17 Kitchen Remodel Savings Tips Contractors Don't Want You to Know

Your kitchen remodel cost doesn’t have to destroy your life savings. Or your budget. If you’re prepared to supply all the sweat and elbow grease, and you just need a few tips and tricks to save money on materials and supplies, you’re in the right spot. I’ll show you how to save money on the one item that sinks kitchen remodel budgets and tell you how to get kitchen appliances for less. Plus I’ll give you insight into which stores offer the best prices on items you very likely need.

Be sure to download the KCL app where you’ll receive the best Lowe’s and Home Depot deals as my team uncovers them in real time. You won’t miss a single floor clearance sale or insanely low refrigerator price.

 

1. Buy kitchen cabinets at IKEA.

Did you know the biggest hit your budget will take during a kitchen remodel is the cabinets? Yep, 25% of your remodeling budget could go toward new cupboards. Of course, it doesn’t have to, and one of the best ways to avoid this money pit is by shopping for cabinets at IKEA. Not only will you pay a fraction of the price of custom cabinets, but you can also get 5% off with your IKEA Family discount.

 

2. Splurge on good-looking hardware for cheaper cabinets, and a nice faucet for a cheaper sink.

The name of this game here is function and perception. As long as it looks nice and it can hold up to your family’s wear and tear, that’s the goal, right? So, get the cheaper IKEA cabinets and then be more picky about the hardware in order to give it a higher-quality look. Or, repaint those old cabinets from the 1980s. Heck, you could even replace the cabinet doors instead of tearing out the entire ugly-oak monstrosity.

Ditto sinks and faucets. Get a cheaper sink and splurge on a no-touch gooseneck pull faucet. (Even better if you can get this on sale, which is totally possible.)

 

3. Check Home Depot’s Special Buy of the Day for up to 60% savings on your kitchen remodel.

Every day, Home Depot offers a fresh handful of online flash deals they call “Special Buy of the Day.” Check these often as you approach your kitchen remodel because you can find items you might need for up to 60% off. If you see something you can use at a price you can live with, buy it. The deals only last for 24 hours.

In the past, I’ve seen kitchen island lighting for 60% off and a Glacier Bay Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet for $65.40 (regularly $109).

The catch? Home Depot won’t match their Special Buy of the Day prices in stores. But don’t worry, I’ve got other ways to save money at Home Depot.

 

4. Save up to 30% on large appliances at Lowe’s.

If you’re looking for cheap new Lowe’s appliances, check out the Appliance Special Values section of Lowes.com. I’ve found refrigerators, washers/dryers, dishwashers, and microwaves for up to 30% off regular price.

If you have a lot of time to plan and buy ahead of your kitchen remodel, mark your calendar for some of the minor holiday sales Lowe’s offers, like the President’s Day sale in February, or the Memorial Day Sale in May. I found refrigerator brands like Frigidaire, LG, and more on sale for 30% off during the President’s Day Sale in 2023.

RELATED: Learn how to shop the best Lowe’s sales.

 

 

5. Take advantage of rebates at Lowe’s and Home Depot for up to $2,200 back.

Check the Lowe’s rebate center to see if they offer anything on your kitchen remodel shopping list.

I’ve seen literally any appliance sort of thing you may need for your kitchen. I’m talking about refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, ovens, cooktops, range hoods, microwaves, and more.

You can get cash back (in the form of Visa prepaid gift cards) simply by choosing appliances featured on either rebate list.

You’ll get the biggest rebate when you replace multiple appliances. For example, to get $1,600 back, you’d need to buy four large appliances. (A combo including an oven/range, refrigerator, dishwasher, and a microwave would work.) Get more details about cheap Lowe’s appliances.

Home Depot very recently updated their rebate process, and now instead of buying specific eligible items and brands, you can get up to 11% back on some items you buy in the store. Just submit your receipt within 30 days of your purchase and they’ll review it. If it’s eligible for a rebate, you’ll get your 11% back in the form of a Home Depot e-gift card.

