, which technically should not be included in kitchen reno cost, but here’s links nonetheless.

Dining Area:

NORDEN dining table— on sale for $199
BESTÅ frame + doors — $105
BEKVÄM stool — $20
Structube wire chairs — $0 (free from a previous collaboration)

= $324