Average Kitchen Remodel Cost: Basic, Mid-Range and High-End
A typical kitchen remodel costs about {cost:kitchen-remodel:mid}. Here is what the basic, mid-range and premium tiers each buy, so you can place your plan.
The average kitchen remodel costs $12,000 in our model, and most mid-range projects land between $9,350 – $15,600. A basic refresh comes in at $6,950, and a premium remodel at $17,300. All figures are before sales tax and are based on a kitchen with about 15 linear feet (4.5 m) of cabinet run.
Our full Kitchen remodel covers the whole project. This article answers a narrower question: what separates the three tiers, and which one does your plan fit?
How we build the tiers
We calculate each tier from labor hours multiplied by local rates, plus materials, then check the result against market prices and real quotes. The tiers are not just "cheap, medium, expensive". Each one reflects a different scope of work, and the scope drives the price more than any single finish.
Basic: $6,950
A basic remodel is a cosmetic and functional refresh. The layout stays put, so plumbing and gas lines are not moved.
- Flat-pack or stock cabinets, or refaced existing boxes
- Laminate worktop
- Standard sink, faucet and fittings
- Simple flooring and a fresh coat of paint
- Basic lighting
If your budget is tight and the layout works, this tier delivers the biggest visual change per dollar. The trade-off is limited choice. Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes, so fillers and awkward gaps are common.
Mid-range: $12,000
This is the tier most homeowners land in. It usually means new cabinets throughout, a better worktop, new fixtures, and some flexibility on layout.
- Semi-custom cabinets with better boxes and more size options
- A mid-priced worktop such as quartz or solid surface
- New lighting, backsplash and flooring
- Minor changes to plumbing or electrical runs
Plumbing, electrical and structural changes usually need a local permit, and your contractor should build that into the quote. Moving a sink across the room or adding circuits is where a mid-range budget tends to stretch toward the top of the range.
Premium: $17,300
Premium covers a full redesign. Expect custom cabinetry, natural stone or porcelain slab surfaces, and a reworked layout. The price also reflects the labor of moving services, patching floors and walls, and fitting everything to a precise finish.
Paying for this tier makes sense when you are changing the room's footprint, taking out a wall, or planning to stay in the house for many years.
Where the money goes: cabinets and worktops
Cabinets and worktops are the two choices that most often push a project from one tier to the next. Here is how the cabinet grade alone changes the price of a mid-range project:
| Cabinets | Typical mid-range cost |
|---|---|
| Flat-pack / stock | $10,100 |
| Semi-custom | $12,000 |
| Custom | $16,700 |
Worktops matter just as much. Choosing laminate over quartz moves the total noticeably, while granite and marble sit on the other side. For a single-material comparison, quartz comes to $12,000 and granite to $11,900. Here is the full table with usual ranges and lifespans:
| Material | Typical | Usual range | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate worktop | $9,150 | $7,150 – $11,900 | – |
| Solid wood / butcher block | $11,200 | $8,750 – $14,600 | – |
| Sintered stone / porcelain slab | $11,300 | $8,800 – $14,700 | – |
| Solid surface (acrylic) | $11,400 | $8,900 – $14,800 | – |
| Stainless steel | $11,700 | $9,150 – $15,200 | – |
| Granite | $11,900 | $9,250 – $15,500 | – |
| Quartz / engineered stone | $12,000 | $9,350 – $15,600 | – |
| Marble | $12,200 | $9,500 – $15,800 | – |
| Quartzite (natural stone) | $12,800 | $10,000 – $16,600 | – |
Placing your own plan on the scale
Ask yourself four questions:
- Does the layout change? If sinks, ranges or walls move, you are at least mid-range, and probably above it.
- Are the cabinets staying? Keeping sound boxes and replacing doors, worktop and hardware is a basic-tier approach.
- How long will you stay? A long stay justifies better cabinet construction. A sale in a few years usually does not.
- Is the rest of the room included? Floors and walls are often priced separately.
Costs that sit outside the kitchen figure
Several items commonly appear next to a kitchen budget but are not part of the headline number:
- Flooring. If you want new flooring that runs through adjoining rooms, see our Flooring installation guide.
- Painting. Walls and ceilings are covered separately in Interior painting.
- Appliances. Plan these separately from the remodel itself.
- Sales tax. Our figures are before sales tax. Tax on materials varies by state, and labor is often not taxed, though the rules differ.
- Rebates. The federal 25C and 25D tax credits have ended. Some states and utilities offer rebates for efficient appliances, and the DSIRE database lists what is available near you.
If you are updating a bathroom at the same time, the Bathroom remodel guide shows how the two projects compare, and it helps to know before you ask one contractor to quote both.
Checking your quote
Once you have a written quote, compare it against the tier that matches your scope. A quote far below your tier often leaves out permits, disposal or electrical work. A quote far above it should have a clear reason, such as custom cabinetry or a structural change. Use our "is my quote fair" tool to check a line-by-line quote against the live figures.
Ask every contractor to itemize cabinets, worktop, labor, permits and demolition separately. That makes it easy to see which tier you are really buying.