A kitchen remodel costs about $27,000 on average in the US, by two separate counts: HomeAdvisor’s average is about $27,000, with most people paying about $14,600 to $41,600 (June 2026), and Fixr puts a typical job at about $27,000 within $15,000 to $45,000 (January 2026). By floor area that is $75 to $250 per square foot. Cabinets are usually the biggest single part, about 30 to 40 percent of the budget.
Price your kitchen
| Line | Amount | Low | Middle | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Prices are US national ranges for materials and installation. The planning estimate is modeled: each line’s middle price times your quantities, plus the contingency. The middle price is a source’s own average where it gives one, otherwise the middle of a price range (the Source column says which). It prices one example of the choices above, not a typical or quoted price. Not included: moving walls, gas lines, sales tax and the general contractor’s markup where a guide leaves it out. Your local quotes decide.
How the calculator works
- The cabinet run is the length of wall with base cabinets, in linear feet; it prices refacing and the countertop and backsplash estimates, and new cabinets unless you give them their own length. Leave it empty and the calculator prices one example: an L along two full walls of a square room of your floor area (our estimate), not what every kitchen that size holds. The kitchen cabinet layout tool measures yours. Its “Price these cabinets” button fills in its base run, which counts the base, corner and tall cabinets and the fillers, with a corner cabinet counted along both walls, and leaves out the openings for the range, refrigerator and dishwasher. It also fills in its base and wall runs added together as the new cabinets and the cabinets to paint, since Fixr’s per-foot prices count upper and lower cabinets together.
- New cabinets get their own length, in a box that appears when you choose them; empty, they are priced on the cabinet run. The lengths are kept apart: changing the cabinet run changes the countertop and backsplash estimates, not a new-cabinet length already entered, and typing the number a box already shows changes no price.
- Painting has its own length, the cabinets to paint: upper and lower cabinets added together, which is what Fixr’s price per linear foot counts. Leave it empty and only the cabinet run is priced, as if there were no wall cabinets; the line says so. The calculator never doubles the run for you.
- Countertops are your measured countertop area or, if you leave it empty, the cabinet run times the standard 25½ in depth (see standard counter depth). An island adds its own top, 40½ in deep for stools. The estimate does not add the counter over a dishwasher or take off tall cabinets and the corner overlap, so a measured area is closer.
- The backsplash is your measured area or the cabinet run times 18 in, the gap between a 36 in counter and wall cabinets 54 in above the floor. The estimate does not take off windows or add a taller panel behind the range.
- Flooring and lighting follow the floor area: one recessed light per 25 sq ft, at least four (our rule of thumb).
- Low, middle and high. Each line has the lowest and highest price its sources give and a middle price: a source’s own average where it gives one, otherwise the middle of a price range (our arithmetic; the table below says which). The planning estimate adds up the middle prices and the contingency. Low and high price every line at its lowest or highest, so they bracket the estimate rather than predict a quote.
- The contingency is money set aside for what only shows up once walls and floors are open, and the percentage is your choice. Fixr suggests 5 to 10 percent. HUD’s Standard 203(k) renovation loans require a reserve of 10 to 20 percent on homes 30 years or older; that is a rule for the loan, not for every remodel.
The prices behind it
| Part | Low | Middle | High | Per |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock cabinets, installed | $100 | $200 | $300 | lin ft |
| Semi-custom cabinets, installed | $150 | $400 | $650 | lin ft |
| Custom cabinets, installed | $500 | $850 | $1,200 | lin ft |
| Refacing cabinets | $100 | $275 | $450 | lin ft |
| Painting cabinets (a pro) | $30 | $50 | $70 | lin ft of upper and lower cabinets |
| Laminate countertop | $15 | $35 | $60 | sq ft |
| Butcher block | $40 | $70 | $100 | sq ft |
| Solid surface | $40 | $70 | $150 | sq ft |
| Granite | $40 | $95 | $150 | sq ft |
| Quartz | $50 | $100 | $200 | sq ft |
| Marble | $50 | $125 | $200 | sq ft |
| Quartzite | $60 | $130 | $220 | sq ft |
| Tile backsplash | $15 | $25 | $40 | sq ft |
| Vinyl plank floor | $5 | $9 | $13 | sq ft |
| Laminate floor | $3 | $8 | $13 | sq ft |
| Tile floor | $10 | $15 | $20 | sq ft |
| Hardwood floor | $6 | $15 | $25 | sq ft |
| Appliances (fridge, range, dishwasher, microwave) | $2,500 | $5,000 | $15,000 | set |
| Range hood, installed | $500 | $714 | $1,000 | each |
| Sink, installed | $200 | $400 | $1,500 | each |
| Faucet, installed | $162 | $262 | $364 | each |
| Moving the sink or an electric range | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 | job |
| Recessed light | $100 | $200 | $300 | each |
| GFCI outlet | $150 | $250 | $350 | each |
| Painting the kitchen | $400 | $800 | $1,210 | job |
| Demolition | $2 | $4.50 | $7 | sq ft |
| Hauling the debris away | $200 | $600 | $1,000 | job |
| Permits | $450 | $1,000 | $2,770 | job |
| Kitchen designer | $825 | $2,250 | $6,000 | job |
Installed prices from HomeAdvisor’s cost guides (updated June 2026), Fixr’s (January 2025 to January 2026) and Homewyse (May 2026); each row’s source is in the list at the end of the page. The middle price is a source’s own average for refacing ($275), laminate ($35), the backsplash ($25), appliances ($5,000), the hood ($714), sink ($400), faucet ($262), painting the kitchen ($800) and permits ($1,000); quartzite’s $130 is HomeAdvisor’s average job divided by its area. Quartz, solid surface, hardwood and the designer use the middle of one source’s narrower range, and the rest the middle of the range shown (our arithmetic). The guides price different jobs, so these are planning figures, not what a typical kitchen pays. To price a countertop on its own, with its edges, cutouts and slabs, use the countertop calculator.
