UPDATE--- see end of this post. :)

Hello, I’m located in Ottawa, ON and my partner and I are started to preliminarily plan our new kitchen layout. We will be tearing out the existing kitchen and doing all of the labour for demo and install ourselves (we’re both very handy).

As part of this renovation, we will also be removing a floating wall to create an open concept and replacing all of the floors. Aside from having the area prepped and floors installed before installing IKEA cabinetry — what are some tips, tricks and cost estimates from your personal IKEA kitchen projects?

Any helpful inside scoop or suggestions before we order anything?

Some hopes for our project:

• We are not moving any plumbing or stove location.

• Will incorporate a double farmhouse sink from IKEA

• Will have an island in the middle with storage/drawers (without bar seating as we are actually going to build a banquet)

• The IKEA butcher block countertops (any feedback on these?)

• Black lower cabinets and possibly wood-tone uppers or a green colour (two-tone kitchen)

• We have a black tile backsplash already purchased

• We want to build a large pantry with tall cabinets to hide our microwave and small appliances (air fryer, coffee machine, toaster)

• We’d ideally like to fit a counter-depth fridge into our layout

Looking for fellow IKEA lovers who embarked on a kitchen journey, especially if you did the labour yourself.

Thank you! ❤️

UPDATe --- We are more than halfway to our dream kitchen!!! We did remove our weird half-wall (ourselves) and demo'ed out entire kitchen, including floors, ourself, too! That saved us a ton of money in labour fees. We ended up designing and purchasing a two-tone IKEA kitchen with BOBDYN cream island + upper cabinets and black LERHYTTAN lowers. We chose not to purchase counters from IKEA. Instead, we bought live-edge solid wood acacia counters from Home Depot for our island, and we will order quartz counters from a local retainer for the rest of the counters. In our IKEA kitchen design, we were able to build an awesome pantry using their 90inch tall cabinets, and we also included a 36inch counter-depth fridge cabinet frame. We ordered SAMSUMG BESPOKE series appliances with the white glass fronts which will be delivered next Friday 0 yay! We hired my BIL to replace the tile floors, they are currently installed and gorgeous.

All in all, here was the approximate cost breakdown (in CAD):

1. IKEA Kitchen Cabinetry (not including hardware): $8500 + 13% HST(tax) - got them on sale in their kitchen sale.

2. Installation of IKEA Cabinetry: Originally quoted by IKEA at $5600 - we opted to install it ourselves and pay our BIL to help us. It will probably cost about $2000 in labour once done.

3. Tiles for floor and backsplash: FREE - We got lucky and got the materials from my fiance's work/warehouse that had extra supplies laying around - so that saved us a pretty penny. The black tile backsplash was sourced from the same place, so that was also free.

4. Installation of tile floor: $4000 - We paid our BIL (contractor) to help us with demolition + he installed our new floors.

5. New Appliances: $5100 for SAMSUNG BESPOKE in white glass (fridge, stove, dishwasher). I also spent about $500 getting some other kitchen accessories, like a new microwave oven, new microwave, new air fryer)

6. Live-edge countertops: We have a large L-shaped island, so we needed 2x slabs, one at $420 dollars and the other at $199 (plus tax).

7. Quartz counters: We haven't purchased these yet, it will be the last step onces the cabinetry is installed next week. We anticipate it will cost approximately $2500.

8. Electrical and plumbing: FREE(ish). We ended up needing to do some updates and minor changes to accomodate our new kitchen. We asked a buddy (electrician) to do the electrical updates and my BIL is running an extra water line for our fridge.

9. Painting (walls): FREE(ish) - I will be doing all of the painting. Only cost will be a can of paint.

10. Final budget - we set a budget of $25,000 CAD to complete gut and rebuild our kitchen, doubling its size. We will end up being a little under budget by doing most of the work ourselves and hiring friends/family to assist.

Will post pictures once it's all done in the next 2-3 weeks! :)

Can I have some feed back on ikea cabinets? They are very much in my price range but I don’t want to be making a mistake. I have two young kids and that’s one reason I am going more towards “cheaper” cabinets as I think it’s like furniture - don’t buy the GOOD stuff until the kids are out of the house.

So hit me with all the feedback please!