There are exclusions, so make sure you’re aware of them before you bank on this.

 

6. Lowe’s and Best Buy price match Amazon on identical items, but Home Depot won’t.

As long as the item is sold and shipped by Amazon (not a third party), Lowe’s will match any lower prices you find on Amazon.

To get Lowe’s or Best Buy to price match Amazon, all you have to do is show proof of the lower price to a Lowe’s or Best Buy associate (screenshots are perfect). Oh, and both stores let you get the price match online as well. Here’s what you do:

• At Lowe’s, call 1-877-465-6937 for your price match.
• At Best Buy, go to their policy page and start an online chat.

By the way, Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy all price match each other. So, lose the store loyalty because it’s worth shopping around in order to get the best deal.

Read all about Lowe’s price match policy and Home Depot’s price match policy.

 

7. Watch the end caps for Home Depot and Lowe’s flooring clearance.

Historically, both Home Depot and Lowe’s have offered exciting flooring clearance prices. For tile and laminate flooring, watch for prices to reach $1.50 per square foot or less. Sometimes prices even dip down below $0.25 per square foot, although that’s becoming less common.

The Home Depot near me updates their clearance flooring once every 4 – 5 weeks, and it’s worth checking each month if you’re in the market for kitchen flooring.

Another option that’s cheaper than going down to your local flooring shop and paying full price is Overstock. While their sale prices get into the $3 – $4 per square foot range, it’s worth looking into if you strike out on a clearance sale at the big boxes.

 

8. Spending more than $1,500? Look into bulk discounts.

Both Home Depot and Lowe’s offer bulk discounts that are designed to help contractors reduce their costs when they make high-volume purchases.

However, it’s possible for you to get access to these discounts too. Both retailers say this is for “professionals,” but they don’t require you to give a business license. In order to qualify, you’ll have to apply, but the worst they can say is “no,” right?

If you’re spending at least $1,500 on materials for your kitchen remodel, enroll in Home Depot’s Pro Xtra Loyalty Rewards or Lowe’s Pro Desk.

On average, you’ll save between 5% and 10%. It’s possible to save up to 30% at Lowe’s. Each store manages their volume discount program uniquely, so visit your store’s Pro Desk.

TIP: You can also get 10% off most regular-priced Home Depot or Lowe’s purchases if you’re a current or former military member.

 

9. Rent tools from Lowe’s instead of Home Depot — Lowe’s is cheaper.

You should absolutely be saving money by renting tools. And I’ve found Lowe’s to be cheaper across the board. Doesn’t matter if you need a tool for four hours or four weeks, go with Lowe’s. In some cases, it’s a matter of dollars (this is especially true for the shorter-duration rentals). But if you need a tool for weeks on end, it’s the difference of up to $100.

For example, I compared prices for a 20-Volt Paint Sprayer rental, and at the 1 – 4 hours duration, the price is the same at both stores at my location: $26. For a 1-Day rental, Lowe’s is just a dollar cheaper ($36 versus $37 at Home Depot). It’s four dollars cheaper at Lowe’s if you do a week-long rental ($144 versus $148). But when you get into the month-long rental, Lowe’s only charges $360, compared to Home Depot’s $444.

 

 

10. Shop Pottery Barn dupes on Wayfair and pay a fraction of the price.

I’m not saying it’ll be the absolute exact same thing. But, you can find some close style matches at Wayfair if you happen to fall in love with expensive Pottery Barn lighting, as some of us are apt to do.

It’s no secret that Wayfair is cheaper than Pottery Barn, and if you just like the look, and don’t care about the brand, this is the way to go. Here are a few examples. You’ll see that they’re not identical to the Pottery Barn lighting, but these dupes give off a similar vibe.

Pottery Barn sells this schoolhouse pendant light for $179. But this Wayfair pendant light is only $45.99. You could get three for the price of the one at PB.

