Kitchen remodel - worth the hassle and money?

[Vulcan0]

We live in a typical suburban home. When you enter, there’s a dining room on one side and a living room on the other. Beyond that, you pass the stairs (leading up to the bedrooms and down to the basement) and find the kitchen on one side and the family room on the other.

We’re considering tearing down the wall between the formal dining room and the kitchen to create one large, open space for a kitchen, dining area, and pantry.

Here are the main problems we’re trying to solve:

1. Our current breakfast table area is cramped and right next to the patio door, making it difficult to get in and out. This is a big issue because we spend most of our time here. A bigger table and a more spacious, functional layout would make a huge difference.

2. We almost never use the formal dining room — maybe once a year at most.

3. The kitchen feels dated, with dark countertops and cabinets that are starting to peel. My wife would love a more modern, fresh look.

4. The pantry is small, and we’d really like a walk-in pantry for better storage.

The house is valued at $675,000 according to Zillow. We plan to live in it for 10 to 15 years.

What do you think of this plan? Would it be a good investment or a practical improvement for our space?

[CAsage]

Sounds great, and open concept remodels are very popular on HGTV shows - watch a few! Generally look out for loadbearing walls, and consider how easy it will be to move plumbing/heat/electrical. But agree, a larger kitchen, single dining area, totally worthwhile. It will take a while, get a good designer/architect.

[LiveSimple]

Remodel is always costs and time consuming...

However people do want change and this cannot be avoided...

If your family did not think to change the kitchen then that is fine...

if you are discussing often for a kitchen remodel, then do it...most of the time the family will think only when the project is manageable or affordable.

if you are doing to make the home more livable as you age, then that is one factor to do the remodel as well

[stan1]

You can make some decisions such as leaving appliances and sink in the same place that will save some money. But I also would not cut corners; if you have a choice between an expensive engineered beam or a pillar in the middle of the new room, consider going with the expensive beam. That's not the place to look for low cost. It is easy to say "stick with mid-grade" finishes until you start shopping and realize that the entire industry knows the nicer stuff costs more.

Your job as described sounds fairly routine but make sure you select someone with a kitchen designer who has a lot of experience and who you like. The design entered into the computer and the cabinet ordering process is the most important step. I am fine with design build firms for a job like this, but some will insist that you should get an independent design and get bids on that from 3-5 different contractors. Maybe you would have success with that approach where you live, but in other places you would pay a lot more to do it that way if you can even find qualified contractors willing to play that game. I'm assuming you are hoping to be in the $75-100K range not the $300K+ range.

Despite claims from the real estate and construction industry to the contrary, you likely won't get most of what you put into it back. In general, if you spend $X your house won't sell for $X more than the house next to you that has not been remodeled. It may help you attract more buyers, including multiple offers when the time comes to list it. Always local exceptions. It is mostly a lifestyle choice rather than an investment.

[BattyNatty]

We did a similar renovation as soon as we could afford it after buying the house - we wanted as many years as possible with the new kitchen in place. We also raised the cabinets/counters by 1.5” because standard counters are too low ergonomically for average heighten Americans these days.

We got quotes from four companies and they ranged from $40k to $160k (we went with a $75k option).

Before talking to any company we spent a while using the IKEA kitchen design tool to figure out exactly the layout we wanted in the space. (We didn’t do anything IKEA, it’s just a convenient layout tool.)

[visualguy]

Sounds worthwhile unless there are surprises. I don't know how old your house is, and if it's a tract house or custom built. If old and tract, there's a higher risk of opening a Pandora's box. Things like having to disturb asbestos in the drywall joint compound (requiring abatement), poor framing design or workmanship (walls that aren't plumb, etc.) There's the famous saying that with renovations you know where you start, but not where you finish. It's often more involved than it seems initially, and most contractors aren't particularly upfront about all that.

[Kings over Queens]

What do you think of this plan? Would it be a good investment or a practical improvement for our space?

Assuming you can afford it, I say do it. Sounds like you will enjoy it. I look at it this way, you aren't so much spending the money on a "thing,," granted, a kitchen is a thing, but rather the memories and experiences you'll enjoy over the years to come.

