How Much Should a Kitchen Renovation Cost in 2026?

The kitchen is the most renovated room in the American home — and also the one where costs spiral out of control the fastest. Whether you are planning a modest refresh or a full gut renovation, understanding what things actually cost is the single best way to protect your budget. This guide breaks down real kitchen renovation costs by scope, category, and region so you can walk into contractor conversations with confidence.

Kitchen Renovation Costs by Scope

Not every kitchen renovation is the same. Costs vary dramatically depending on how much of the space you are changing. Here is a realistic look at what homeowners are paying in 2026 across three common project scopes.

Minor Refresh: $10,000 to $25,000

A minor refresh keeps the existing kitchen layout intact. You are not moving plumbing, gas lines, or electrical — you are updating what is already there. This typically includes:

• Cabinet refacing or repainting — keeping the existing cabinet boxes but replacing doors and hardware
• New countertops — mid-range materials like quartz or butcher block
• Updated backsplash — subway tile or similar
• New fixtures — faucet, sink, lighting
• Fresh paint and hardware — the fastest way to change how a kitchen feels

A minor refresh is ideal if your kitchen layout works well and the cabinetry is structurally sound. Homeowners who go this route often recoup 75-80% of their investment at resale, making it one of the highest-ROI renovation categories.

Major Remodel: $25,000 to $75,000

A major remodel changes the kitchen meaningfully. You are likely replacing all cabinets, countertops, and appliances. You may be making modest layout changes — moving an island, relocating the refrigerator, or opening a wall to an adjacent room. Expect to encounter:

• Full cabinet replacement — semi-custom or custom cabinetry
• New appliance package — mid-range to high-end brands
• Electrical and plumbing updates — bringing systems up to code
• New flooring — hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, or tile
• Layout modifications — may require permits and structural work

This is the most common scope for homeowners who plan to stay in their home for five or more years. The wide price range reflects the enormous difference between stock cabinets with laminate counters and semi-custom cabinets with natural stone.

Luxury Renovation: $75,000 and Up

Luxury kitchen renovations start at $75,000 and can easily exceed $150,000 in high-cost markets. At this level, everything is custom. Homeowners are selecting specific cabinet finishes, professional-grade appliances, natural stone slabs, and designer fixtures. Projects at this scope often include:

• Custom cabinetry — built to specification with specialty finishes
• Professional-grade appliances — brands like Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Miele
• Natural stone countertops — marble, quartzite, or premium granite
• Structural changes — removing load-bearing walls, adding windows, vaulted ceilings
• Smart home integration — touchless faucets, under-cabinet lighting systems, connected appliances

At the luxury level, the difference between a $90,000 and a $140,000 kitchen often comes down to appliance selection and the complexity of structural work. A 48-inch professional range alone can cost $8,000 to $15,000.

Where the Money Actually Goes

Regardless of your total budget, the proportional breakdown of a kitchen renovation stays remarkably consistent. Understanding these percentages helps you spot quotes that are out of balance — a potential sign of overcharging in one category or corner-cutting in another.

• Cabinets and hardware: 30-35% — This is almost always the largest single line item. Cabinets define the kitchen and represent the bulk of the material cost. A $50,000 kitchen should allocate roughly $15,000 to $17,500 for cabinetry.
• Labor and installation: 20-25% — Skilled labor is not cheap, and kitchen renovations require multiple trades: carpenters, plumbers, electricians, tile setters, and painters. Labor rates vary significantly by region.
• Countertops: 10% — Material costs range from $30 per square foot for laminate to $200 or more per square foot for premium natural stone. Fabrication and installation add another $500 to $2,000.
• Appliances: 10-15% — A basic appliance package (refrigerator, range, dishwasher, microwave) runs $3,000 to $5,000. A professional-grade package can exceed $25,000.
• Flooring: 7-10% — Kitchen flooring needs to withstand moisture, spills, and heavy foot traffic. Material and labor combined typically run $6 to $15 per square foot for most options.
• Plumbing and electrical: 5-8% — If you are keeping the existing layout, this stays low. Moving a sink, adding an island with electrical, or upgrading to a gas range can push this category significantly higher.
• Design and permits: 3-5% — Architectural plans, design fees, and permit costs are easy to overlook but important to budget for, especially on larger projects.

