Look, I get it. You’re standing in your kitchen right now, maybe sipping your morning coffee, and you’re thinking… “This kitchen needs *something*. But what?”
The cabinets look tired. That laminate from 2003 isn’t fooling anyone. And don’t even get me started on those drawer handles that keep coming loose.
But here’s the million dollar question (well, maybe more like the $5,000 to $50,000 question): **Do you need to gut the whole thing or can you get away with a facelift?**
## Let Me Save You Some Money (And Headaches)
After 20+ years watching homeowners in Melbourne wrestle with this exact decision, I’ve noticed something. Most people think they need a full reno when really… they don’t.
Here’s my dead simple test:
**Ask yourself these 3 questions:**
1. Do you hate your kitchen layout?
2. Are your cabinets literally falling apart?
3. Is your plumbing or electrical completely shot?
If you answered “no” to all three, congrats — you probably just need a facelift. And you just saved yourself about $30,000.
## When a Facelift Makes Sense
A kitchen facelift is like getting a really good haircut and some new clothes. Same person underneath, but wow what a difference.
**Go for a facelift if:**
– Your layout works fine (you’re not bumping into each other making dinner)
– The cabinet boxes are solid — just ugly
– You’re on a budget under $10,000
– You need it done fast (like, before the in-laws visit next month)
– You’re selling soon and just need it to look fresh
I had this client in Bentleigh last month. Michelle, lovely woman. She was THIS close to demolishing everything. Turns out all she needed was new doors, a stone benchtop, and a glass splashback. Spent $8,000 instead of $40,000. Still texts me photos of her dinner parties.
## When You Actually Need the Full Monty
Sometimes though… sometimes you really do need to start from scratch.
**Pull the trigger on a full reno if:**
– Your kitchen workflow is a disaster (fridge blocking the dishwasher, that sort of thing)
– Multiple cabinets are water damaged or falling off the wall
– You need to move plumbing or knock down walls
– The electrical is from the stone age
– You’ve got the budget ($20,000+) and you’re staying put for years
## The Grey Area (Where Most of Us Live)
Here’s where it gets tricky. Maybe your kitchen is… fine? Not great, not terrible. Just meh.
This is where I see people get stuck. They’ll live with a mediocre kitchen for YEARS because they can’t decide.
**My advice?** Start with a facelift. Seriously.
New benchtops, maybe relaminate those cabinet doors, add a sexy glass splashback. See how you feel. You can always do more later.
Think of it like dating. You don’t marry someone on the first date, right? (If you do, we need to talk.)
## The Money Talk
Let’s be real about costs:
**Facelift Budget:**
– Basic refresh: $3,000 – $5,000
– Mid-range makeover: $5,000 – $10,000
– Premium facelift: $10,000 – $15,000
**Full Renovation:**
– Basic gut job: $15,000 – $25,000
– Standard renovation: $25,000 – $40,000
– High-end overhaul: $40,000+
## How to Decide (For Real This Time)
Here’s what I tell everyone who calls FixNow:
1. **Live in your kitchen for a week and write down everything that annoys you**
– Can’t reach the plates? That’s a layout issue.
– Hate the color? That’s a facelift fix.
2. **Get someone who knows kitchens to look at it**
– Not your brother-in-law who “knows a guy”
– An actual professional who’s seen hundreds of kitchens
3. **Be honest about your timeline**
– Need it done in 2 weeks? Facelift.
– Got 2 months? Either option works.
4. **Think 5 years ahead**
– Selling soon? Facelift.
– This is your forever home? Maybe splurge on the full reno.
## My Final Two Cents
I’ve seen too many people stress themselves sick over this decision. They get quotes, they second-guess, they ask everyone they know…
Here’s the truth: **Most kitchens just need some love, not a lobotomy.**
Start by calling someone local (hint hint, FixNow services all over Melbourne) and just… talk it through. Get them to actually look at your space. Touch those cabinets. Open those drawers.
A good kitchen person (and I’d like to think we’re pretty good) will tell you straight up what you actually need. Not what makes them the most money — what makes sense for YOU.
Because at the end of the day? It’s not about having the fanciest kitchen on the block.
It’s about having a kitchen that makes you want to cook dinner. That doesn’t embarrass you when friends come over. That works with your life, not against it.
Whether that takes a $5,000 facelift or a $25,000 renovation… well, that’s what we’re here to figure out together.
Give us a call. Let’s talk about your kitchen. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just honest advice from people who’ve been doing this long enough to know the difference between what you want and what you actually need.
Sometimes they’re the same thing. Sometimes they’re not.
But you won’t know until you ask.
*— Bryce*
**P.S.** Still on the fence? Here’s a thought: The money you save by choosing a facelift over a full reno… that’s a pretty nice holiday. Or a year of school fees. Or that car service you’ve been putting off. Just saying.