Depends on the size of the existing space and it's functionality....do you have any floor plans we can look at? Even if hand drawn...

It depends on what you have right now.

How does it function?

Are you happy w/what you have?

What will you gain (besides more square footage)? [Far superior layout? Room for a table or island? Other?]

What do you want in your kitchen?

What is all this worth to you?

Will you go into debt if you do it? Will you go into debt if you stick w/the current wall?

This is not a question we can readily answer w/o a lot more specifics! It's not merely a $$$ vs add'l footage decision...it's much more than that!

No way to know if it is worth it without seeing what you have and knowing what you don't like, what you'd hope to gain, etc. Square footage without more is not worth it. Added function -- might be.

I would have loved more room in my kitchen -- 1 to 2 feet in each direction could have made the layout a lot easier, would have given me a little more storage, but I would have lost other things and I wouldn't have gotten more function out of it. We had no option to do a bump out or take in any additional space, but we did still get a kitchen that looks about 25% larger and functions at least twice as well as what our old kitchen did.

BTW, if you are bumping out and totally remodeling with top-of-the line appliances -- that 100K might just be a starting point. Make sure you know what all your costs will be (as much as possible -- there will always be unknowns, surprises and add-ons) before you commit to anything.

I had considered doing that same thing but with about 8 feet, instead. We have a 2 story house and the 2nd story overhangs the first by about 8 feet in the kitchen and family room area so I would not have had to do anything to roof---even so, I got bids of $30,000. We decided not to do it and don't regret it at all. The kitchen, for us is a very nice size--on step to fridge or to Speed oven, from cooktop and dishwasher, panty just a couple steps---so it worked out perfectly for us. We did add a bay window which does appear to make the kitchen look wider than it really is.

Good luck!!

Gary

It depends on how much money you have. If it's just sitting around not earning anything in this economy, and if you don't have other uses for it (rainy day savings, college savings, retirement, etc.), and if it'll give you the kitchen you really want, then yes, it's worth it.

If you have a lot of untapped equity in your house and you really aren't counting on the value of your house in your financial planning, then it may well be worth getting a loan against it, but probably only if it's going to really improve the house as a whole rather than just give you your dream kitchen.

If you're going to be financing it and working that much harder to pay it off, it's probably not worth it unless it's going to significantly improve the value of your house (i.e., add at least the face amount of the loan, if not the total including interest).

"BTW, if you are bumping out and totally remodeling with top-of-the line appliances -- that 100K might just be a starting point. Make sure you know what all your costs will be (as much as possible -- there will always be unknowns, surprises and add-ons) before you commit to anything."

Very good point lascatx. I know my remodel exceeded the budget. Remodeling seems to be two steps forward and one back, or at least that is my experience. Isn't there a rule of thumb on how much to include for the unknown?

We're in the process of the doing the exact same thing. We want/need a bigger kitchen and bumping out the back kitchen wall 8 feet and the front of the kitchen 6 feet for a mudroom. We got quotes where some are 2.5 times the one we're going with. It may be possible to get it built for less - you have to make some tradeoffs. My contractor is letting me buy the appliances, cabinets, faucets, lighting, etc. I don't have to pay his 20% mark up and get as good as price as he from many places on the internet. My different cabinet makers are calling ME with more reductions on their cabinets. We're doing the demo (but not taking out the structural walls) to save money. He's adding a half bath in the kitchen space. He's also replacing plumbing in 2 full baths (going down to the studs), new plumbing in the kitchen, new HVAC with new boiler for 2000 sq ft, taking out a staircase, putting in another staircase in another part of a house, removing 2 walls, add structual components to the basement and closing up or reducing 4 doorways for $165K. I got quotes to $400K (that included appliances, cabinets and lighting budget). My contractor has gotten rave reviews and is the only one my architect uses on his house. So shop around. BTW, we haven't started yet - I will tell you how it finishes. I expect it will cost us more but we have a 190 yr old house built before electricity, plumbing and central heat. When we open walls I hope to find money but I think it will cost us money ;)

In addition to the good thoughts shared above, I'm sure you've already thought about this one, but just in case you have not I will add my 2 cents... Consider also what bumping out the kitchen wall will do to the architecture of your home's exterior. Will your home's architectural style be compromised by a bump out or not? Will bringing the exterior of the kitchen out even with the other exterior walls take anything away from your home's curb appeal, or not? The aesthetics of your exterior are as important as extra floor space, IMHO.