Another example is this metal bell pole pendant that PB sells for $167. Get something similar on Wayfair for only $58.99.

Get all the insider info for finding the best Wayfair deals and Wayfair coupons.

 

11. Buy “oops paint” at Home Depot for about $5 per gallon.

The Home Depot and Lowe’s sell mistint paint, commonly known as “oops paint,” or paint that’s been returned. In other cases, it’s paint that some poor associate mixed incorrectly.

In my experience, the best time to look for this type of cheap paint is a few weeks after paint sales end, because it usually takes people a few weeks to return the paint they don’t need. Pop in at the end of July to see what people returned during the Fourth of July sale, which is a big one for both retailers.

This will absolutely vary from store to store, but it’s worth checking out. Getting a gallon of paint for $5 is equivalent to at least 75% savings on even the cheapest paint out there.

 

12. Expect up to 80% savings during Wayfair’s Way Day sale.

Way Day is Wayfair’s 48-hour sale that happens twice a year, once in April and once in October.

In 2023, I saw 50% off Kohler products (think sinks and faucets) and large appliances starting at $350. You can get all sorts of furniture, rugs, and more for up to 80% off. So this is the sale to shop when you’re in kitchen and dining room decorating mode, too!

 

13. Consider getting a Home Depot or Lowe’s credit card to save 5%.

If you’re doing a big remodel and you know you’ll be buying a lot from a home improvement store, there’s no shame in getting a credit card if you can get money back.

With The Home Depot credit card, you’ll get up to $100 back immediately when you sign up.

Lowe’s credit card offers 5% back on every purchase. This means Home Depot’s $100 back is only a better deal up to $2,000. If you’re spending more than that, open a Lowe’s account instead.

Of course, it probably goes without saying since you’re a smart shopper, but only use credit cards if you can pay them off every month. That 5% cash back will get eaten up in one gulp by the interest you pay from carrying a balance month to month.

 

14. Making a tiny, under-$45 purchase at Lowe’s or Home Depot? Use in-store pickup.

Both stores make you pay for shipping unless you spend $45. Chances are good you’ll reach this minimum if you’re doing a kitchen remodel, but if not, absolutely refuse to pay for shipping. Especially when you’ll most likely be at Lowe’s or Home Depot in the next few days anyway, grabbing that thing you forgot. At least, that was me when we did a remodel.

 

 

15. Save up to 70% on raw lumber marked purple in the back of your local Home Depot.

Need to rebuild or build something for your kitchen? Or maybe you’re going all Pinterest-y and making new floating shelves where your old cabinets used to live. This trick is for you.

The Home Depot takes 70% off their culled, or unwanted wood.

At my Home Depot, I’ve found this wood near the very back of their lumber section (it’s near the far wall at my store). It’s always sprayed purple on one of the ends. Check there or ask an associate where they keep the leftover pieces.

 

16. Check for Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Best Buy discounted gift cards.

The idea behind discounted gift cards is pretty simple. They sell you full-value gift cards at a slight markdown, so you get the savings. That means a $50 gift card only costs you $47.75.

There are tons of discounted gift card sites, and I recommend you check them all out to see what’s available. In theory, you can get discounted gift cards for Lowe’s, Home Depot, and Best Buy. In reality, I see the most Lowe’s cards available. Here are vendors to check:

• Raise
• Gift Card Granny
• Cardpool
• Cardbear

RELATED: Get acquainted with our best gift card tips.

 

17. Shop Lowe’s and Home Depot through Ibotta for up to 8% cash back.

Ibotta is an app that pays you via PayPal for eligible purchases you make. You’ll create an account, then search for either “Home Depot” or “Lowe’s” to see current offers. I’ve seen 6% cash back for Home Depot and 8% cash back for Lowe’s most recently.

To take advantage of this, you’ll just initiate your purchase through the Ibotta app.