How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?

One of the most reliable ways to boost the value of your house is via a full kitchen remodel. At an average cost of $150 per square foot, it can seem somewhat pricey, but there are compelling reasons to spend good money on revamping your kitchen. On average, a kitchen represents about 10% of your home’s overall value and that makes it a very worthwhile long-term investment.

On average, you can expect to recover up to 80% of kitchen remodeling costs through added home value. Assuming your home is in good condition, your remodel therefore can translate to a significant boost in your home’s value. This is because a modern kitchen can hugely increase desirability for potential homebuyers.

Aside from the financial benefits, there are also the obvious pluses of having a house with a well-equipped, well-functioning, and fully modernized kitchen. Most of us use our kitchens every day, and so having one that looks nice and works well can be a huge factor in the quality of life. It is no surprise then that a remodeled kitchen can be a big source of joy for many homeowners. 90% of those who went through a kitchen remodel said they wanted to spend more time in their house after the project. 

Cost Breakdown

The average cost of a kitchen remodel is around $25,000. However, there are a lot of moving parts that make up that total. 

Planning

Pre-calculating Your Expenses Will Help You Move Through Remodeling Smoothly

Costs here depend on how you choose to plan and design your remodel. The priciest option is to go with a professional kitchen designer, who will charge about $150 per hour. In total, you can expect to spend as little as $3,000 and as much as $18,000 to hire a professional designer. This large range in costs has to do with what kind of services the designer will offer and how involved they get in the planning process.

A designer who is just giving you basic designs but isn’t on-site will be more affordable. But if you want to go all-in with an onsite pro that’s there from start to finish, coordinating with contractors, and generating detailed blueprints this will cost more.

A professional designer isn’t an absolute necessity though, and a more affordable option is to get a consultation from a big box hardware store. Most big box stores offer the services of a kitchen designer who can help you choose the right materials and dimensions. This service is usually offered for a flat fee ranging from $100 to $800. 

Kitchen Remodel Contractor

Kitchen Contractors Could Come in Handy in the Long Run

Some of us prefer to do things ourselves, but given that a kitchen remodel can get pretty involved it’s nice to have a certified pro to help. If you choose to hire a kitchen remodeling contractor, be prepared to set aside a significant part of your budget. A contractor usually accounts for between 15% and 25% of the total cost. So expect to pay around $4,200 in labor fees on average. 

Kitchen Size

Kitchen Size Directly Affects Remodeling Costs

This is another important factor to consider when budgeting your kitchen remodel. A bigger kitchen means higher overall renovation costs. If your kitchen is more than 200 square feet in size, you can expect full kitchen remodel costs to be a minimum of $30,000, although costs can easily exceed $60,000. Small kitchen renovations (meaning 70 square feet or less) can cost as much as $20,000 to fully renovate, although your budget can be as low as $5,000 if you’re willing to make your kitchen remodel a DIY project.

The shape is also an important detail to think about because it also affects the cost. A standard-shaped (meaning square) 12x12 kitchen will be much more affordable to remodel than a custom-shaped larger kitchen. The 12x12 job could be as low as $15,000 whereas a custom large kitchen could exceed $100,000. Ultimately, these factors will play a big role in determining the final cost.    

Hardware Installation

Customizing Your Kitchen Hardware May Be Pricey, but Stock Hardware Would Limit Your Options

When we say hardware, what we mean are doors, cabinets, door fronts, knobs, handles, and anything else you touch that isn’t an appliance. How much you spend on kitchen hardware will depend a lot on how many upgrades or changes you wanna make to your hardware. If you wanna go all out on this step, you’ll wanna go for custom hardware as this will give you the most choice when it comes to customization. Custom hardware also tends to be higher quality than other options, though it is more expensive, ranging from $500 to $1,500 for each linear foot.

However, you can save big if you opt for stock merchandise sold by your local hardware store since most options will cost around $100 per linear foot. However, quality and long-term durability is always an open question with stock hardware. You also will not have as many choices in colors, materials, and designs if you go this route. 

If you want something more customized, semi-custom is another option as it allows you more color and design options for stock hardware. Semi-custom hardware options tend to cost between $500 and $1,500 per linear foot.

