If you have been considering installing a new kitchen, one of the major factors which will be worrying you is the expense of it. There is, however another alternative – new kitchen doors. Read on to discover the savings you could make!

With the cost of all consumer goods increasing consistently over the last few years, it is reasonable to assume that your new kitchen will cost more than it would have a few years ago. Then you need to take into account the cost of a tradesman to come and do the work for you, which once again is probably more expensive than it used to be.

In fact you won't have much change left out of £15,000 if you decide a brand new kitchen is what you really want.

For most of us, paying for this will mean taking out a loan or extending our mortgage. However now is probably one of the most difficult times to get finance for a home improvement. Banks are not willing to lend money, unless your credit history is bullet proof or you earn a fortune.

Many of us are finding that we owe more on our homes than they are worth. And despite low interest rates, getting a remortgage is hard work. The expense of a new kitchen may not be repaid to you in the value of your home. Then there is the interest rates on loans these days. You can be looking at anywhere from 8% up to 29% depending on where you borrow the money.

So what are your options? One very worthwhile idea is to simply put off the idea of a complete refit of your kitchen. You can simply change the door fronts, worktops and door handles to achieve an instant makeover. For just a few hundred pounds, you could have a brand new kitchen (at least it will look that way!)

Replacing your kitchen doors is exactly what it says on the tin. You retain your original carcasses. In most cases are in perfectly good order. You order new doors and you fit them yourself. You can choose any design, finish, colour or material you wish and even get a worktop and handles to match.

Not only will you save on the cost of the kitchen cabinets, you will also save in other ways too. The following are some of the extra expense associated with getting a new kitchen.

• Design fees – this may be included in the price of the kitchen but will add to the overall cost. “Free” design is never really free.
• Delivery charges – this can be substantial for a huge kitchen and appliances which may come from different companies.
• Days off work to receive deliveries and to source materials. You may also want to take time off to supervise the fitting.
• Cost of a fitting company or tradesman
• Cost of an electrician
• Cost of a plumber
• Cost of a tiler – all of the above can be upwards of £150 each day. On a three week job, this is really going to add up.
• Skip hire – around £100 as a minimum.

Almost all of these costs will disappear if you choose to replace rather than refit. You may have to pay delivery costs, but they will be minimal. Even if you choose to get a tradesman in to fit the doors for you (not necessary at all) you will only be paying for one days work rather than a possible two to three weeks.

So as you can see, choosing replacement kitchen doors makes sound financial sense and for considerably less expense than a whole new kitchen. It's something you should seriously consider before you start applying for those expensive loans.