What are the most cost-effective ways to upgrade your kitchen?
You don't need new cabinets to get a kitchen that looks new. Eric walks through the upgrades that change the most for the least — countertops, backsplash and cabinet pulls — plus a lighting trick that skips the extra drywall work.
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These are the most cost-effective ways to upgrade your kitchen from looking like this to this.
One: if your cabinets are in good condition, all you have to do is upgrade your countertops.
Two: your backsplash. If your countertops are coming out, you're going to want to change your backsplash as well.
Three: cabinet pulls. This can be a huge upgrade at a low cost.
And a bonus: adding lighting. You can do under-cabinet or pendant lighting, and those can be run on the same switch. That way, you don't have to do any excess drywall work.
Cabinets are usually 30–40% of what a kitchen remodel costs. If yours are solid, you can leave that part out entirely and still end up with a kitchen that looks new. These are the upgrades we'd put first, in order.
1. New countertops, if your cabinets are in good condition
Good condition means the boxes are solid, the doors and drawers work, and the layout suits how you cook. If that's your kitchen, the countertop is where the money goes furthest: it's the largest surface in the room and the first thing anyone notices.
With us, standard granite and standard quartz cost the same, so choose the one you like. Quartzite and marble cost more to buy and more to cut — they chip if they're rushed.
2. A new backsplash, if the countertops are changing
When a countertop comes out, the bottom of the old backsplash rarely survives, and a new counter seldom meets the wall on exactly the same line. Plan the two together.
On a Ceballos kitchen, a backsplash runs $1,500 to $3,000. The pattern moves the price more than you'd expect: straight-set subway goes up quickly, while herringbone, zellige or a full slab backsplash triples the tile labor on the same wall.
3. Cabinet pulls
New hardware is one of the least expensive changes in a kitchen and one of the most visible — you put your hand on it every day. On cabinets you're keeping, it's often the difference between "updated" and "original".
Bonus: lighting
Under-cabinet lights and pendants show off new counters and a new backsplash. Run them on a switch you already have and there's no new switch to cut into the wall — which means no extra drywall patching and painting.
For a sense of scale, our estimator prices new recessed lighting at $2,500 to $3,000, and recessed plus under-cabinet at $5,500 to $6,500.
See what your kitchen would cost
Our estimator prices a kitchen from real Ceballos jobs in about forty seconds, with countertops, backsplash and lighting as separate choices — so you can see how each one moves the number before you call anyone.
Questions people also ask
How do I know if my cabinets are worth keeping?
If the boxes are solid, the doors and drawers open and close properly, and the layout works for you, they're worth keeping. Water damage under the sink and doors that won't stay aligned are the usual reasons to replace them.
Do I have to replace the backsplash when I replace the countertops?
Usually, yes. Taking the old countertop out tends to damage the bottom of the backsplash, and the new counter rarely meets the wall on exactly the same line, so it's cleaner to plan them together.
Is quartz or granite cheaper?
With us, standard quartz and standard granite cost the same. Quartzite and marble cost more to buy and to fabricate.
Can I add kitchen lighting without tearing up the walls?
Often, yes. Under-cabinet and pendant lights can usually run on a switch you already have, which avoids cutting in a new one and the drywall repair that comes with it.