The kitchen is the heart of a home. It’s the one place where a family or a group of friends makes and shares their meals. Thus, when picking homes, most people pay attention to what the kitchen looks like.
And these past few years, a modular kitchen design seems to be the preference and is quite popular. In 2019, the modular kitchen market in the U.S. was valued at $6.7 billion. And it’s expected to grow up to $9.2 billion by 2025.
The modular kitchen design has several benefits. It’s aesthetically pleasing and functional. Since it’s customizable, you can get any layout you want, as long as it fits your kitchen area. All materials used in building your modular kitchen can also be customized. Another reason why many homeowners prefer this design is that it can maximize kitchen space. So you can have so much storage space, enough for all the kitchen equipment and tools you already have with room for more.
But many people overlook the disadvantages of the modular kitchen design when they have one created for their homes. Granted, the advantages far outweigh their disadvantages. Still, it’s important to understand the cons of this design. Knowing both sides of the coin will help you really understand what they’re getting into.
Hefty Price Tag
With all the planning and labor that goes into a modular kitchen, it can be pricey. Transforming a traditional kitchen to a modern modular kitchen will usually involve remodeling the entire space. And major kitchen remodeling usually costs around $20,000 and up. The costs can rack up even more if you also replace your kitchen appliances to fit the aesthetic of your modular kitchen.
If you don’t want a full-scale remodeling, you can just have your cabinets customized. But even that can be expensive. Prices for only custom cabinets range from $500 to $1,200 per linear foot. This price range is significantly higher than stock cabinets, which usually cost $200 or less.
Kitchen remodeling is one of the most expensive home improvements. Although, the upside to this cost is that it can add value to your home if you ever decide to resell it. A minor kitchen remodel valued at $15,000 or below can yield up to 92.9% return on investment. But if you spend more than that, your ROI will be lower.
Lengthy Construction
Getting your dream modular kitchen will take a lot of time. Usually, a full kitchen remodeling takes three to five months. If you only want a minor remodeling and only aim to have modular cabinets installed, the duration will decrease. Still, given the pandemic, it’s quite risky to push for a modular kitchen remodel that involves strangers coming in and out of your home.
Tricky Kitchen Appliance Replacement
As mentioned earlier, replacing kitchen appliances to fit your new modular kitchen can make the renovation more expensive. It may not be necessary if your appliances are relatively new and properly maintained.
But when these appliances are finally due for replacement, you may find it difficult to find ones that will fit the exact measurements of your modular kitchen. So when you have your modular kitchen built, you need to consider the dimensions for all kitchen appliances such as the refrigerator, microwave oven, baking oven, etc. In the future, do you aim to purchase these items again? If so, would you want a larger size, or would you stick with the same size as what you have now? Make sure that there’s enough space for your appliances to avoid future problems when you replace them.
High Maintenance
Some modular kitchens can be high maintenance. Make sure to wipe spills immediately to prevent marks on kitchen surfaces. You will also need to clean the inside of your kitchen cabinets regularly to keep them spick and span.
It goes without saying that we need to clean cabinets in and out regularly. But sometimes, life gets in the way. This will need to change when you get a modular kitchen. Depending on the finish of your cabinets, you may need to wipe them regularly to preserve their outer layer. You also need to protect them from fading to keep the kitchen’s aesthetic. If your kitchen has a huge window, you might consider putting on window tint film to protect your modular kitchen from fading due to sun rays.
A modular kitchen has so many benefits that it’s really hard to convince someone not to implement the design in their own homes. These drawbacks are not exactly dealbreakers. But understanding the drawbacks of such design can help homeowners make better decisions about kitchen improvement.
