Kitchen Remodel Cost Calculator

How this kitchen remodel cost calculator works

Enter your ZIP code, your kitchen's floor area in square feet, the finish level, your cabinet and countertop choices, and tick the box if the appliances are being replaced. The calculator multiplies your area by an installed price per square foot for that finish level, adds the permit, and takes out the appliance package if you're keeping what you have. It then adjusts the result for wages and prices in your state.

You get three numbers. Low is a plain job with an efficient contractor and few surprises. Typical is where most quotes land. High covers premium materials, older houses and busy seasons. For the national default, a 150 sq ft mid-range kitchen, the breakdown is materials $15,800–$24,300 (typical $20,000), labor $4,200–$6,450 (typical $5,320), appliances $2,500–$6,800 (typical $4,650) and the permit $460–$2,500 (typical $1,480).

Cabinets and countertops work differently. The per-square-foot rate already includes them, so the calculator shows their prices per linear foot or per square foot as a reference, not as extra lines added to your total. Use those reference prices to check the cabinet and countertop lines in a quote.

The state adjustment uses construction wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for labor and regional price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis for materials. The permit isn't adjusted, because cities set the fee. The full method is on our How we calculate page.

Kitchen remodel cost by finish level

Finish level is the biggest choice you'll make. Basic means stock cabinets, laminate counters and mostly keeping the existing layout. Mid-range moves up to semi-custom or better stock cabinets, stone counters and new flooring. High-end covers custom cabinetry, premium stone and higher-grade appliances.

For the 150 sq ft example, basic comes to $9,460–$25,000 (typical $17,200), mid-range to $23,000–$40,000 (typical $31,500) and high-end to $38,000–$55,000 (typical $46,500). These per-foot rates come from one source, so the calculator marks them as limited data. As a cross-check, three other guides put an average kitchen at $75–$250 per square foot, typical $160, which sits between our basic and mid-range rates.

Cabinet cost by type

Cabinets are priced per linear foot, the length of the cabinet run measured along the wall. Stock cabinets come in set sizes and ship quickly. Semi-custom cabinets come in more sizes and finishes. Custom cabinets are built to fit your room.

Installed, stock cabinets run $100–$300 per linear foot (typical $200), semi-custom $200–$580 (typical $390) and custom $500–$1,200 (typical $850). If your cabinet boxes are sound, refacing (new doors, drawer fronts and veneer over the existing boxes) costs $4,640–$11,600 for the job, typical $8,120. The calculator doesn't ask for your cabinet length, so these prices are shown for reference and the finish-level rate carries the cabinet cost in your total.

Countertop cost by material

Countertops are priced per square foot of counter surface, not floor area.

Installed, laminate runs $30–$60 per square foot (typical $45), granite $45–$140 (typical $93) and quartz $50–$150 (typical $98). Our sources disagree widely on all three, mostly because stone prices depend on the slab you pick, the edge profile and how many cutouts the sink and cooktop need.

What affects the price

Kitchen size

The calculator scales the total with your floor area, so a larger kitchen costs more in a straight line. Real quotes don't always work that way: a small kitchen still needs a sink, a range hookup and a permit, so its price per square foot often runs higher.

Finish level

Moving from basic to high-end on our 150 sq ft example takes the typical price from $17,200 to $46,500. Most of that gap is cabinets and counters. You can mix levels: stock cabinets with a stone counter, for instance, lands between basic and mid-range.

Appliances

A new appliance package adds $2,500–$6,800, typical $4,650, from a single source. Keeping your current appliances brings the mid-range example down to $20,500–$33,200, typical $26,800. High-end ranges and built-in refrigerators cost well above that package, so price them separately if they're on your list.

Cabinets

Cabinets are usually the largest single materials line. Going from stock to semi-custom roughly doubles the per-foot price, and custom more than doubles it again. Refacing is the budget path when the boxes and layout already work.

Countertops

On typical prices, granite and quartz sit close together, and laminate costs about half as much as either. Thickness, edge detail, a backsplash and an undermount sink cutout all add to the stone price.

Layout changes

Moving the sink, range or a wall adds plumbing, gas, electrical and drywall work. Our data doesn't price layout changes for kitchens separately, so the calculator doesn't add them. If you plan to move anything, expect your quote to land toward the high end or above it.

Permit

Permits in our data run $460–$2,500, typical $1,480. Plumbing, electrical and gas work usually need one; a cosmetic refresh may not.

How our numbers compare with a national report

The Cost vs Value 2025 report prices two fixed sample projects nationally: a minor mid-range kitchen remodel at about $28,500 and a major mid-range kitchen remodel at about $82,800. Each is a single figure for one defined project, not a range. Our 150 sq ft mid-range example sits near the minor remodel. A full gut with new layout and all-new cabinetry is closer to the major one, which our calculator doesn't model.

When to budget toward the high end

The typical price assumes the layout stays the same, the walls and wiring are in fair shape, and you choose mostly standard sizes. Plan nearer the high number if the house is older, if you're moving the sink or range, if you want custom cabinets or premium stone, or if you're adding an island with its own plumbing or power. Budget a cushion for what turns up when the old cabinets come off the wall. I'd rather find spare money at the end than go looking for it halfway through.

Kitchen remodel cost by state

Labor is only about 21% of a kitchen remodel in our data, because cabinets, counters and appliances make up most of the bill. That's why state differences are smaller here than for jobs that are mostly labor. The typical 150 sq ft mid-range kitchen runs from $28,500 in Arkansas, $29,300 in Oklahoma and $29,500 in South Dakota to $35,300 in Alaska, $35,400 in Illinois and $36,700 in Hawaii. California homeowners can find their range in the table below.

Ways to lower the cost

• Keep the footprint. Leaving the sink, range and walls where they are avoids the most expensive surprises.
• Reface instead of replace. If the cabinet boxes are solid, new doors and fronts cost far less than new cabinets.
• Mix finish levels. Stock cabinets with a stone countertop give a mid-range look for less.
• Keep working appliances. In our data that takes several thousand dollars off the typical price.
• Decide before demolition. Change orders after work starts cost more than choices made on paper.
• Ask about timing. If your date is flexible, ask whether a slower month changes the price.

Hiring tips

Get at least three written quotes for the same scope: same cabinet line and length, same countertop material and square footage, same appliances. Ask each contractor to list demolition, cabinets, countertops, plumbing, electrical, flooring, appliances, the permit and cleanup as separate lines, then compare them with the breakdown above. A quote far below our low number deserves questions about what's missing.

Ask who orders the cabinets and who owns any delay if they arrive late or damaged. Get the start date, payment schedule and warranty in writing, and agree how changes and hidden problems will be priced. Before the last payment, open every door and drawer, run the faucet and dishwasher, and check the counter seams. Check that the company has a license where your state requires one, and ask for proof of insurance. Bring the ballpark. Ask for the line items.