Kitchen remodel cost by scope
Each guide sorts remodels into its own tiers, and the tiers don’t line up: a HomeAdvisor tier and a Fixr tier at a similar price are not the same job. Match your plans to one guide’s description at a time.
| Guide and its tier | Cost |
|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor: small updates | from $3,500 |
| HomeAdvisor: minor remodel | $10,000–$20,000 |
| HomeAdvisor: major remodel | $20,000–$65,000 |
| HomeAdvisor: total makeover | $65,000–$130,000+ |
| Fixr: cosmetic or small | $10,000–$25,000, average $15,000 |
| Fixr: mid-range | $25,000–$60,000, average $40,000 |
| Fixr: high-end | $60,000–$130,000, average $80,000 |
Fixr’s tiers: cosmetic refreshes the cabinets, finishes and fixtures without major structural changes; mid-range replaces the cabinets, countertops, flooring and appliances in mid-grade materials and may change the layout a little; high-end replaces nearly everything in premium materials, often as a full gut.
Houzz’s survey of homeowners who renovated reports what people actually spent. Its 2026 kitchen trends study gives a median of $55,000 for a major remodel and $20,000 for a minor one; its 2026 renovation study puts a major remodel of a smaller kitchen (under 200 sq ft) at a $35,000 median.
Kitchen remodel cost by size
| Kitchen | At HomeAdvisor’s $75–$250 per sq ft | Fixr minor | Fixr major |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 sq ft | $5,625–$18,750 | $5,625 | $11,250 |
| 100 sq ft (10 × 10 ft) | $7,500–$25,000 | $7,500 | $15,000 |
| 150 sq ft | $11,250–$37,500 | $11,250 | $22,500 |
| 200 sq ft | $15,000–$50,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
The HomeAdvisor column is our arithmetic: each floor area times HomeAdvisor’s $75 to $250 a square foot. The Fixr columns are Fixr’s own size table, at $75 (minor) and $150 (major) a square foot; its luxury tier is $600 a square foot.
Small kitchens get their own guides: small kitchen remodel cost and the 10x10 kitchen cost, the cabinet industry’s standard price example.
Where the money goes
| Part | Fixr | HomeAdvisor |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets | 40% | nearly 30% |
| Installation labor | 50–60%, spread across the parts | 25% |
| Flooring | 18% | — |
| Countertops | 14% | — |
| Plumbing, electrical and fixtures | 11% | electrical about 5% |
| Appliances | 6% | — |
| Lighting / backsplash / paint | 5% / 4% / 2% | — |
| Design | — | about 3% |
The guides split labor differently, so the calculator prices labor inside each line instead of adding one percentage. Cabinet prices by grade are in kitchen cabinet cost.
Labor: what the trades earn
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2025 wage survey gives the median pay of the people doing the work. Contractors bill more than these wages, to cover overhead, insurance and profit: the cost guides quote cabinet installers at $40 to $110 an hour and plumbers at $45 to $200.
| Trade | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|
| Plumbers | $30.67 |
| Electricians | $30.38 |
| Carpenters | $29.12 |
| Tile and stone setters | $26.77 |
| Painters | $23.75 |
| Construction laborers | $22.66 |
Plumbing, wiring and gas work need licensed pros, and most of it needs a permit: ask your building department.
What a kitchen remodel returns
Zonda’s 2025 Cost vs. Value report priced a minor kitchen remodel at $28,458 nationally, with an estimated $32,141 added to the home’s resale value: 112.9 percent of the cost recouped, among the best returns in the report. Bigger, pricier remodels recoup a smaller share of what they cost.
