By Project Genie Editorial Team ·
September 23, 2026
Kitchen remodel costs span an enormous range because "kitchen remodel" itself covers everything from swapping a countertop to gutting the room down to the studs. Here's what typical projects actually run, what moves the number most, and -- the part most cost guides skip -- how to get bids on your specific project that you can actually compare against each other.
Quick answer: A minor refresh (new countertops, fixtures, cabinet fronts, layout untouched) typically runs $10,000-$20,000. A mid-range remodel (new appliances, higher-end materials, some cabinet customization) typically runs $20,000-$65,000. A complete gut renovation (walls removed, plumbing and electrical relocated) typically runs $65,000-$130,000 or more. National averages cited across industry data usually land around $27,000, but your actual number depends entirely on which of these three projects you're really doing.
Every figure here is a general, typical range, not a quote for your specific kitchen -- get a real bid for your actual project rather than budgeting around industry averages alone.
Cost by Remodel Scope
| Scope | What's Included | Typical Cost |
|---|
| Minor refresh | New countertops, fixtures, cabinet fronts or paint, layout unchanged | $10,000-$20,000 |
| Mid-range remodel | New appliances, higher-end materials, some custom cabinetry, layout mostly unchanged | $20,000-$65,000 |
| Complete/gut renovation | Walls removed, plumbing and electrical relocated, full custom finish | $65,000-$130,000+ |
Cabinets alone typically account for 25-40% of a kitchen remodel budget regardless of tier, making cabinet-grade decision (stock vs. semi-custom vs. custom) one of the single biggest cost levers in the whole project. Labor is usually the next-largest share.
What Actually Moves the Number
Whether the layout changes -- the moment a sink, stove, or wall moves, you add plumbing, electrical, and sometimes structural work on top of the surface-level changes
Cabinet tier -- stock, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry aren't just different price points, they're different lead times too
Countertop and flooring material -- laminate, quartz, and natural stone sit at very different price points and installation complexity
Whether plumbing or electrical relocates -- moving a sink or adding an outlet where none existed usually triggers a permit and inspection a cosmetic refresh wouldn't need
Structural changes -- removing a wall, especially a load-bearing one, adds engineering and permitting costs on top of construction
None of these are things a cost table alone can tell you about your specific kitchen -- they're scope decisions worth pinning down before you request bids, not just numbers to discover after.
Why Kitchen Remodel Quotes Vary So Much
Two honest bids on a vaguely-described "kitchen remodel" can end up pricing two genuinely different projects, because the phrase alone doesn't say whether the sink is moving, what cabinet tier you're expecting, or whether it's a cosmetic refresh or a full gut. This is the single biggest source of bid variance in any category on the site -- for the general mechanics of why this happens across all trades, see our guide to why contractor quotes vary. In kitchen remodeling specifically, the fix is naming which end of the minor/mid-range/complete spectrum your project falls closer to, and noting whether plumbing, electrical, or walls are involved, before you ask for bids -- not after you've already gotten three wildly different numbers back.
Getting Bids You Can Actually Compare
Giving every Service Professional the same starting specs -- scope, material tier expectations, whether the layout changes -- is what makes their bids comparable to each other instead of comparing apples to oranges. It's also worth asking upfront how each pro handles permits and whether they subcontract plumbing or electrical work, since a kitchen remodel touching multiple trades depends on those trades being scheduled in the right order. Once bids are in hand, here's how to compare them on scope and approach, not just the total number.
Post your kitchen remodel through Project Genie with that scope detail included, and Service Professionals bid on your actual project instead of a generic "kitchen remodel" guess -- you see real competitive pricing without calling around, and you only pay the pro you hire.
What to Expect During the Work
Larger remodels are typically phased -- demolition, rough-in work, inspections where required, then finishing (cabinetry, tile, fixtures) -- and each phase can affect your timeline if an inspection needs to pass before the next step starts. Expect to lose use of the kitchen for the duration, which is worth planning around since cooking access disappears for a stretch of time on anything beyond a minor refresh. If something unexpected turns up once cabinets or walls come out -- older wiring, hidden water damage, plumbing that doesn't match the original layout -- a documented change to the original bid is the honest way to handle it, worth asking about before work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a small kitchen remodel cost?
A minor refresh on a small kitchen (countertops, fixtures, cabinet fronts, layout unchanged) typically runs toward the lower end of the $10,000-$20,000 range, though exact pricing depends on materials and your local market.
Why do kitchen remodel quotes vary so much between contractors?
Usually because "kitchen remodel" doesn't specify scope -- whether the layout changes, what cabinet tier you want, whether plumbing or electrical moves. Two Service Professionals can price two genuinely different projects from the same vague description.
What's the biggest cost driver in a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets typically account for 25-40% of the budget, but the single biggest swing factor is whether the layout changes at all -- moving a sink, stove, or wall adds plumbing, electrical, and sometimes structural cost on top of surface-level changes.
How do I get an accurate quote before work starts?
Describe your project's actual scope when posting the job -- whether plumbing/electrical fixtures move, whether walls are involved, and your expected material tier -- so Service Professionals bid on the real project instead of guessing.
Get a Fair Quote, Not a Guess
Kitchen remodel costs vary enormously by scope, but the surest way to get a fair price on yours is real competition on your actual project, not a single quote taken at face value. Post your kitchen remodel job free and let Service Professionals bid for it.
Remodeling the other room too? See our bathroom remodel cost guide.