Earlier this week, we excitedly shared the before and afters of the Fullmer kitchen! We've done several kitchens over the years at a variety of price points and we're excited to the Fullmer kitchen to our portfolio! I wasn't originally going to share a budget breakdown of this one because it wasn't my budget to share, but the Fullmer's gave their blessing. It definitely came in as the most expensive kitchen we've ever done (we included donated products in the overall price, but put an asterisk next to those), but we still saved a TON of money doing most of the work ourselves.
Here's a little trip down memory lane so you can check out the other kitchens we've done at a variety of price points. You can click through to see the full budget breakdown of each:
This Baltimore kitchen we did in a weekend for $4555! Appliances and cabinets included!
This Pittsburgh kitchen we did for $13,864 all in.
The kitchen in our last home was an extensive renovation we did for right around $28,000.
And the Fullmer's kitchen came in at $48,676. The higher end appliances definitely attributed to the price tag, but also really made the kitchen!
Here's how the budget broke down (I put an asterisk** next to the items that were donated by our partners. Most of these were brands that we worked with for the cabin and wanted to work with us again----or things we got for the cabin and donated--:
Cabinet boxes: Ikea Sektion boxes $4,000
Windows: Pella $900
Gas line $400
Countertops: Silestone Ariel Quartz $5,200
Stools $1,000
Exterior Brick patching after making the window smaller $900
Can lights/electrical $4,700
Plumbing $1,400
**Cabinet doors: Semihandmade X Chris Loves Julia Cove cabinet doors mixed with Semihandmade Supermatte White doors $7,000
Open shelves $50
Accessories $500
**Flooring $3,160
Runner $99
**Hardware: Bin Pulls (4″), Cabinet Knobs $800
**Beams (coming for sale soon)
**Sconces $558
**Chandelier $1,999
**Faucet $924
**Sink $520
**Tile $475
Grout $66
**Appliances: Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher, Microwave, Hood Insert $14,025
=$48,676 total
Let me know if you want to see a Look For Less type of post! And now's a great time to snag our Semihandmade cabinet doors as they are 20% off!!
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Hi! obsessed with this kitchen remodel!! Can you elaborate on the beams? What do you mean “coming for sale soon”? Is this something you are adding to the shop??
Thank you!!
Gorgeous. I’d like details on the light wood cabinets. Color, stain, where they’re from, etc.
Also, a look for less would also be wonderful.
I linked the cabinet front sources in the list and check out this post for look for less!
Gonna chime in with everyone else and say yes please on the look for less post!! (Especially a similar look for that light!) Thanks so much for this post. You guys are always my first stop when I am planning a reno because of how honest you are.
Julia, question about the tile for you. In the Fullmer kitchen photos, it appears to have a really pretty sheen/gloss to it, but when clicking the link, it appears to look more matte (especially in one of their example photos with the darker grout). 1. Did you do something to make it glossier or is it just not represented well in the linked website? And 2. If you purchased online by the photos, did you anticipate it to be more matte and when it arrived it had more gloss to it? I absolutely LOVE it in the Fullmer kitchen but looking at it on the website where it's sold, I would never have been able to imagine the outcome of how it looks in the Fullmer kitchen. Beautiful job!
It's pretty glossy when light shines on it (they have a huge window right across from the kitchen!) and I love the look.
Thank you for posting the real cost of this! HGTV shows the kitchen Reno's that cost "$10k" and there's no way in hell the cos ist that! Seeing the real cost helps to better understand how much things actually cost and what to expect to get with your money
I love that you shared the price breakdown. It’s incredibly helpful. I would love to see a Look for Less post. I especially love their appliances. Is there something out there that has a similar feel at a lower price point?
Check out this post!
Love it, so this pricing is without labor? I would love to see a look for less rundown
There is some labor included. However the part that we DIYed we didn't include labor on because we did it.
I love this and would love to see a “look for less” post.
Is the dishwasher behind the sink in the island? I would never think to put it there, but it works.
This is super helpful to see! Also, I think it's great how this was a gift was for all of you; the Fullmers were able to give you a project to get you back on your feet after the fire, and you were able to give them a gorgeous space in return. Isn't it great when friendship can do that?!
I’m wondering if you could speak about the taxes in regards to all the free or donated items. I know each state is different but most have very similar set ups in regards to donations. Also I was wondering if you could put a dollar value on your time and labor spend on the project. I think the numbers will look way different when you add that additional cost to it.
