A kitchen remodel costs $10,000 to $80,000 depending on scope, with most homeowners landing between $20,000 and $50,000. Labor runs 35-50% of the total budget. Materials eat the rest. The exact split depends on cabinet grade, countertop choice, and how much rough-in work your plumber and electrician have to undo before anything new goes in.
Quick Answer
A minor kitchen remodel (new surfaces, appliances, no layout change) runs $10,000-$30,000, with $20,000 being a realistic midpoint. A major remodel with custom cabinets, stone counters, and layout changes runs $30,000-$80,000, averaging around $50,000. Per square foot, budget $100-$200 for mid-range work and $250-$350+ for high-end finishes. Labor is typically 40% of the total job.
What Does a Full Kitchen Remodel Actually Cost Per Category?
Before you can estimate a kitchen, you have to break it into parts. Every category has its own labor rate, its own material range, and its own set of surprises. Here is how the numbers stack up on a typical 150-200 square foot kitchen:
| Category | Budget Range | Typical Mid-Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet removal + demo | $500-$2,000 | $1,000 | Varies by size and hazmat |
| Stock cabinets (installed) | $3,000-$9,000 | $5,500 | $100-$300/LF installed |
| Custom cabinets (installed) | $15,000-$45,000 | $25,000 | $500-$1,500/LF installed |
| Countertops (laminate) | $400-$1,600 | $800 | $10-$40/sf installed |
| Countertops (granite/quartz) | $1,600-$8,000 | $4,000 | $40-$200/sf installed |
| Plumbing (rough + finish) | $1,500-$5,000 | $2,500 | $50-$150/hr |
| Electrical (rough + finish) | $1,500-$5,000 | $2,500 | $50-$150/hr |
| Flooring (hardwood) | $900-$3,750 | $2,000 | $6-$25/sf installed |
| Flooring (tile) | $450-$4,500 | $1,800 | $3-$30/sf installed |
| Paint (walls + ceiling) | $500-$1,500 | $900 | Includes prep and trim |
| Backsplash tile | $600-$3,000 | $1,400 | Labor-heavy detail work |
| Allowances (misc) | 10-15% of total | - | Always include this |
Use the Kitchen Remodel Cost Calculator to plug in your own square footage and finish level and get a number fast.
How Much Do Cabinets and Countertops Cost?
Cabinets are usually the biggest line item in any kitchen remodel. They can make or break a budget. Here is the thing most homeowners do not understand until they get their first quote: the cabinet box is only part of the cost. You are also paying for delivery, installation, hardware, and the trim pieces that make everything look finished.
Stock cabinets from a big box store run $100-$300 per linear foot installed. On a standard 20-foot kitchen, that is $2,000-$6,000 just for cabinets. They come in fixed sizes, so your installer will use filler strips to close gaps. They work fine. Most kitchens in the $20,000-$35,000 range use them.
Semi-custom cabinets step up the quality and run $200-$500 per linear foot installed. More size options, better materials, real dovetail boxes in many cases. For a 20-foot kitchen, expect $4,000-$10,000.
Custom cabinets are built to the exact inch. They run $500-$1,500 per linear foot installed. On a 30-foot kitchen, that is $15,000-$45,000 for cabinets alone. These are for high-end remodels or unusual layouts where stock sizes just will not work.
Countertop Cost Breakdown
Countertops are the second biggest visual statement in any kitchen, and pricing swings wide depending on material.
Laminate installed runs $10-$40 per square foot. It is often the right call for rental properties or budget jobs. It installs fast and holds up better than it used to.
Granite and quartz both land in the $40-$200 per square foot range installed. The spread is wide because slab cost, edge profiles, and cutouts (sink, cooktop) all add time and money. A 40-square-foot countertop at $80/sf installed is $3,200, which is a realistic number for a mid-grade granite in most markets.
Do not forget: removing old countertops and disposing of them costs $200-$600 and is often left out of early estimates.
What Do Plumbing and Electrical Cost in a Kitchen Remodel?
