How Much Does A Kitchen Remodel Cost?

The kitchen is one of the most highly desired rooms in the home to remodel, which is no surprise considering the amount of time families spend there; cooking, gathering, entertaining, studying, etc. If you are not completely in love with your kitchen, chances are you have envisioned what your perfect kitchen looks like. And your next thought is likely, “How much will my kitchen remodel cost?” This is a difficult question to answer with any certainty – considering every project is unique. However, we will try to provide some guidelines and ranges to help give you a better idea of what your dream kitchen may cost.

At Mosby Building Arts, we like to break our kitchen remodel costs into three categories “cosmetic” kitchen remodels, semi-custom kitchen remodels and custom kitchen remodels. Read on to see the various types and consider where your project may fall.

“Cosmetic” Kitchen Remodeling Costs

Generally speaking, cosmetic kitchen remodeling means giving your space a facelift without doing any structural work.  You may be making just one, or numerous, simple updates to give the kitchen a new look.  Typically, the work will not require any drywall work or building permits.  This level of kitchen remodeling tends to be on the lower end of the investment level and can be completed in a short timeframe.

Some items that could fall under cosmetic kitchen remodeling:

• New cabinet doors and drawers
• New countertops
• New backsplash
• Paint cabinets
• Replace cabinet hardware
• Replace lighting fixtures
• Paint walls
• Replace appliances
• Replace kitchen sink faucet

Smaller updates like these are great to make when your home is newer and you simply want to change your kitchen’s style, or if you are going to sell within a year or two.  The cost of these kitchen updates vary, running as low as a few hundred dollars for new hardware or lighting, and up to $20,000 or more if you are tackling multiple areas.  When trying to guess how much a kitchen project will cost, just keep in mind that prices will vary depending on labor and products.  A more involved kitchen remodel will have increased labor costs. And just because a project seems simple, doesn’t mean it necessarily will be cheaper. One example is that a simple faucet replacement could easily turn into a full plumbing job if the plumbing lines are old or a leak is found.

Product selections can also cause a large swing in investment level. A stocked faucet from a big box store ($50-$300) will undoubtedly cost less than a special order designer faucet ($200-$1000). So take stock of your price constraints and style wishes and make selections accordingly.

(Side note: when comparing the price of a fixture from a big box store and direct from the distributor, like Kohler, not all things are created equal. Although they may appear to look the same and have the same SKU number, that does not necessarily mean it’s the exact same product. Usually the direct fixture is higher quality than the same one sold at the big box store.)

“Semi-Custom” Kitchen Remodeling Costs

Semi-custom kitchen remodeling, or “pull and replace” kitchen remodeling, is the second type of kitchen project.  If you are happy with the footprint of your kitchen, but wish to pull out everything old, and replace with everything new, then yours is probably a semi-custom project. Here at Mosby Building Arts, we call that a Right Kitchen. The big caveat is that all items must generally stay in the same location. If walls are moving or space is being reconfigured, then fully custom is most likely where your project will land.

Semi-custom kitchen remodeling is more involved than cosmetic remodeling so the time and cost will be higher.  This type of project requires demolition, possible structural repairs, and electrical and plumbing. Cabinetry, countertops, backsplash, appliances, sink and faucet are all removed, along with some or all of the drywall.  After prep work and selections, all new items will go back in the same (or close to same) location. When looking at doing this for a 200 ft² kitchen, costs usually start around $65,000. 

Items that can have an impact on the cost of a semi-custom kitchen remodel:

• Age of house
• Electrical panel upgrades
• Building code compliance issues
• Selection of countertop materials (laminate vs. granite vs. quartz)
• Removing a wall to open the space
• Adding more cabinetry
• Tile choice and pattern
• Appliances

These variances can add an additional $1,000 up to $10,000+.  For example, the cost difference between laminate and quartz could be an additional $1,000 – $6,000.  When choosing kitchen materials, remember you will have a choice between low, mid and high-end selections. Each homeowner’s selections will be unique, which means every project price will also be slightly different.

“Custom” Kitchen Remodeling Costs

A fully custom remodeled kitchen is the highest level of a kitchen remodel with the highest cost. Custom kitchens take renovation one step further than pull and replace. Your project is a custom kitchen remodel if you want to completely rework the layout, or add on to the house, or if there will be highly custom design features. Custom kitchens sometimes require architectural and design work, which is a specialized (yet necessary) part of the process. Outside architects and designers usually charge 5-10% of the project.  Mosby charges 2-3%.  

So how much might a 200 ft² custom kitchen remodel cost?  Custom kitchens have the widest investment ranges due to the unlimited combination of project specs. There are many factors that go into the cost of a kitchen, such as the age of home, size of the space, and quality of the products and materials selected. 

Items that can have an impact on the cost of a custom kitchen remodel:

• Age of house
• Size of the space
• Type and location of walls being removed
• Building codes
• Selection of countertop
• Adding more cabinetry and level of quality
• Appliances
• Selection of floors
• Electrical panel installation or upgrades
• Plumbing installation or upgrades

There are many moving parts in a custom kitchen remodel to manage as well as intensive design services. A higher cost reflects that. Realistic ranges for a custom kitchen remodel cost will likely start around $150,000, however specific numbers past that are difficult to provide without some understanding of the house and desired kitchen. In-home discussion with a Mosby Home Consultant can help further pinpoint what your custom kitchen costs will be.

No matter which category your kitchen falls in, the good news is that you are in the driver’s seat and have control over the end result. Take all things into consideration and move forward accordingly, to create a new space that matches your style, needs, and budget.