Those are all things that are very specific from project to project. I will say that the Fullmers had to fill out tax forms for some of the donations and will be required to pax taxes on them. Not your typical kitchen renovation budget situation though.
Could you link where the pendants are from? This has been a fascinating project and appreciate your sharing so much along the way.
they are from Rejuvenation!
Would you mind elaborating on the gas line? Was gas already in the house, and they just needed a new branch? Or was it a completely new line? We’ve been getting quotes for a new line all around $2k. We were thinking this would be less expensive.
Usually it's charged per foot (at least in our area) so whether they have to run it from the street or elsewhere in the house will greatly impact the cost here.
thank you, julia!
Would love to see a look for less. I'm also curious what you think you saved by doing some manual labor yourselves?
from demo to building and installing cabinets, tiling the backsplash, building the range hood--quite a bit!
I'm a fairly new follower, but really love the layout of your previous kitchen with the pantry/fridge/wall of cabinets. I clicked over to look at the budget and HOLY SMOKES! The "before" is unreal. You guys really made some super smart layout changes, as well as beautiful finish choices. I'm completely in love! We're gearing up for a kitchen remodel and I'm definitely pulling inspiration from your renovation. So so so well done!! (and not to discount the Fullmer kitchen! Also gorgeous!)
I think this is the best post you've ever made! So informative for someone who is going to do a kitchen reno in the near future!
Look for less post for sure!!!!!!!!
great advice and tips but this is impossible to lift and shift into a printable version
Yyeees a same look for less would be awesome!!
Would love to see the breakdown of a lower cost kitchen like the $13K one, as well as a how together a similar look for less with this kitchen.
If you click through to each description of the other kitchens it will take you to the budget breakdown of each one
And every penny spent shows! Stunning and worth it.
Love it! This is great inspiration! And of course I would also love to read about a look for less post.
Stunning! Thank you so much for sharing. I vote YES for a look for less.
I’d love a look for less post! Also would love reviews of the application Andean from the various kitchens after folks have lived with them for some time. How are the dishwashers, fridges, ranges, ceiling fans Anabel (pugmire master) working? Thank you!! Love what you do and the detail you share!
Thanks so much for sharing this! It would be SUPER helpful to know if any of these prices included labor. Or are they 100% completed by you? i.e. pella windows were 450 out of the box and paid 450 for installation? Hope that makes sense? Love your work so much!!
The window price includes the installation. We did not install those.
Thank you for sharing this! I think people can really get swept up in dreaming about the perfect kitchen they’ve seen on Pinterest or IG without realizing the price tag that comes with it. I think if you’re smart though, you can recreate similar looks within your budget just by looking in the right places or waiting for sales to get things you love that work for your vision.
What was the cost of the ikea cabinet boxes? Thanks!
$4000!
Look for less wound be great. I also really appreciate the breakdown!
Great breakdown, thanks so much!!! That kitchen is a dream kitchen!! Would absolutely love a budget version, thanks so much!!!
Thank you for sharing this!!! Do you think you could scrounge up a rough estimate of what labor might have cost? Like if they hired a medium budget contractor to do the work you guys did, how much might that have costed?
It will vary so much from place to place. The countertops, electrical, windows, HVAC and plumbing all include those labor costs. Those are the things we didn't diy.
Thank you for this breakdown. These kind of posts put budgeting a kitchen into perspective.
And there were no labor charges in that budget. Most of us have to add that to the cost.
She specifically says labor cost is included in several things: “.The countertops, electrical, windows, HVAC and plumbing all include those labor costs. Those are the things we didn’t diy.” So some items are inclusive, for budgeting ideas.
Amazing! Your work is incredible as always. A look for less post would be so helpful! We’re about to embark on a kitchen reno ourselves!
This is helpful! What about the cost of removing the wall and soffits? We are in the process of collecting quotes for our kitchen and that is a decent chunk of our budget.
We did that ourselves in an afternoon. We did have a pro come in and make sure the wall wasn't load bearing but they didn't charge for that
Was the price of the ikea boxes included with the price of the doors or is that listed separately? I didn't see it on the breakdown. Thanks
$4000!
It’s gorgeous you guys!!! Well done. And thanks for sharing the cost breakdown, it’s so helpful to get a realistic idea of what things actually cost.
What about all of the miscellaneous- like grout spacers, electrical plates, hood insert, glue... etc...? Is that included in the total? Also would you be able to give readers an estimate of your time that you put in?