If the layout does not change, plumbing and electrical are finish work: reconnect the sink, cap off old circuits, pull the permit, install the fixtures. That usually runs $1,500-$3,000 combined for a straightforward swap.
If the layout changes, budget differently. Moving a sink across the room means opening walls, rerouting drain lines, possibly moving a vent stack. Plumbers charge $50-$150 per hour depending on your region. A full rough-in on a relocated kitchen can run 10-20 hours of plumber time plus materials. That is $1,500-$4,500 in labor before a single fixture goes in.
Electrical is similar. A kitchen remodel typically requires adding circuits, especially if you are adding a dishwasher, dedicated microwave circuit, refrigerator circuit, and GFCI-protected outlets along the countertop. Electricians run $50-$150 per hour. Budget $1,500-$5,000 for electrical depending on how much rough-in is involved and how old the panel is.
Pro tip: If the panel is at capacity or knob-and-tube is involved, budget an additional $2,000-$8,000 for panel upgrade or rewire. Pull the permit. Every time.
How Much Does Kitchen Flooring Cost?
Flooring gets installed last (or near last), but it drives a big chunk of labor cost because the kitchen usually connects to adjacent rooms and transitions have to work.
Hardwood installed: $6-$25 per square foot. On a 200-square-foot kitchen, that is $1,200-$5,000. Engineered hardwood sits in the middle of that range and handles moisture better than solid. Prefinished saves labor time.
Tile installed: $3-$30 per square foot depending on tile cost and pattern complexity. Straight-lay 12x12 is fast. Herringbone or diagonal 4x4 takes two to three times as long to set. Grout and backer board are separate line items.
LVP (luxury vinyl plank): $2-$10 per square foot installed. Fast, durable, water-resistant. Popular on budget and mid-range jobs right now because it performs well and homeowners like the look.
For a deeper look at flooring options, use the Flooring Calculator to compare material quantities and costs side by side. To make sure your labor line items are priced correctly, the Labor Cost Calculator helps you build a fully burdened rate before any bid goes out.
Worked Example 1: Mid-Range Kitchen Remodel ($150-200 sf kitchen)
Here is a real-world budget breakdown for a 180-square-foot kitchen remodel at mid-range finish level. No layout change. Stock upper cabinets, semi-custom lowers. Quartz counters. Tile floor.
| Line Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Demo and haul-off | $1,200 |
| Semi-custom cabinets (24 LF) | $7,200 |
| Quartz countertops (35 sf) | $3,150 |
| Backsplash tile (30 sf) | $1,500 |
| Plumbing (reconnect + new faucet) | $1,800 |
| Electrical (circuits + outlets) | $2,200 |
| Tile flooring (180 sf) | $2,700 |
| Paint (walls, ceiling, trim) | $900 |
| Allowance (10%) | $2,065 |
| Total | $22,715 |
This lands squarely in the $20,000-$30,000 minor remodel range. A good contractor should be able to hit these numbers in most western U.S. markets.
Worked Example 2: High-End Kitchen Remodel (240 sf kitchen)
This one assumes a layout change, custom cabinets, and premium finishes. Full gut to studs.
| Line Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Full demo, layout change, haul-off | $4,500 |
| Custom cabinets (32 LF at $800/LF) | $25,600 |
| Granite countertops (50 sf at $120/sf) | $6,000 |
| Backsplash tile (mosaic, 40 sf) | $3,200 |
| Plumbing (reroute + finish) | $4,200 |
| Electrical (panel circuits + rough-in) | $4,500 |
| Engineered hardwood flooring (240 sf) | $4,800 |
| Paint + millwork | $2,100 |
| Allowance (12%) | $6,588 |
| Total | $61,488 |
High-end but not unusual. A 240-square-foot full custom kitchen remodel in the $55,000-$70,000 range is realistic in most major metro areas.
Try EstimationPro free to build line-item estimates for your own jobs and export them as professional PDFs.
What Is a Contractor Allowance and How Much Should You Include?
An allowance is a placeholder in the bid for a cost that is not fully defined yet. It protects both the contractor and the homeowner from scope creep arguments mid-job.