Word of caution, be prepared to go over budget and for the project to take longer than expected.

[nordsteve]

My parents combined the formal DR and kitchen into one space. Involved moving location of everything. It was an enormous improvement and they loved it. The space under the new kitchen area was unfinished, so that saved them some money.

My dad considered leaving a post in the middle of the space, but once they saw the space cleared out, they decided to spring for the engineered beam to eliminate the post. It was a great decision.

[lthenderson]

What do you think of this plan? Would it be a good investment or a practical improvement for our space?

No it wouldn't be a good investment but yes it would be a practical improvement to how you use your space.

We went through this very exercise five years ago, getting rid of our breakfast nook and creating a larger walk in pantry along with modernizing and enlarging our kitchen. Do I regret doing it? Absolutely not. We enjoy our kitchen and huge walk in pantry on a daily basis and receive many compliments on the project. Was it worth it financially, absolutely not. The resale value of our house increased by less than 50% of the money we sunk into doing the project. For us, our house is where we live, call home and want to be comfortable and enjoy. We have never looked at it as an investment but rather money we spent that we will never likely see again. We might use our equity to change houses later on in life but our heirs will likely be the ones to get the money back out of it and they won't be concerned about whether or not it was a good investment.

[ETK517]

I did a very similar renovation and am very happy with the results. I lived in the house during construction and the hassle was much less than what I was anticipating. Was very expensive but worth it. My only words of caution are (1) your job scope (and thus cost) is likely to expand significantly for various reasons (e.g.: electrical codes have changed and any wall you touch will need to be brought to code; you may need to replace/refinish floors and/or repaint walls outside of the specific areas you're renovating; as you change layouts you may need or want to alter windows or doors); and (2) given the way you describe your house, I personally would be hesitant to make the kitchen and dining room completely open concept, versus integrating them better but keeping some separation between the spaces. I have a completely open concept and like it, but my kitchen/dining area combined are still relatively small so that was really the only option. Wide open spaces where you can see the dirty dishes in the sink from the front door are not ideal.

Given the length of time you intend to live there, I wouldn't consider it an investment. And by the time you anticipate selling, the kitchen will likely be considered by buyers to be outdated again. My renovation ended up coinciding with Covid-wide property value increases so it's hard to say whether it was a good investment, though the appraised value of my property increased by about 2x what I put into the renovation.

[Vulcan0]

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

[visualguy]

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

I would do it if those homes are nicer and well-built. Upgrading to a better house (if affordable) makes more sense than extensive renovations in my opinion. Renovations make more sense where nicer houses are scarce and/or unaffordable.

[stan1]

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

Your first project to open up dining room and remodel kitchen is likely a "minor headache" with what you describe, unless you turn it into a luxury whole house remodel or there is additional information that you have 6 people living in current house and would have to move them all out. I'd guess a project of scope similar to what you wrote about has been done to millions of houses in the US over the last 40 years.

With this additional information buying a different house could also be a solid approach. Just make sure the new house is exactly what you want. You may love your current neighborhood and neighbors, or there could be other factors like noise, busy streets, trees, lot size, etc. that make the current neighborhood more desirable than the new neighborhood. If none of that applies and the new house has other features you'd want your income and assets certainly allow you to make choices in life.

[Jack FFR1846]

This sounds very much like a typical modern house. Dining room, family room, living room, TV room, play room. They're all redundant. Your solution costing zero dollars is obvious. Change the formal dining room into your breakfast room. Now it frees up the patio door, it eliminates cramped conditions and best of all, you pay zero dollars. You probably have more tables than you need, so put one with its chairs up on offer up or marketplace for $10 and someone will come buy them.

You're talking about spending tens of thousands of dollars which will reduce the value of the house. Why? Because when you go onto Zillow or Red Fin or any real estate site, it lists number of rooms. Your house becomes a minus one, dropping the value and dropping out of the search results for high end buyers who can't imagine having only 5 living rooms.