I'm sure there were misc things that we forgot not listed here and we put in a lot of hours ourselves but also every kitchen will be different!
YES! Please! Would love a look for less post. But it was soooo helpful to see what each component cost in this kitchen. Makes it easier to be realistic!
So the 7,000 was that for all the ikea cabinets and doors or just the doors?
$4000 for the boxes $7000 for the doors.
Thank you, and the Fullmers, for sharing the budget breakdown! It is a dream, and dreamy, kitchen, for sure!
Thank you to you and the Fullmer's for sharing. So do i understand correctly that their oop cost was around $18,000? What an amazing gift for them!
Thanks for the breakdown! How did you snag the CB2 barstools for $250?!? I have been watching them for a while and they are $350. Guess I need to be patient for a sale!! Beautiful work on this kitchen - I'll be they LOVE it!
I believe they were on sale. But these are also the shorter ones if that matters.
What a beautiful kitchen! Thank you for sharing the details of costs. I once read a blog post where a designer shared the cost of her reno, saying she felt it was important for people to really see how much renovations cost. She mentioned that in the world of HGTV makeovers and DIY, people don't usually have an accurate sense of how much renos can be. I had just renovated my kitchen and was surprised at how much everything cost -- and I got a good deal for labor and really shopped around for deals on everything else. I was really out of touch, having never done anything that huge before. So thank you for this. And this was the price with you guys doing the labor (I'm kinda shocked at how much you guys did yourselves!!). It would have been WAY more had they been paying for all the labor. Again, really great job!
Hi! Do you need any other friends? :) What a gift and just an overall great design. So thankful for the prices! It helps so much when thinking about my own kitchen reno! I was really curious about your doorline and the ikea cabinets, and how much they cost compared to other brands. The doors are so pretty...but those tiles! Swoon all day.
I think it's so helpful to see larger kitchens renovated and their budgets. They're not small endeavors and if a person wanted something similar it's easy to look at the breakdown and start taking away things that you would compromise on to get the price down and if you're hiring labor then again you have to compromise some stuff as well. Thank you Fullmers!
Thanks to the Fullmers for being willing to share. You all did such a great job. I'd love to see a look-for-less post.
Thank you so so much for the budget breakdown! And for also being transparent on what was donated versus what was paid for! This is so helpful when I am planning my own renovations! I am so excited to see how you transform your new house as well!
Look for less!
I would love to see a "Same Looks for Less" post with items that you would actually install in another friend's kitchen, or your own!
Do you/semihandmade offer a line of doors for the pax system?
Yes they do!
Actually, I just chatted with someone at semihandmade the other day. They don't make Pax system doors anymore :(
The representative suggested using the tall wall kitchen cabinets in lieu of the Pax system. I could see this working for a mudroom really well.
Hope that's helpful!
Thanks for chiming in, Dina!
We did exactly this in our mudroom! Kitchen cabinets had measurements that fit perfectly in our space, and one year in, we are totally happy with the results. We used stainless steel legs and no toe kicks for easy cleaning. For what it's worth!
I always appreciate a good budget breakdown. While this may seem like a higher price, I would imagine this WAY cheaper than hiring out the entire job to a contractor and crew. Plus, I don't know that I have ever seen such a tailor made space. You guys really outdid yourselves on this project.
I love these blog posts when you are transparent about what things are costing! It is really helpful for me when planning what kind of renovations we want to do our house. Same with the blog post when you redid your bedroom at different price points, so helpful! Thank you for all you do :)
Yes yes yes please a look for less. Especially the appliances!
You and Chris do a beautiful job every time. I think it's so amazing that you're not only able to donate your talents to your loved ones but also be creative with the brands you know and love to give a very generous gift. Really stunning work and I see this as a perfectly unique way you're able to bless those around you.
Thanks for being so transparent with what's donated and what they purchased.
Did you have to get permission from your sponsors to use their products in a different space, or was the sponsorship deal to showcase their products in any space?
All items donated absolutely knew they were going to appear in this kitchen
I just want to tell you how much I appreciate this post. When I was planning my own kitchen upgrades last fall I referenced your other kitchen budget breakdown posts often and found them so helpful in figuring out what to expect and what to realistically budget for. I love the Fullmer kitchen!