Regional Cost Variations

Where you live has a dramatic impact on what your kitchen renovation will cost. Labor rates, material availability, and local permit requirements all vary by region. Here is how costs compare across the country.

In high-cost metro areas like San Francisco, New York City, and Boston, expect to pay 25-40% more than the national average. A major remodel that costs $50,000 in the Midwest might run $65,000 to $70,000 in these markets. Labor alone can be 30-50% higher due to cost of living and trade demand.

In mid-cost markets like Denver, Atlanta, Nashville, and Portland, costs tend to track close to the national average, though rapid population growth in these cities has pushed labor rates up 10-15% over the past three years.

In lower-cost areas like parts of the Southeast, Midwest, and rural communities, homeowners can often get 15-20% more value for the same budget. Material costs are fairly consistent nationwide — it is labor and overhead that create the biggest regional differences.

Tools like Quoterly can help you benchmark quotes against real market data for your specific area, which is especially valuable if you are new to a region and do not yet have a feel for local pricing.

What Drives Costs Up

Some cost increases are planned. Others sneak up on you. Here are the most common factors that push kitchen renovation budgets higher than expected.

• Layout changes — Moving plumbing or gas lines can add $3,000 to $10,000 depending on complexity. Every pipe and wire that moves requires permits, inspections, and skilled trade labor.
• Structural work — Removing a wall to create an open floor plan sounds simple, but if it is load-bearing, you are adding engineering, a support beam, and potentially foundation work. Budget $5,000 to $15,000 for this alone.
• Unexpected conditions — Water damage, outdated wiring, asbestos, or inadequate framing are often discovered only after demolition begins. A 10-15% contingency fund is not pessimism — it is smart planning.
• Scope creep — It starts with the kitchen and expands to the adjacent hallway, then the dining room paint, then new flooring throughout the main level. Decide your scope before signing a contract and stick to it.
• Material upgrades mid-project — Switching from quartz to marble after fabrication has begun is expensive. Make final material selections before the project starts.

Where to Save Without Sacrificing Quality

A well-planned kitchen renovation does not require cutting corners. It requires spending strategically. Here are proven ways to reduce costs without compromising the finished result.

Keep the Existing Layout

The single biggest way to save money is to keep plumbing and gas lines where they are. Every sink, dishwasher, and range that stays in place saves thousands in labor and permit costs.

Choose Semi-Custom Over Full Custom Cabinets

Semi-custom cabinets offer nearly the same range of finishes and configurations as full custom at 30-40% lower cost. Companies like KraftMaid and Diamond now produce semi-custom options that are difficult to distinguish from custom work.

Prioritize Where You Splurge

Put your money where you interact with the kitchen every day. A high-quality faucet, solid countertops, and good lighting make a bigger daily impact than a $12,000 range you use twice a week. Spend on what you touch and see most.

Time Your Project Strategically

Contractors are typically busiest from late spring through early fall. Scheduling a renovation for late fall or winter can sometimes save 5-10% on labor, simply because contractors have more availability and less backlog.

Get Multiple Quotes

This is not about finding the cheapest contractor — it is about understanding the market. Three detailed quotes give you a realistic picture of what the project should cost. When quotes vary by more than 20%, it is worth asking each contractor what is driving the difference.

Budgeting Realistically

The most common budgeting mistake homeowners make is planning for the ideal scenario and leaving no room for reality. Here is a straightforward approach to setting a kitchen renovation budget.

1. Define your scope clearly — Write down exactly what you want to change and what stays. Be specific.
2. Research costs for your area — Use regional cost data, not national averages. What a kitchen costs in Houston is different from what it costs in Seattle.
3. Get at least three quotes — Compare them line by line, not just the totals.
4. Add a 15-20% contingency — For projects that involve opening walls or updating old systems, this is essential.
5. Decide your financing before you start — Whether it is savings, a home equity loan, or a HELOC, know your total available budget before selecting finishes.

The Bottom Line

A kitchen renovation is one of the largest investments you will make in your home, and the range of possible costs is enormous. A minor refresh can transform a dated kitchen for $15,000, while a full luxury renovation can easily exceed $100,000. The key to staying on budget is understanding where your money goes, planning for the unexpected, and making informed decisions about where to splurge and where to save. Whether you are comparing contractor quotes with a tool like Quoterly or doing the research on your own, walking into this process informed is the single best way to get the kitchen you want at a price that makes sense.