Kitchen dilemma

[Blahblue]

We are in the process of buying our forever home, but it is a bit of a doer upper!

We plan on adding an extension in the next couple of years to massively increase the living space. Planning permission shouldn’t be an issue as every house in the street has done the same thing.

I just can decide what to do with the kitchen Until we get to do the extension. It is currently in a bit on a sorry state, probably not been updated since the early 80s. However I don’t want to spend a tonne of money on something that will just be ripped out in a couple of years anyway to incorporate the extension.

Does anyone have any bright ideas for a cheap kitchen update? Can you just replace the doors and tops? And put some cheapish flooring in to freshen it up. Ideally would only want to spend 3k ish. Have seen some genius solutions on here so hoping someone will give me some Ideas!

Thanks

I've seen people use Fablon - stick on plastic, on their kitchens. Or just paint the doors. 3k is quite a lot if you are going to update it fairly soon anyway. I couldn't bring myself to spend that much, unless you can use the units somewhere else such as in the garage or shed in the future?

Depends on the doors and the material

But yes you can buy new doors, and draw fronts, you may be limited to design depending on sizes. So finding a range with the same configuration.

You can paint doors with eggshell paint,

And you can paint worktops or change them for new ones, just check the sink will be ok to move as you may need a new one!

All are cheap options, I’d be amazed if it came out higher than £800 plus flooring

I’d just ride it out. I’ve lived with some states in the past. 2 years will fly and you’ll be glad you didn’t waste the money.
Repair any dodgy bits and a good clean will make it look better.

Tbh I’d just keep it and maybe do essentials such as replacing hinges if the doors are hanging off etc if you really do want to spend 3k ish then it’s probably enough for New doors, worktops, splashbacks and flooring etc.

Another who would just stick it out tbh. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and even if you succeeded in making it nicer you almost want it to be horrible to give you the motivation to do the new kitchen!

Our place was a doer upper and my #1 tip to everyone has been to do rooms really properly once. Pick one room that is the absolute priority to have done nicely straight away then spent whatever you need to get it perfect (don’t make this room one you need to pass through to get to others for obvious reasons!). Then you have a sanctuary to escape to when the rest of the house makes you want to throw yourself from a tall building don’t do fixes on rooms unless they are genuinely unuseable/unsafe. Better to wait a year and do something properly than fritter cash doing minor fixes, otherwise you’ll feel like you’re living in a never ending DIY project...

There are worktop painting kits available that work really well.

I just lived with mine, it was clean and hygienic, just fugly. The transformation from old to new was absolutely spectacular, I wouldn't have wanted a half way option in between.

We lived with our early 90s kitchen for 2.5 years when we moved in. It's only just been ripped out and become our utility room. The absolute joy at seeing it gone makes the living with it bit worth it in the end!

Thanks everyone, maybe I will just live with it then. It’s just really ugly and brown. I might just put down some cheap flooring as it has really old Lino and is mouldy and looks like it will be uncleanable.

Replace the flooring, after checking it doesn’t just clean up. Otherwise just live with it. That £3k would go towards something lovely in a new kitchen or into your contingency....