How much does kitchen remodeling cost nationally?
That is the modeled cost to deliver plus a fair contractor margin, not a sales quote. Built from BLS metro wages, Craftsman labor hours, a real bill of materials, and hand-verified permit data. 2026-08-19
Mid-range here means the remodel most people actually buy: new cabinets, counters, sink, appliances, and floors in the layout you already have. The money goes into cabinets and stone, not into moving walls. The full gut with layout changes is the premium tier.
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The margin is the gap between break even and a typical quote, not a markup we invent. Margins float by trade and city, with most fair jobs at a 15 to 22 percent margin on the bid, about 18 to 28 percent over the cost to deliver. Nobody works for free. Full methodology.
The kitchen remodeling figure is built from parts, never scraped: published labor hours, this metro's wages with burden, current material prices, permit data where available, and overhead a working shop actually carries. Cost index version: 2026-08-19. Updated Aug 2026.
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What the kitchen remodeling benchmark includes.
- Kitchen Remodel (Combined) as the headline cost-index scope
- labor-hour assumptions, regional wage inputs, materials, overhead, and permit data where available
- low, average, high, lowest realistic price, margin, and savings benchmarks from the FatBook cost index
- hidden damage, change orders, emergency service premiums, or unusual site access conditions
- contractor financing approval, warranties, provider recommendations, or guaranteed final quotes
- permit rulings for a specific address unless the city permit panel lists verified local data
National benchmarks.
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| Service | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install Hardwood Floor · 350 sqft | $5,343 | $5,898 | $6,496 |
| Laminate Flooring · 350 sqft | $3,306 | $3,649 | $4,019 |
| Install Tile Floor · 125 sqft | $2,608 | $2,879 | $3,171 |
| Kitchen Cabinet Installation · 40 linear ft | $7,424 | $8,301 | $9,246 |
| Kitchen Countertop Installation · 20 linear ft | $2,996 | $3,351 | $3,732 |
| Kitchen Remodel (Combined) | $28,755 | $32,090 | $35,682 |
| Kitchen Remodel (Budget) | $12,689 | $14,139 | $15,701 |
| Kitchen Remodel (Mid-Range) | $28,755 | $32,090 | $35,682 |
Cost by city.
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Questions homeowners ask about kitchen remodeling.
Note: dollar figures below are national averages from our v3 cost index (Craftsman labor hours x BLS regional wages + PPI-adjusted materials + verified permit fees + NAHB overhead). Where an answer references general industry estimates instead (timing, lifespan, resale recoup percentages, scope items outside our index), it says so explicitly. For metro-specific numbers, see the cost-index pages.