Can you please share the countertop overhang on the island? We're planning our own kitchen renovation and we have similar island dimensions (87x36). However, 36" width will only give us about 10.5" overhang for leg room and we're concerned that it is not enough (I read that minimum is 12" to be comfortable). Curious to see what you guys did here. Thanks!
It's 14"
I think a "look for less" would be incredible for this kitchen! And bravo to the Fullmers for being willing to share this information -- I'm sure it will help a lot of people!
Do posts like these include any labor costs? Such as for things that you didn't do yourself or installation? Or do they only include the actual items - just curious! I love posts like these as they are really helpful for planning and understanding the true costs! Thanks so much for sharing!
Electrical, HVAC and plumbing costs included the parts and labor. The rest we did
Y’all replaced the windows and made the one window smaller yourself? Wow would love a tutorial on that endeavor!
We hired that part out! It was included in the window cost we listed.
What are the height measurements of the upper cabinets? I love how they go to the ceiling without crown moulding. We’re about to start our kitchen renovation and i feel the crown takes away from shaker style. Thank you!
Do you/semihandmade have doors for the pax system?
they don't but they do have doors for pantry cabinets which work well too!
Yesssss yes yes yes on the look for less. I love those posts!
Yes please on the look for less post!
Love budget breakdowns and I'm always into looks for less!
I'm amazed how cheap that tile is! I expected that to be a big line item. Definitely need to quit dragging my feet and tile our kitchen. It's so gorgeous
And blown away at how expensive the electrical work was!! I was planning to add can lights to our kitchen as our first step, but maybe I'm fine suffering through with crappy lighting for a while more. You've added a lot of can lighting through the years, is it always that expensive or was there a quirk about their house that made it difficult and time consuming for the electrician?
I felt like the was a VERY EXPENSIVE job they were invoiced for. Mine have never been that high.
I added two recessed lights in my home recently and it only cost $400, and that included the electrician working on a two-story ladder! I'm really surprised by that bill (although obviously the amount of wiring done was more extensive than mine).
Ok- good to know! $400 sounds more like what I was expecting to spend!
When we did our recent kitchen Reno we had an electrician come and add two lights above the windows, an outlet for a garbage disposal, moved the fridge outlet, added an additional outlet, and 4 can lights in our living plus new switch for $2500. But what I found was even in our area prices varied a lot (one company quoted $4000 and another quoted almost $6000 for the same job), and many companies charged a $100 fee just to come out for a quote. It pays to shop around and get referrals!
In my experience with any ceiling lighting, you should also be prepared to pay for Sheetrock repair and painting — which is always way more than expected because each time we’ve had to repaint entire ceilings to keep continuity across the room. And yes, we’ve always paid someone because painting ceilings is the worst.
That does seem REALLY high! We recently added 12 to our basement (we just finished it) and our electrician charged $85/recessed light plus the switches. Our ceilings were removed and we had it done before sheetrock but yes I agree that seems SUPER high!
Dang, I thought the tile was going to be more! Definitely makes it a contender when I do a kitchen reno now. If you guys didn't have to do plumbing and wall removal, I imagine this could be a late nights and weekends project that wouldn't take horribly long... or am I just dreaming, ha!
You’re dreaming, haha! We just got countertops in our diy ikea kitchen. Still have tile backsplash, lighting to finish, tape/texture/paint, and we JUST hit the 4 month mark. It is sooooooo much harder than you might think (we did vault the ceiling and add a window, but STILL, it’s a TON of work. Everything takes much longer than you think it will.
Same!! We’ve been working on our own Ikea / Semihandmade kitchen since February. It was a total gut job but it’s taken us 6 months to put it all back together (my hubs and I work and have 2 kids and did everything ourselves). We just got our counters but so many finishing items to still do!
We thought it would take like 2 months max HAHAHA!
Hahahah oh gosh! Isn't that how it always goes though? You start it thinking you'll be sitting pretty on the back patio sipping bourbon while you grill in like, two months MAX. I'm just hopeful because I work in construction and am a scheduler by trade, but I have to remember that it's different when I'm estimating labor that is not me, ha!
Thank you so much! This kitchen is so beautiful. Your breakdown (and all the process posts) is incredibly helpful. Yes, please do a look for less (and soon hopefully)! I am trying to do something similar in my house using your cove doors before the sale ends!
Thank you (and the Fullmer's) for sharing this. I totally would have understood if it wasn't shared, but real numbers help to get in the mindset of what it takes if I were to want to do something similar. It is such a pretty space.