Consider Refacing and Refinishing Your Valuable Hardware

Not everyone wants to replace their hardware, particularly if you’ve got some vintage pieces you’d like to preserve. For example, you may have some run-down oak kitchen cabinets that you want to restore rather than throw out. Refacing and refinishing are both ways of preserving existing cabinets and restoring them to their former glory. However, this is the costliest option, ranging from $5,500 up to $13,500 at the top end. Of course, the priceless look of some restored vintage kitchen cabinets will be well worth the cost for many.  

Appliances 

Many Factors Come Into Play With New Kitchen Appliances, Such as Cost, Energy-Efficiency, and Durability

New kitchen appliances are usually some of the last things to be installed during a kitchen remodel, but that doesn’t make them any less important. Modern kitchen appliances tend to be more energy-efficient as well as more convenient and can play a big role in how nice your kitchen is.

On average you can expect to pay between $100 and $300 for each appliance, though higher-quality custom appliances usually cost more. These high-end units can cost as low as $1,000 and as high as $10,000. But if you’re aiming for a higher value and more durability, this price premium will be well worth it. Custom appliances will come with extra functionality, fancy tech, higher quality materials, and tend to take up less space since they will be built into your existing layout.  

Countertops

Kitchen Countertops Can Be Found in All Prices, Shapes, Sizes, and Colors

A good countertop can increase your home’s value, whereas a mediocre one can be an eyesore. Thanks to new stylistic and technological advancements, there’s a huge range of solid surface countertops to choose from. There’s an option that fits almost every budget, and each comes with some compelling benefits. The trick to choosing the one which is right for you is to find the material with the right balance of form and function to suit your own needs.

Countertop costs tend to range between $2,000 and $12,000 depending on which material is chosen. Most countertops are not DIY installable, so you’ll likely have to pay extra to have a contractor install the worktop material of your choice. Installation ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 on top of the price of the countertop itself.

Lighting

Lighting No Longer Costs a Fortune

Lighting can completely change the feel of almost any interior space. If you’ve been stuck with a dimly lit kitchen, it's time to change that with some lighting upgrades. Today’s lighting market is saturated with bright LED light fixtures that are very energy efficient and come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. For this reason, you can drastically improve lighting in your kitchen without spending a fortune. Lighting costs around $1,000 for the average remodel project, and this amounts to just 5% of your total budget.

Flooring

Flooring is another way to completely revamp the feel of your kitchen. Premium options such as hardwood can add warmth and coziness to the space, all while feeling great underfoot. These materials are more expensive, ranging between $1,500 and $15,000. There are also plenty of more affordable options such as linoleum, laminate, vinyl, and ceramic that combine durability and low maintenance, though they may have fewer options for customization. Expect to pay $500 and $1,500 for these more affordable flooring materials. 

Plumbing, Electrical, Gas Lines 

If you choose to replace your faucet, you might end up having to change your kitchen’s plumbing. This can cost as little as $150 and as much as $1,100 and will require a permit. If your new faucet can work with existing plumbing, you’ll generally pay less for installation, with fees ranging from $200 to $550. Reconfiguring gas lines will cost between $250 and $800, while an electrician will charge between $50 and $100 per hour to work on kitchen electrical circuits. Both of these jobs may require a permit.    

Combined Kitchen And Dining Room Remodel

Combining the Kitchen With Your Dining Room Has Become a Trend

The open concept design philosophy has really taken off in recent years, and this design is a great example. Many remodelers are now opting for this design, hoping to achieve an open, airy space where the dining room and kitchen blend seamlessly together. In most cases, this is achieved by knocking down the wall which divides the two rooms.

Assuming this wall is non-load-bearing, you can expect to pay between $300 and $700 to have it removed. This can also be a DIY project if you want to keep prices low. However, you may need to get a plumber and/or electrician involved if you find water pipes or wiring in your wall.

Load-bearing walls are more complicated. While you can remove them yourself if you know what you’re doing, it is highly recommended you hire a structural engineer. For a single-story house, a structural engineer may charge anywhere between $1,000 and $3,000 for load-bearing-wall removal. This jumps up to between $3,200 and $10,000 for a multi-story house.