Island RestorationMost kitchen remodel price tags you find online are a single number with no scope attached, which makes them useless for planning. A $12,000 job and a $95,000 job are both "a kitchen remodel." The difference is not quality — it is how much of the room you actually move.
These guides break the cost down the way a contractor's bid does: by scope tier first, then by line item, then by the size of your room.
Estimate Your Kitchen
Kitchen Remodel Cost Estimator
Estimated total installed cost
$20,000 – $45,000
Midpoint $32,500 · $200–$450 per sq ft
National average estimate, materials plus labor. Regional labor rates move totals by 30% or more in either direction. This is a planning range, not a quote — get three written bids on identical scope.
Start Here
| Your question | Guide |
|---|---|
| What if I gut the whole thing? | Full Kitchen Remodel Cost |
| I have a standard 10×10 kitchen | 10×10 Kitchen Remodel Cost |
| My kitchen is small | Small Kitchen Remodel Cost |
| I only want to add an island | Kitchen Island Cost |
The Three Scope Tiers
Nearly every kitchen project falls into one of three tiers. Identifying yours narrows the estimate more than any other single decision.
Ranges below are for a 100 sq ft kitchen — the industry's benchmark size. Scale roughly with your own square footage, remembering that the fixed portion does not shrink.
Cosmetic refresh — $10,000 to $18,000
Midrange remodel — $20,000 to $45,000
Full gut or layout change — $50,000 to $105,000+
2026 note: cabinet tariffs
Imported wooden cabinets have carried a 25% Section 232 tariff since October 14, 2025. A scheduled increase to 50% was delayed by one year and now takes effect January 1, 2027 — so it does not affect a project completed in 2026.
A 50% import duty does not mean 50% higher shelf prices; industry estimates put the retail effect closer to 15–25%. If your project runs into 2027 and uses imported or RTA cabinets, price that in.
Where the Money Goes
Across midrange projects, the split is remarkably consistent:
| Line item | Share of budget |
|---|---|
| Cabinets and hardware | ~30% |
| Labor and installation | ~25% |
| Appliances | ~14% |
| Countertops | ~10% |
| Flooring | ~6% |
| Electrical | ~5% |
| Design fees | ~3% |
| Plumbing, permits, contingency | ~7% |
The practical takeaway: cabinets and labor together are 55% of the job. Every meaningful cost-cutting decision touches one of those two, and the single highest-leverage one is keeping your existing cabinet boxes — refacing or painting instead of replacing typically saves $8,000 to $20,000.
Budget rule of thumb
Hold back 15–20% as contingency. Kitchens are the room most likely to hide surprises behind the drywall — old wiring, failed subfloor, plumbing that is not where the plans say it is. A budget with no contingency is a budget that will be exceeded.
Common Search Answers
Sources
- HomeAdvisor — Kitchen Remodel Cost: national average, typical range, cost per square foot, and the line-item shares above.
- Remodeling — 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: minor remodel $28,458 at 112.6% recouped; major midrange $82,793 at 50.9%; upscale $164,104 at 35.7%.
- NAHB — Wood Product Tariff Delays: confirmation that the cabinet tariff increase to 50% was delayed to January 1, 2027.
- The Kitchn — Kitchen Cabinet Tariffs: the 25% rate effective October 14, 2025, and why a 50% duty does not mean 50% higher retail prices.
Figures were last verified in September 2026. Material prices move faster than any published guide — treat these as planning ranges and confirm against current bids.