On the face of it, I'd say that breaks down to how many thousand a square foot?

Put those bids aside for a bit. Put it out of your mind.

Now make a plan for what you'd do with the existing exterior footprint. Give it a real good shot. Be open and creative.

Ask yourself: What are you REALLY hoping to gain from this renovation?

Does it feel good? Is it actually significantly cheaper? Do you find yourself forgetting about the other plan, or are you haunted by the feeling that this is wrong, and the other one is right.

Only you know your neighborhood and your situation. Are you likely to make back a $125 or more investment quickly in this house? (Even in the boom times a kitchen reno didn't make back its cost.)

Could the money be doing other work for you elsewhere? (Just because you can afford something doesn't mean you have to.)

Think it over. Don't rush. An answer will emerge. Right decisions get righter. Wrong decisions get wronger.

I agree with growlery and others. It isn't about the square footage, it's about the design and functionality. If you need the sq footage to make the design functional, and you have the extra money, then it might be worth it to you. However I would first seriously challenge my KD to design a truly functional space in the space provided. Some will disagree with me, but when you're thinking about making that large an investment, you should have a top notch Kitchen Designer on board from the beginning. And not someone who works for the cabinet maker/seller, but an independent designer with a portfolio that you love. An interior designer (not a decorator) who specializes in Kitchens, They are well worth the price and often save you enough on fittings and fixtures to pay for their service. That person will be best able to advise you.

Take you time and you will find what works best for you.

Wow- I cannot thank all of you enough for your very honest and thoughtful responses!

This reno will not happen for another year at least, as we're dealing with putting in a pool and need to replenish funds!

The cost will be huge and it's not something to take lightly, but we did buy the house knowing that the kitchen would need work and we budgeted for it. We hope to stay in this home for many years and we have young children, so we hope to get a good ROI but who knows in this day and age! We are located in Nothern VA (outside of DC) and the market isn't nearly as bad as in other parts of the country. We also live on a street where other people have done major kitchen remodels and additions to increase the size of their 1980's homes so we feel pretty good about investing in a new kitchen. But, the question remains whether the cost of the bumpout is "worth it".

I will work on drawing out the space so that you can all work your magic and give us lots of ideas.

Kimkitchy- I especially appreciated your thoughts on the exterior. One of the things that bugs me so much about the house is the way the exterior looks with the kitchen gap. It's a Cape Cod and the living room/dining room and garage line up but between them we have a big indentation where the kitchen is located. And, it sits under a big roof overhang so it's dark and depressing! Some people with the same house in our neighborhood have done lots of landscaping there and others have built a porch. The porch looks adorable but I would much rather make a bigger kitchen out of it.

Were we to bump it out and keep the roof over the kitchen as it stands now, this is what the house would look like.
http://breezedesignsunlimited.com/images/webready-Images/25.jpg I found this pic online and it looks very similar to our house. We could do a little roof or something similar like in the pic to jazz it up a bit.

So, here are the things that bug me most about the kitchen:
- Not enough natural light because of the roof overhang
- The space between the countertops and island is too narrow.
- If you are unloading the dishwasher, you have to walk all the way around the island to get to the other side of the dishwasher to reach certain cabinets.
- The cabinets are dark and outdated and the granite is black. The floors are dark wood so it's just dark all around.
- It is an eat-in kitchen but the space for the table is too small.

Thanks again! You've all given us so much to think about. I'll get working on the floor plan!

Tentatively/cautiously...it sounds like it might be worth it, especially in the MD/VA/DC area...

...and the closer you are to the Beltway & DC the greater your chances of someday recouping your investment. This is one area that will always have a need for housing...all the transient residents that come & go w/new administrations (both presidential & congressional).

I live in MD & work in Arlington, so I see it. Yes, our housing prices have dropped, but not as much as in some areas of the country.

Your plans actually seem to be fixing problems w/the exterior architecture & addressing functionality issues in at least two rooms--Kitchen & "Breakfast Area/Nook" (where the table is). Do you also have a DR?

I can't wait to see your layout & plans!

Good luck!