Kitchen remodel cost by size

A medium kitchen of 100 to 150 square feet costs $12,500 to $58,500 to remodel, with a typical semi-custom job around $25,500. A small kitchen is roughly $17,500 typical and a large one $35,000.

But floor area is the wrong measurement. Kitchens are priced by the cabinet run, measured in linear feet along the wall, and two kitchens of identical floor area can have very different runs. A galley kitchen with cabinets down both walls costs more than an open kitchen of the same size with one wall of units and a lot of empty floor.

Measure the run, not the room

Walk the perimeter and measure the length of wall that has, or will have, base cabinets. Do the same for wall cabinets. Add them together. That is your linear footage, and it is the number a supplier will ask for.

A conventional 10 by 10 kitchen has about 20 linear feet of base and 20 of wall, which is why the industry quotes "a 10 by 10" as shorthand for a mid-sized job.

Islands are extra. An island is typically 6 to 10 linear feet of cabinetry plus its own countertop, and it adds $2,000 to $8,000 before the top goes on.

Cost by kitchen size

The three columns are three cabinet tiers, not three amounts of effort. Low is stock cabinets, typical is semi-custom, and high is fully custom. Since cabinets are consistently 25% to 35% of a kitchen budget, the tier you choose sets the scale of everything else, and that is why these columns are so far apart.

All three assume the layout stays where it is. Moving plumbing, gas or walls is a different project.

What the money buys at each tier

The low column is stock cabinets, laminate or entry quartz countertops, a value appliance package, vinyl plank flooring, and existing plumbing locations. It is a real kitchen and it will look fine. It will have filler strips where the cabinet sizes did not quite fit the wall.

The typical column is semi-custom cabinets with a chosen door and finish, quartz or granite, a mid-tier appliance package, tile or engineered wood, and better lighting. This is what most people picture when they say kitchen remodel.

The high column is custom cabinetry built to the room, premium stone, professional-grade appliances, and usually some layout change. At this level the cabinets alone can exceed the entire budget of the low column.

Where the budget goes on a typical medium kitchen

On a $25,500 semi-custom job with 22 linear feet of cabinets and 35 square feet of countertop:

The proportions hold reasonably well across sizes. If a quote has cabinets at 15% of the total, either the cabinets are very cheap or something else is very expensive, and it is worth asking which.

What actually moves the number

The cabinet tier, more than anything else on this page.

Whether the layout changes. Keeping the sink, the range and the fridge where they are keeps the plumbing, the gas and the dedicated circuits where they are. Moving the sink to an island means running supply, waste and a vent through the floor, which is $2,000 to $6,000 before anything is visible.

Appliances, which range from $2,500 for a full value package to $30,000 and beyond for professional equipment. This is the easiest line to change your mind about late and the easiest to overspend on.

What is behind the walls. Older houses reveal things once the cabinets come off: ungrounded wiring, no dedicated circuits, galvanized supply pipe, an un-vented sink. Budget 10% to 15% for it.

Whether you can cook. A kitchen remodel takes four to twelve weeks. Eating out for eight weeks is a real cost that never appears on a quote. Set up a temporary kitchen with the old fridge, a microwave and a kettle somewhere else in the house.

Frequently asked questions

Does a bigger kitchen cost proportionally more?

Not quite. Design, permits, the plumber's visit and the electrician's visit are largely fixed, so a large kitchen costs less per linear foot than a small one. The effect is modest, roughly 10%, and it does not offset the extra cabinets.

What is the cheapest real change I can make?

Paint the cabinets, change the handles and replace the countertop. On a medium kitchen that is roughly $6,000 to $12,000 and it changes the room completely without touching the layout.

Will I get the money back?

A minor kitchen remodel is the strongest returning interior project in the country, recovering most of its cost at resale. A midrange full remodel recovers around half. An upscale one recovers around a third. Spend the money because you want the kitchen, not as an investment.

How accurate is this table for my house?

It will get you to the right order of magnitude, which is the point. Regional labor costs shift it by 20% either way, and the state you are in matters as much as the tier you choose. Get three quotes before committing to anything.

Should I hire a designer?

For a layout change, usually yes. A kitchen designer costs $1,500 to $6,000 or a percentage of the project, and on a job where walls or plumbing move they generally save more than that in avoided mistakes. For a straight replacement in the existing layout, the cabinet supplier's design service is usually enough.