[eri]

Any time you spend money you’re losing opportunity for it in the future. 100k at 5% is 5000 per year so that is gon from your life. the opportunity is like rent you’ll pay forever for the remodel. Hopefully you get it back when you sell the house but you might not.

[Artful Dodger]

Probably a good investment but more importantly if you’re planning to be there 10 - 15 years it makes sense to use the space to its full potential. I’m with you on the formal dining room. They’ve really seemed to have gone out of style. Frankly my parents remodeled the their house in 1965 and took theirs out. We have a great room / living room with a table that can expand to seat 12 and we use it a few times a year.

We did a partial remodel over Covid with new appliances and countertops. Looks much better now and most people upgrade appliances over time.

[FoolMeOnce]

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

How long will you be in either house? If long enough, I would do whichever option would bring you the most enjoyment without consideration of which is a better "investment."

[av111]

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

If you like the new homes buy those

500k hhi would support a 3m home. 250k spend is trivial like buying chipotle vs mcdonald's value meal. You have earned it

[galving]

We live in a typical suburban home. When you enter, there’s a dining room on one side and a living room on the other. Beyond that, you pass the stairs (leading up to the bedrooms and down to the basement) and find the kitchen on one side and the family room on the other.

We’re considering tearing down the wall between the formal dining room and the kitchen to create one large, open space for a kitchen, dining area, and pantry.

Here are the main problems we’re trying to solve:

1. Our current breakfast table area is cramped and right next to the patio door, making it difficult to get in and out. This is a big issue because we spend most of our time here. A bigger table and a more spacious, functional layout would make a huge difference.

2. We almost never use the formal dining room — maybe once a year at most.

3. The kitchen feels dated, with dark countertops and cabinets that are starting to peel. My wife would love a more modern, fresh look.

4. The pantry is small, and we’d really like a walk-in pantry for better storage.

The house is valued at $675,000 according to Zillow. We plan to live in it for 10 to 15 years.

What do you think of this plan? Would it be a good investment or a practical improvement for our space?

Go for it.
Find an architect/design-build and work through a couple of different ideas.
We upgraded our dining room/living area and it's just much nicer and more functional. The payback is in enjoyment factor vs a short term economic one.

Good luck,
galving

[Admiral]

New construction where I live (east coast) is garbage. All these million-plus homes are Tyvek homewrap over pressboard, perhaps a single course of brick, they all leak, they have fiberboard or vinyl interior doors, cheap flooring, often cheap vinyl windows, and on and on.

Before you consider moving, I'd compare your home to what is out there. At least when you do the renovations, you know what you're getting (and paying for). I'd sooner buy a home built before 1960 and upgrade it than one that is built today UNLESS I was building it myself. It's one thing for the above materials to be used in a $400k home. Much different than one that costs $1.5m.

[stan1]

New construction where I live (east coast) is garbage. All these million-plus homes are Tyvek homewrap over pressboard, perhaps a single course of brick, they all leak, they have fiberboard or vinyl interior doors, cheap flooring, often cheap vinyl windows, and on and on.

Yeah I have to agree with that, 1999 construction like OP's current home had some progression towards low cost but 2020 tract homes (especially late 2020 built with COVID shortages) could have those issues. Plus in suburban areas why was the new location passed over from development for 20 years? It could be because someone owned acerage and didn't sell it, because a new road was built, or it could be because the location is less desirable due to noise or proximity to non-residential land uses.

But maybe OP could open their aperature if they are open to moving, and look across their commuting region at all the options available to them. The best choice very well could be something they haven't considered yet. For example, a house that is appropriately sized but already remodeled in a great neighborhood. They can afford it. 

[snackdog]

Your wife will not stopping complaining until you remodel so best to bite the bullet.

[Watty]

A sort of odd question. What do your bathrooms look like?

If they are similar in age and design to your kitchen then once the kitchen is remodeled then they will likely look like they need to be remodeled too so they will match the quality of your new kitchen.

All that work may also trigger things like wanting new flooring and windows throughout the house.

Even without the bathrooms and other work once you get into moving walls around you will likely need to move out of the house while the work is being done so you should also consider that in your decision.

