Kitchen remodeling often involves trade-offs. Do you want the granite countertop or the large commercial oven? Do you spring for the Italian marble on the walls or use a ceramic tile? Here are some guidelines on making all those trade-offs work for you.

Set Kitchen Remodeling Goals

Before starting a kitchen remodeling, take note of your overall goals. Are you remodeling to gain more space? Do you need to gut the kitchen to get a better layout? If so, then you may have to spend more on structural changes and sacrifice some high-end materials. Your money will go toward:

• Tearing down walls or gutting the room.
• Pouring a new foundation (when doing an addition).
• Extending mechanical systems into a new space.

When Structural Changes Drive Kitchen Remodeling

Those structural changes are necessary and can force you to scale back on:

• The quality and style of kitchen cabinets.
• Kitchen appliances.
• The sink, faucet and other fixtures.
• Decorative finishes, such as window treatments and wall tile.

Kitchen Design Solutions

If all the technical changes are eating away at your budget, consider selecting kitchen design products that are easy to change later. Look for changes that do not require reconfiguring the room or tearing out the cabinets or floor. For example:

• Add a laminate countertop with a granite look. In 3 to 5 years, you can upgrade to real granite countertops.
• Buy a sturdy, but modestly priced faucet. By skipping the more expensive oil rubbed bronze finish and the trendiest style, you can save $150 or more. It's easy to change the faucet later, when funds are more plentiful.
• Forego wall tile and use paint instead. For a few hundred dollars you can have a bold paint color on the wall or do a faux finish. It's easy to add wall tile later, as it does not involve moving the cabinets or countertop.
• Buy modestly priced kitchen appliances in the size you want. If you know you want a 36-inch commercial oven one day, leave room for it in your kitchen design. Buy an inexpensive oven until you can upgrade to a more expensive appliance later.
• Use modestly priced window treatments or leave some areas without window treatments and add them in stages.

There are many trade offs during a kitchen remodeling project. The best approach is to be realistic and think long term. Then get creative with some short-term solutions to help fill the gap.

About the Author
Allison E. Beatty is a syndicated real estate writer who has been writing home improvement columns for 15 years.