Kitchen remodel
What it really costs to remodel a kitchen
Real numbers and a real process, based on 50 permitted kitchen projects and over 20 years of renovation experience.
$100K–$290K+
Turn-key investment range
2026 investment summary
Where your kitchen budget actually goes
Every kitchen is different — but costs aren’t random. Here’s the breakdown across 50 turn-key, permitted kitchen projects.
| Category | What it covers | 2026 range |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets | Factory finish refacing to fully custom new | $15K – $75K |
| Appliances | GE entry-level to Wolf / Sub-Zero | $15K – $50K |
| Flooring | Patching existing to new hardwoods or tile | $5K – $25K |
| Countertops | Quartz or granite to marble or quartzite | $10K – $25K |
| Plumbing | Replace in place to full relocation and new fixtures | $15K – $30K |
| Lighting | Replace existing to full new layout | $15K – $30K |
| HVAC & mechanical | Floor vents to custom hood ventilation | $5K – $10K |
| Walls, painting & structural | Paint refresh to removing or adding walls | $10K – $25K |
| Lavish design & implementation | Full design, project management, and coordination | $10K – $20K |
Turn-key average investment range
$100K – $290K
These ranges include everything — design, materials, licensed installers, permitting, and project management. There’s no separate “contractor markup” line item that shows up later, because we handle it all in-house.
The 5-phase process
How a kitchen remodel actually unfolds
Click through each phase to see the duration, investment, payment trigger, and what gets done — specific to a kitchen project.
- Onsite design and vendor walkthroughs to land the vision
- Material selections: flooring, hardware, lighting, countertops, backsplash
- Cabinet and storage layout finalized — custom, stock, or painted
- Appliance model numbers confirmed and matched to ventilation needs
- Plumbing fixture selections: sink, faucet, dishwasher, disposal
- Final design boards approved by the client
Duration
7–13 weeks
Investment
>$15K – $30K
Design hours
30–60 hrs
- Construction agreement signed and approved
- Permits applied for (avg. 10–45 days in Wake County)
- All materials ordered and delivery scheduled
- Alternate kitchen setup plan created and communicated
- Job site expectations set: access, storage, dumpster, pets
- Site cleared; electrical and plumbing sealed
- Unforeseen conditions (rot, mold, code issues) addressed transparently
- Framing alterations completed, structural or aesthetic
- Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC rough-in completed
- Onsite meeting to finalize behind-wall locations before close-up
Duration
6–12 weeks
Investment
$25K – $80K
Design hours
10–20 hrs
- Drywall installed and finished; trim and millwork installed
- Cabinet installation and countertop template taken
- Interior painting completed
- Countertops and backsplash installed
- Plumbing, lighting, electrical, and HVAC connected
Duration
6–12 weeks
Investment
$10K – $25K
Design hours
10–20 hrs
- Final safety inspections passed: plumbing, electrical, HVAC, fire
- Certificate of warranty issued (1-year warranty)
- Punch list created and every item resolved
- Final professional cleaning and photo shoot
- Leadership approval and full team sign-off
What’s included
Specialized for the way a kitchen works
Kitchens carry their own complexity — appliances, venting, plumbing runs, and cabinetry coordination. Here’s what we specifically account for.