I would guess that if you decided to start today that with doing the design, scheduling the contractors, getting cabinets made, new windows etc that you would be doing good to be able to get all the work done within a year.

We live in a typical suburban home.
......
We plan to live in it for 10 to 15 years.
...Would it be a good investment .....

If you do the model and sell the house 10+ you will still have a typical suburban home and a 10+ year old kitchen will will add virtually no value to an appraisal of the house. In fact by 15 years your kitchen could look a bit dated even if it is in good condition.

Here is an alternative. Right next to our subdivision, thee is a new development (2 to 5 year old homes). They sale for $1m plus or minus. We thought about just selling our house and buying one of those. The move will probably cost us about 250 net (vs current home plus remodeling costs). But we will get a newer home (2020 vs 1999 build). We may also get other "good to have" things like covered patio and second floor washer and dryers. This will also avoid headaches associated with construction (vs moving).

I think we can afford it (500HHI and 3.3m NW) but we also want to be studious with $ as we came from humble beginnings.

Moving to one of those other houses is an easy choice, it is not even close.

I would suggest though that you look at a lot of different neighborhoods though just to see if there some other house which would be even better for you.

When you are moving walls around like you want you are doing a lot more than a kitchen remodel you are basically remodeling the entire first floor which a major project.

You could also have your current house sold and be moved into a different house by Memorial Day so that you could enjoy the summer there instead of dealing with construction all summer.

[simplesimon]

This sounds very much like a typical modern house. Dining room, family room, living room, TV room, play room. They're all redundant. Your solution costing zero dollars is obvious. Change the formal dining room into your breakfast room. Now it frees up the patio door, it eliminates cramped conditions and best of all, you pay zero dollars. You probably have more tables than you need, so put one with its chairs up on offer up or marketplace for $10 and someone will come buy them.

You're talking about spending tens of thousands of dollars which will reduce the value of the house. Why? Because when you go onto Zillow or Red Fin or any real estate site, it lists number of rooms. Your house becomes a minus one, dropping the value and dropping out of the search results for high end buyers who can't imagine having only 5 living rooms.

I'm in a garrison colonial built in 1968 and we've contemplated opening up kitchen/dining room like OP to make a big room but decided against it and have managed to make use out of the separate rooms. I enjoy having a wall between me and the kids at times when I need a break!

[inverter]

Three points:

1. Is that new construction actually higher quality, or just new?
2. Please higher a reputable kitchen designer, ideally at fixed fee. They will help you avoid a lot of mistakes.
3. Keep in mind once you're locked on scope and get a couple of quotes and timelines that it will take and cost 25% more. Plan accordingly.

[Dottie57]

I just did a renovation in 2024. I love the results. Much more convenient. More open with better air flow. Well worth the money.

I did have a budget and I priorotized what was important vs what would be nice to have.

[Vulcan0]

Y'all raised a very important point about build quality. The few I have seen/toured appear to be of inferior quality. The better quality finishes are priced much higher, starting around 1.25m. At that price, I would want us to be in a better neighborhood that is closer to the city and airport. Unfortunately this is becoming a moving target

[vanuber]

We live in a typical suburban home. When you enter, there’s a dining room on one side and a living room on the other. Beyond that, you pass the stairs (leading up to the bedrooms and down to the basement) and find the kitchen on one side and the family room on the other.

We’re considering tearing down the wall between the formal dining room and the kitchen to create one large, open space for a kitchen, dining area, and pantry.

Here are the main problems we’re trying to solve:

1. Our current breakfast table area is cramped and right next to the patio door, making it difficult to get in and out. This is a big issue because we spend most of our time here. A bigger table and a more spacious, functional layout would make a huge difference.

2. We almost never use the formal dining room — maybe once a year at most.

3. The kitchen feels dated, with dark countertops and cabinets that are starting to peel. My wife would love a more modern, fresh look.

4. The pantry is small, and we’d really like a walk-in pantry for better storage.

The house is valued at $675,000 according to Zillow. We plan to live in it for 10 to 15 years.

What do you think of this plan? Would it be a good investment or a practical improvement for our space?

