A COUPLE has revealed how they saved more than £13,000 by renovating their kitchen themselves.
Jess and Connor, both 29, were quoted a staggering £15,000 for their kitchen makeover, but decided to try and tackle it themselves instead.
"We weren't planning on doing the kitchen ourselves originally," Jess said.
“I had always said that the kitchen would be the first ‘big job’ we would do when we bought this house as I always hated how bland and cold it was.
“After getting quotes for three or four different places, all around the £15,000 mark, we decided that we couldn’t justify those costs for such a small space, and decided we’d have a go at doing it ourselves."
They started watching DIY tutorials on TikTok and YouTube and took to Pinterest for inspiration on how they wanted their kitchen to look.
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And they ended up completing the transformation, as well as adding some new appliances, for just over £1,500.
The old kitchen featured bland white cabinetry, grey tiled flooring, and a slightly dated look with silver hardware.
The couple fitted a new fridge – purchasing a second-hand Smeg fridge for £430 – and worktops purchased from IKEA.
They also added a new solid oak floor, purchased from B&Q, and a black sink from IKEA.
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They overhauled the cupboards, painting them in a trendy forest green, and refreshed the tiles with antique white tile paint.
To complete the look, they added gold hardware – including a Wodar boiling water tap – to compliment the green cupboards.
“I think the kitchen as a whole has transformed massively, but I would say the things that have made the most difference were actually the cheapest things to do," Jess said.
“Painting both the kitchen tiles and cupboards has completely changed the look of this space.
“Something as simple as changing the chrome handles out for brass also added something extra.
Cost breakdown of Jess and Connor’s kitchen makeover project
Kitchen cupboard paints – £45
Kitchen tile paint – 3 tins – £68.97
Primer for cupboards – 1 tin – £20
Worktops – IKEA Vrena – £300
Solid Oak flooring – B&Q – £230.40
Handles – Amazon 2 boxes – £30
Tile trim – B&Q – £12
Smeg fridge freezer second hand – £430
Wodar boiling water tap £300
Black Sink – IKEA circular hub – £65
Total: £1,501.37
“I’d say my biggest tip is just to spend some time figuring out exactly what you want from your space before you start it.
“It’s a messy, time-consuming thing to do, so having a clear vision helped speed that up.
“Also, always make sure to spend time doing prep work – it’s potentially the worst part, but it makes such a difference to the finish and durability of things.”
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