Those are national estimates for one defined project, built from real estate professionals’ surveys and cost data, and the report finds big differences between regions. What your own remodel adds depends on your local market, your house and the scope you choose; Zonda adds that interior projects make the most sense for owners who plan to stay.
How to cut the cost
- Keep the layout. Moving the sink or an electric range adds $1,000 to $4,000 (Fixr). Plan in the kitchen layout planner around the pipes you have.
- Keep the cabinet boxes. Refacing costs 30 to 50 percent less than new cabinets (HomeAdvisor); painting less still.
- Choose stock cabinets and a laminate or butcher block top. Compare the rows above.
- Keep the appliances that work. A new set starts around $2,500.
- Get several written estimates, and keep the contingency. The kitchen remodel checklist lists what to ask for, from the FTC’s advice.
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
About $27,000 on average: HomeAdvisor’s average is about $27,000, with most people paying about $14,600 to $41,600, and Fixr’s typical job is about $27,000 within $15,000 to $45,000.
What is the cost per square foot of a kitchen remodel?
$75 to $250 per square foot (HomeAdvisor and Fixr), about $150 on average (Fixr), and up to $600 for luxury work.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets: about 30 percent of the budget by HomeAdvisor’s count and 40 percent by Fixr’s.
How much does a 10x10 kitchen remodel cost?
About $15,000 on average, $10,000 to $25,000 (Fixr). The 10x10 kitchen cost guide breaks it down.
Is a kitchen remodel worth it?
It depends on your local market and what you change. Zonda’s 2025 Cost vs. Value report estimates that a $28,458 minor kitchen remodel adds $32,141 at resale, 112.9 percent of its cost: a national average for one defined project, not a promised return on yours.
How much should I budget for surprises?
There is no single rule: Fixr suggests 5 to 10 percent, and the calculator lets you choose 10, 15 or 20. HUD’s Standard 203(k) renovation loans require a 10 to 20 percent reserve on homes 30 years or older, a rule for that loan rather than for every remodel.
Final Takeaway
Use the planning estimate to set a budget range, not to predict a quote: it multiplies national middle prices by your quantities and adds the contingency you choose. Measure what you can (the cabinet run, the new cabinets or the cabinets to paint, the countertop and the backsplash), because an empty box falls back to an estimate. Cabinets are usually the biggest single part of the budget, so compare keeping, painting, refacing and new cabinets first. Then get several written estimates, and keep the contingency for what turns up once walls and floors are open.
Main Sources
- HomeAdvisor cost guides: kitchen remodel (updated 17 June 2026: about $27,000 average, most about $14,600–$41,600, $75–$250 per sq ft, scope ranges, budget shares, recessed lights, permits), kitchen cabinets (17 June 2026), refacing (20 June 2026), laminate, solid surface and quartzite countertops (19–20 June 2026), backsplash (20 June 2026), laminate flooring (17 June 2026), sink (19 June 2026), faucet (17 June 2026), painting a kitchen (20 June 2026), demolition (17 June 2026), kitchen design (17 June 2026) and building permits (19 June 2026)
- Fixr cost guides: kitchen remodeling (updated 27 January 2026: $15,000–$45,000, about $27,000, scope and size tiers, budget shares, flooring, appliances, permits, designers, a 5 to 10% cushion), 10x10 kitchen remodel (6 February 2025: $5,000 appliance average, moving the sink, GFCI outlets), cabinet installation (22 January 2026), refacing (26 January 2026), painting cabinets (27 January 2026: $30 to $70 per linear foot, counting upper and lower cabinets), countertops (28 January 2026), quartz (29 January 2026), backsplash (29 August 2025), range hood (31 January 2025) and painting a kitchen (31 January 2025)
- Homewyse, hardwood floor installation (May 2026)
- Houzz Research, 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study (13 January 2026) and 2026 Houzz & Home Study (1 May 2026): median spends
- Zonda, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report (18 September 2025): minor kitchen remodel $28,458, value $32,141, 112.9% recouped; method, regional differences
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025 (released 15 May 2026): national median hourly wages
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Standard 203(k) contingency reserve requirements (last revised 28 January 2016): for that loan, a 10 to 20% reserve on homes 30 years or older
Checked 20 October 2026; Fixr’s kitchen remodeling and cabinet painting guides, Zonda’s report and HUD’s page checked again 28 October 2026. Prices are national; HomeAdvisor’s regional ranges run from $6,000–$37,400 (Mountain Prairie) to $25,600–$61,100 (Northwest). Totals and per-square-foot figures in the calculator are our arithmetic from these ranges.