1. If you love the house (which I am not sure you do if you are considering buying another home in the neighborhood) then it makes sense to make the upgrade and enjoy it for 10-15 years. If you aren't attached to the home, then moving to a place that better suits you would probably be the better use of money. The kitchen is the heart of the home and connected living space makes for more bonding time with family and friends.

2. If you proceed with the renovation, hire an architect!!

[stan1]

Y'all raised a very important point about build quality. The few I have seen/toured appear to be of inferior quality. The better quality finishes are priced much higher, starting around 1.25m. At that price, I would want us to be in a better neighborhood that is closer to the city and airport. Unfortunately this is becoming a moving target 🎯

You will have the same problem if you remodel, once you remove a wall it will turn into a remodel of all the entire living area (kitchen, dining, living, family, etc. paint, floor, etc). Bathroom? It is easy for all of that to happen and to decide to do it "all at once" rather than in pieces, especially if you like a consistent look which is often popular now.

[novolog]

We bought a house 3 years ago valued at ~$700k today by redfin/zillow. We had an original kitchen from the 60's and wanted to completely update everything and remove a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen up into the dining room. Last year we got half a dozen estimates all around the $125k mark. I ended up doing the work myself and it cost me $45k for the materials, appliances & specialist labor (plumber/electrician). The whole project took about 4 months. We're very glad we did it but I don't know if we would have done it if I couldn't do the work myself. We live in a VHCOL area so the labor is expensive here. YMMV.

[novolog]

New construction where I live (east coast) is garbage. All these million-plus homes are Tyvek homewrap over pressboard, perhaps a single course of brick, they all leak, they have fiberboard or vinyl interior doors, cheap flooring, often cheap vinyl windows, and on and on.

correct. only economical way for a builder in the northeast, unfortunately.

[mw1739]

We did a similar reno in 2022 (complete kitchen reno, add walk in pantry, tear down load bearing wall, replace flooring etc) and it was around $100k using our friend to do most of the work for a very reasonable price. We had other estimates upwards of $150k.

I would consider the 1.25MM house if it’s well built and already remodeled.

[moneyflowin]

Financially, it won't be worth it unless you do the work yourself. In terms of intangible benefits, only you can decide whether it's worth it.

IMO, the "open concept kitchen" is a fad and will die off, and will be a hard sell in the future. It's an unpractical design. It makes the house noisier. If you use cook frequently, especially ethnic cooking, it'll make the entire house smell. The kitchen is also the messiest room, so how does it feel to step into a house and immediately be confronted with dishes, pots, pans, and cups in plain view?

The only time I've seen it work is with ultra-luxury houses that have two kitchens: the big open kitchen, and a smaller butler's kitchen in another part of the house. But these were $6M-15M custom houses

[somewhatentertained]

I mean, you could always do what we did, we remodeled and then we moved Our situation was much removed from today's climate however, and made financial sense for us. I do not think we will do that again. Mostly because we moved to a floorplan we love and the next move will be a downsize.

[trinc]

don't forget 'open design' means the noise travels throughout house. Sitting in the living room will now be the same as being IN the kitchen.
I'd keep the wall and move the seating as stated above.

Some small improvements can make BIG changes in the look of a kitchen. I have a 1924 home with a laminate countertop.. ug, but great while raising kids. Last year i tore it out and replaced with a hand build wooden countertop. I made a huge difference in the look.

Tim

[Vulcan0]

We are not DIY type people, so all the work would need to be outsourced, likely making it more expensive than average.

I am now leaning toward either:
1. Moving (going big), or
2. Making minimal updates (going small), like replacing the kitchen cabinets and countertops with white, using low-to-mid-priced materials, but keeping the current layout. Here, the only thing we will need to do is remove the current kitchen cabinets and replace it with a new one. It will not solve the major issue -- lack of space around the breakfast table and pantry space.

With either choice, I will have a clear idea of what we’re getting without the big unknowns of a major remodeling project and the appraised price of the house afterward.

Wife would likely prefer the first option but will also be okay with the second option once I explain to her the financial implications of the second choice.

What do y'all think?