Common allowances in a kitchen remodel:
- Appliance allowance: $3,000-$12,000 depending on brand tier. Do not include appliances in your labor/install estimate unless the homeowner has already purchased.
- Fixture allowance: $500-$2,000 for faucets, sink, and hardware.
- Miscellaneous rough-in allowance: 10-15% of the total budget. This catches the rotted subfloor under the dishwasher, the out-of-plumb wall that throws the cabinet run, the missing blocking for the hood vent.
- Permit and inspection fees: $500-$2,500 depending on jurisdiction. Always itemize these. Do not absorb them into overhead.
On any kitchen remodel over $25,000, I include a 12% allowance minimum. The house always has a surprise. Always.
Common Mistakes Contractors Make When Estimating Kitchen Remodels
Forgetting the hood vent rough-in. If there is no duct path to the exterior, that is a $400-$1,200 carpentry problem nobody budgeted.
Underestimating tile labor. Homeowners pick a complicated pattern and expect a straight-lay price. Specify the pattern in writing before you bid.
Not factoring debris removal. A full kitchen gut generates a lot of material. A haul-off dumpster for a week runs $400-$800 depending on area. Do not leave it out.
Missing the disconnect/reconnect on gas. If there is a gas range or cooktop, a licensed gas fitter has to disconnect before demo and reconnect at finish. That is a separate trade call and a permit in most jurisdictions.
Pricing cabinets without seeing the wall. Walls are never square. The corner that looks like a 90 on paper is 91.5 degrees on site. Custom filler costs time. Measure twice, bid once.
For the markup side of this equation, the Contractor Markup Calculator walks through how to apply overhead and profit correctly so you are not eating into margin on a long job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a kitchen remodel take? A minor remodel (no layout change) runs 3-6 weeks. A full custom remodel with layout changes runs 8-16 weeks. Lead time on custom cabinets alone is 6-12 weeks, so order early.
Should I hire a general contractor or manage subs myself? If you are managing plumbing, electrical, tile, and cabinet subs yourself, plan on spending 10-15 hours a week coordinating. A GC earns their markup by keeping the schedule tight and taking the liability. On a $50,000 job, a 15% GC markup is $7,500. Most homeowners find it worth it.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel? Cabinets. On a mid-range job, cabinets and their installation typically represent 30-40% of the total budget. On a high-end job with custom work, it can hit 50%.
Can I save money by buying my own materials? Sometimes. You lose the contractor’s trade pricing on materials, and you take on the liability if something is defective or wrong-sized. On cabinets and countertops, homeowner-supplied materials are a risk. On appliances and fixtures, it can work fine if dimensions are confirmed in writing before ordering.
Does a kitchen remodel add value to the home? Consistently, yes. Mid-range kitchen remodels recoup 60-80% of cost at resale according to most cost-vs-value studies. High-end remodels tend to recoup less on a percentage basis but can be a key selling point in higher-priced markets.
Regional Pricing Disclaimer
All prices in this article reflect national averages and typical ranges. Labor rates vary significantly by region. Major metro areas on the coasts run 20-40% higher than the national average. Rural markets can run 15-25% lower. Always get three local bids before finalizing your budget.
For a detailed look at what tile and countertop materials cost per square foot in your region, the Tile Calculator and Square Footage Calculator are handy for quick quantity checks. And for the estimating process behind these numbers, our guide on how to estimate construction jobs covers the step-by-step system that keeps your bids consistent and profitable. For a trade-by-trade breakdown of kitchen remodel labor rates, see our guide on how to estimate a bathroom remodel, which uses the same approach adapted to a smaller scope. If you want to dig deeper on what each trade actually charges by the hour or square foot, the bathroom remodel labor cost breakdown covers plumber, electrician, tile setter, and carpenter rates in detail - the same trade categories that show up on every kitchen job too.
Try EstimationPro free and build your next kitchen estimate in under 10 minutes with line-item breakdowns, material quantities, and a client-ready PDF.
Mid-Range Kitchen Remodel Cost Breakdown ($22,715)
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