"This is Amazing": SA Woman's Full Cost Breakdown of R47K Kitchen Makeover Stuns Viewers
- A South African woman documented her full kitchen renovation after receiving a quote that was nearly four times what she ended up spending
- She stripped the kitchen to bare walls and rebuilt it from scratch, sourcing materials from multiple suppliers across the country
- Her cost breakdown video left viewers stunned and asking where they could find her contractors
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Source: TikTok
A South African woman turned a daunting R180,000 contractor quote into a R47,580 DIY-managed kitchen transformation, and her detailed cost breakdown has the internet paying close attention.
TikTok creator @lifewithpiwe posted the before-and-after renovation video on 31 October 2026, breaking down every rand spent on what became a full kitchen rebuild. The result is a Pinterest-inspired space that looks anything but budget.
How she kept costs down
The project started with a complete demolition. Clearing out the old kitchen, including rubble removal with the help of a plumber, came to just R800. Structural boards, hinges, screws, and other building materials from Builders cost R14,500. A butler sink sourced from TT Stone added R5,700 to the total.
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The biggest saving came on countertops. After being quoted R19,000, she found a company called Top Quartz that supplied them for R6,700. Kitchen doors with a specific design and finish were cut and prepped by Boardland in Modderfontein for R2,800. She chose to paint them herself rather than pay the company's R8,000 painting fee, spending R2,800 on blue and white paint instead.
Pendant lights from Leroy Merlin came to R500 each, with the electrician charging R250 per installation plus R500 to chisel into the concrete ceiling. Tiles for the backsplash and a kitchen tap, both from Leroy Merlin, cost R580 and R1,500 respectively. Door handles from Jalousie totalled R400, glass for the cupboards came to R240, and cornices to close the gap above the cupboards cost R200. Painting the cupboards, which required multiple rounds of sanding and coats, added another R2,000.
R47k kitchen that looks like a lot more
She noted that kitchens of a similar standard typically start at R65,000 and can run well past R90,000, making her final spend significantly lower than market prices. All contractor details were shared in the caption for followers who want to reach out to the plumber, carpenter, and stone company involved.
View the TikTok video below:
Mzansi reacts to the kitchen makeover
The video on her page drew over a thousand comments, with viewers gushing over both the result and the savings:
@riccardo_riri said:
"On my word!!! You definitely can't buy taste, this is amazing 😭"
@eSNOWteric🧚🏾♀ wrote:
"Arg, I'm so in love with this renovation! 😍"
@Lungelo🎀 commented:
"Please come renovate my house"
@BigAshante asked:
"All in all, how much is it, I can't find my calculator. Can someone tell me the entire amount..."
@🌸Boitshepo🌸 suggested:
"Mommy tell your carpenter to come install a wine rack on top of the fridge... Just a suggestion. Lovely kitchen though 🥰🥰"
@Aimeé Maguire asked:
"Why don't you paint the bricks white?"
More Briefly News stories on renovations
- Nqobi-Mfundo Nkosi’s home renovation video stunned South Africans, showing bare rooms transformed into stylish spaces praised for their warmth and love at home.
- TikTok creator Rethabile Moloi renovated her family home in South Africa with US earnings, fulfilling a promise to her mother in a tearful video as mum danced.
- South African student Kea Selemane transformed her university res room with a DIY renovation after being scammed, sharing wallpaper tips that impressed viewers.
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Source: Briefly News