[Yooper]

don't forget 'open design' means the noise travels throughout house. Sitting in the living room will now be the same as being IN the kitchen.
I'd keep the wall and move the seating as stated above.

Tim

Agreed. I grew up in a house where the kitchen was a separate room (at one time there was an actual door but it was removed leaving just the doorway). Our home is more the open concept and yes, sound does travel. As do the the smells (albeit GOOD smells, but smell all the same). I'd love to have the kitchen isolated so I don't hear the banging of pots n pans, clanking and running water of dishwashing, range hood fan droning away, etc. But that's just me.

[Lookingforanswers]

It sounds like you are in a situation where it's not *that* expensive or disruptive to move into the newer neighborhood nearby. I would urge you to strongly consider it. Remodeling costs more, takes longer, and is more stressful than you think it will be. If you've been through it before (as we have), it's worse than you remember. We "opened up" our house floorplan during our last remodel project, and while the idea was great (and has proven to be the correct design choice), the timing, money, disruption, and ongoing "we still need to fix that" has been pretty stressful (and we've been back in the house for a year now.).

[Watty]

What do y'all think?

Spending a $500K( or whatever) to buy a different house sounds like a lot, and it is, but you need to keep in mind that money does not go way but it is converted to home equity and your net worth will stay roughly the same other than some transactions costs. That home equity will eventually be freed up when the house is sold some day.

Wife would likely prefer the first option but will also be okay with the second option once I explain to her the financial implications of the second choice.

In economics there is a concept of "opportunity cost" which to look at choices not in terms of dollars but in terms what you need to give up if you make one choice or another. For example a teenager might have enough money to either buy a pizza or go to a movie but not both. In this case the opportunity cost for the teenager having the pizza is not getting to go to the movie and vice versa.

When talking with your wife it would be good to try to look at the choice not in terms of dollar terms but instead of what you would give up, or get with the different choices.

[rich126]

I've seen too many people over spend on remodeling and then get upset when the house doesn't sell to compensate them for the costs. On this site there are a lot of people with money to spend. Sounds like you'll be staying for a while.

If you are selective and do most of the buying, if not some of the work you can save a lot of money. Things like flooring, cabinets, and even basic items like faucets and lights can vary hugely in price, even when factoring in quality. I've done a couple of fixer upper homes (bought them due to location and fixed them up over time) despite not being too handy. Hire people for the tough items but do some basics yourself or at least be very active in what you are buying.

Fortunately I've never had to do a remodel with a family, only myself.

[poker27]

In terms of investment…. We were trying to sell our moderately priced townhouse ($550k) and it sat for months. Took it off the market, made some small kitchen improvements (painted cabinets, new granite, backsplash) and it sold immediately for more $. Could have been timing, but who knows.

10-15 years is a looong time to live somewhere with complaints. I would spend the money and enjoy it

[av111]

We are not DIY type people, so all the work would need to be outsourced, likely making it more expensive than average.

I am now leaning toward either:
1. Moving (going big), or
2. Making minimal updates (going small), like replacing the kitchen cabinets and countertops with white, using low-to-mid-priced materials, but keeping the current layout. Here, the only thing we will need to do is remove the current kitchen cabinets and replace it with a new one. It will not solve the major issue -- lack of space around the breakfast table and pantry space.

With either choice, I will have a clear idea of what we’re getting without the big unknowns of a major remodeling project and the appraised price of the house afterward.

Wife would likely prefer the first option but will also be okay with the second option once I explain to her the financial implications of the second choice.

What do y'all think?

My reasons to not upgrade and buy were
New homes come with be streets new parks new neighborhood etc. Old homes have everything old even when they are remodeled

Remodeling takes a lot of time and attention which I do not have

[GerryL]

I had a remodel done shortly before I retired in 2014. There was no moving or removing of walls, so not as ambitious as yours. I am very glad I did it. Although the footprint was not enlarged, it feels larger thanks to better use of the space and a slightly longer counter. Oh, and the added shallow pantry that I dreamed about for year.

One thing I am thrilled with that you might want to consider: deep drawers instead of lower cabinets.