How to Use This Kitchen Remodel Cost Calculator
Enter your kitchen's length and width in feet, pick the cabinet layout that matches your plan, and choose a finish level: budget, mid-range, or high-end. Set your regional price level, tick the work you want included, and adjust the contingency slider. The calculator returns a total, a cost per square foot, a breakdown by category, and a side-by-side comparison of all three finish levels. The floor plan above redraws to scale with your dimensions.
Why This Matters
The kitchen is the most expensive room per square foot in most homes, and it is the room where budgets slip the most. A couple who plans for "about $20,000" often finds that cabinets alone can take $5,000 to $12,000, and a mid-range appliance package can add another $8,000. Knowing the likely split before you collect bids lets you decide where to splurge and where to save.
This kind of estimate helps in several situations. Buying a house with a dated kitchen? Price the remodel into your offer. Torn between a cosmetic refresh and a full gut? Switch items on and off and compare. Already have quotes? Check whether a contractor's number is in a sensible range. A 140 sq ft kitchen lands near $29,460 at mid-range finishes in this model, about $14,160 at budget finishes, and above $60,000 at high-end finishes. Seeing that spread helps you set a realistic target.
How It's Calculated
The tool uses installed unit prices, meaning material plus typical labor, for each category. These are national-average planning figures. They are rules of thumb, not a bid. Each line is multiplied by your regional factor (appliances are not, since their prices barely vary by location).
Cabinet run = 0.75 × wall length (single: L, galley: 2L, L-shape: L+W, U-shape: L+2W) + 6 ft if island Cabinets = run × $130 / $300 / $650 per linear ft (budget / mid / high) Countertops = (wall run × 2.1 sq ft + 18 sq ft if island) × $30 / $70 / $130 Flooring = floor area × $6 / $12 / $22 · Backsplash = wall run × 1.5 sq ft × $15 / $25 / $45 Electrical = area × $10 / $18 / $30 · Paint & drywall = area × $3 / $5 / $8 · Demolition = area × $4 + $400Appliances ($3,500 / $8,000 / $18,000) and sink and plumbing ($800 / $1,800 / $3,800) are flat packages. Layout changes add $3,000 (minor) or $9,000 (major). Permits and design fees are 3%, 5%, or 8% of the subtotal (minimum $500). Contingency is applied on top of everything else.
Conservative rounding: every line item is rounded up to the next $10, and the cabinet run is rounded up to the next half foot, so the estimate never leans toward the cheap side.
What the tool does not model: the electrical and plumbing lines are flat allowances. The tool does not design or size circuits, pipes, or gas lines. For general context only, kitchen wiring in the U.S. is usually governed by Article 210 of the NEC (NFPA 70), which covers items such as small-appliance circuits, GFCI protection, and countertop receptacle spacing. Your electrician and local inspector decide what applies to your project. The island size check is a rough rule of thumb based on the NKBA guideline of 42-inch work aisles. Local codes and amendments vary, and this tool is not a permit, inspection, or engineering approval.
Worked Example
Take a 14 × 10 ft kitchen (140 sq ft) with an L-shape layout, no island, mid-range finishes, no layout changes, national-average pricing, all items included, and 15% contingency.
- Cabinet run: (14 + 10) × 0.75 = 18 linear ft. Cabinets: 18 × $300 = $5,400.
- Countertops: 18 × 2.1 = 37.8 sq ft × $70 = $2,646, rounded up to $2,650.
- Appliances $8,000; flooring 140 × $12 = $1,680; backsplash 27 sq ft × $25 = $675, rounded up to $680.
- Plumbing $1,800; electrical 140 × $18 = $2,520; paint $700; demolition 140 × $4 + $400 = $960.
- Subtotal: $24,390. Permits and design at 5%: $1,220. Running total: $25,610.
- Contingency at 15%: $3,850. Final estimate: $29,460, about $211 per sq ft.
The same room at budget finishes comes to $14,160 (the $500 permit minimum applies there) and at high-end finishes to $60,860. Cabinets and appliances together make up about 55% of the mid-range subtotal ($13,400 of $24,390).
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Don't skip the contingency. Opening walls often reveals outdated wiring, rot, or plumbing problems. Use 15–20% for houses built before 1980.
- Keeping the layout is the biggest saver. Moving a sink, range, or gas line can add thousands before any finishes are chosen.
- Order long-lead items early. Semi-custom and custom cabinets can take 8–16 weeks, and a late delivery stalls every trade after it.
- Get itemized quotes. Compare at least three bids line by line against this breakdown, not just the bottom line.
- Hire licensed trades for electrical, gas, and plumbing. These usually require permits and inspections, and mistakes here are safety hazards, not just cosmetic problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
It depends heavily on size, finishes, and location. For a 140 sq ft kitchen, this calculator gives roughly $14,160 at budget level, $29,460 at mid-range, and $60,860 at high-end with 15% contingency. Your own numbers will vary with layout and local labor rates.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets and appliances are usually the two largest line items, often roughly 45–55% of the subtotal combined. Countertops, flooring, and electrical work follow. Labor is built into the installed prices used here.
How much contingency should I add to a kitchen remodel budget?
Plan on 10–15% for newer homes and 15–20% for older homes or any project that opens walls or moves plumbing. If you never use it, that is money saved, but running out mid-project is far more costly.
Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen?
Most jurisdictions require permits for new electrical circuits, plumbing changes, gas line work, and structural changes. Swapping cabinets and counters in place often does not. Ask your local building department, since rules differ widely.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
A full remodel commonly takes 6–12 weeks of on-site work, plus lead time for cabinets and appliances. Cosmetic refreshes can finish in one to three weeks. Permit delays and backordered materials are the most common causes of overruns.
Is it cheaper to keep the same kitchen layout?
Yes. Keeping sinks, gas lines, and appliances where they are avoids plumbing, electrical, and sometimes structural changes. The layout-change option adds $3,000 for minor moves and $9,000 for major ones as a planning allowance.