How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Kitchen in 2024?

Average kitchen remodeling costs by feature

How does the cost of granite countertops compare to stainless steel? Will solid wood cabinets stretch your budget? Knowing how the cost of kitchen features differs can help you manage your remodel dollars. Here’s what you can expect to spend on kitchen upgrades:

Source: HomeAdvisor

Kitchen cabinetry: $4,000 – $13,000

If you’re planning to replace your cabinets. the size of your kitchen and the materials you choose can drastically affect the overall cost. Wood cabinets can run anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 and up, while a high-end material such as stainless steel could set you back $25,000 to $38,000.

Countertops: $825 – $3,850

Upgrading your countertops not only transforms your kitchen’s design, but also boosts your home value. According to HomeAdvisor, upgraded countertops can return 25% of their cost in your home value. Top agent Stacey Glenn, who works with nearly 70% more single-family homes than the average agent in Fort Myers, Florida, recommends steering clear of loud or trendy styles. “Natural stone in a neutral color is timeless,” she says.

Appliances: $320 – $4,030

If you’re planning a major remodel, determine the new kitchen layout before you purchase appliances to ensure they’ll fit the space. If you’re looking for a deal, look for open-box discounts and clearance markdowns at your local big-box store, such as Home Depot. Also, keep an eye out for manufacturers’ rebates that put cash back into your pocket.

Installation and labor: $3,500 – $6,000

According to HomeAdvisor, installation and labor can account for roughly 18% of a kitchen remodel budget. Your location, the type of features being installed, and the size of your kitchen all influence the overall project labor cost.

Project costs by scale: From minor to upscale kitchen remodels

Now that you’ve got some broad kitchen remodel cost averages and the cost of specific features in mind, let’s dive into the details of kitchen remodels by scale.

Minor kitchen remodel: $10,000 – $20,000

Increase your home’s marketability with easy, low-cost improvements. Target the most dated elements in your kitchen to bring your home up to date without breaking out the sledgehammer. Top real estate Douglas Huebner, who specializes in buyer-focused renovations as the CEO and principal designer of The Habitatilist in Newark, New Jersey, details an easy makeover:

“A minor remodel could be something easy for a homeowner to do. They could easily just change out the hardware and the backsplash. New kitchen appliances, of course, are always a nice bonus.”

Where to save:

• Paint the cabinets: Go the DIY route for $200 to $600, depending on your supplies, or hire a professional for an average cost of $600 to $1,200. Color-wise, adventure outside of white with moody blues and greens or warm sandy tones.
• Choose affordable tile: You can’t go wrong with timeless white subway tile, like these self-adhesive Metro Blanco peel-and-stick tiles, which cost less than $2 per square foot.
• Install a low-cost countertop: Formica and butcher block look sharp for as little as $50 to $100 per square foot.

Where to splurge:

• Invest in appliances: Buy new stainless steel appliances in a bundle from big-box retailers like Home Depot, with prices ranging from $1,400 to $5,000.

Major kitchen remodel: $20,000 – $70,000

For homeowners with a bigger budget, Huebner recommends investing in quality materials.

“Obviously, you could add thousands if you start adding square footage, but for a medium-sized kitchen, it would probably cost about $45,000 with labor. And that would get you nice, decent cabinets with quartz countertops.”

Where to save:

• Keep the existing layout: Stick to your kitchen’s original layout to cut down on added costs of plumbing, electrical, and structural work.
• Reface the cabinets: While a major remodel calls for upgraded cabinets, you don’t need to start fresh if your existing structure is in good condition. Instead, save thousands by refacing the cabinets with new doors, fronts, and hardware for an average cost of $4,000 to $9,500.
• Choose simple yet sleek hardware: Buyers might love handcrafted hardware at $45 apiece, but they won’t add a line item for them in their offer. Save yourself hundreds by choosing a low-cost alternative, like this 10-pack of stainless steel cabinet pulls for under $20.

Where to splurge:

• Invest in quality countertops: Avoid passé grainy granites, and opt for either a solid color or a veined design resembling marble. Expect to pay $40 to $60 per square foot for granite or $50 to $150 for quartz.
• Add a kitchen island: “The average cost of installing a kitchen island can range quite drastically. Depending on the size and material you decide to go with, a kitchen island can cost anywhere between $800 to $20,000,” explains Keith Melanson, Project Manager of RenosGroup, who has over 17 years of project management experience in home renovations. “Kitchen islands are, in fact, one of the hotter kitchen renovation trends at the moment, as every kitchen needs more counter space.”

Full-gut kitchen remodel (midrange): $30,000 – $80,000

If you’ve always dreamed of an open-concept kitchen but are stuck with a galley, investing in a full-gut kitchen remodel may be worth the cost, time, and inconvenience. This renovation level entails structural changes such as moving walls, reconfiguring layouts, and adjusting plumbing and electrical lines.

Where to save:

• Mix high- and low-end finishes: The best design seamlessly melds luxury materials with more affordable elements. Save on hardware, faucets, and lighting fixtures; quality cabinets and countertops will hold buyers’ attention.
• Look for deals on kitchen appliances: If you belong to a membership-only warehouse club like Costco, you can save hundreds of dollars on name-brand appliance bundles. Or, hunt for deals at outlet stores like Lowe’s or Best Buy.

Where to splurge:

• Open the floor plan: Modernize your home’s floor plan by opening the kitchen to the dining area or living room. The cost of removing a non-load-bearing wall — a wall that doesn’t support the weight of the floor or roof above — is relatively affordable, at as little as $300. Load-bearing walls, on the other hand, are more complicated to remove and can set you back a few thousand.
• Add a walk-in pantry: In Fixr’s 2024 report on the most sought-after home features among homebuyers, 43% of buyers hankered for a walk-in pantry. It ranked it as the second-most desired home feature, coming in just behind kitchen islands (61%). Convert an existing space into a functional walk-in pantry for an average cost of $1,000 to $3,500.

Full-gut kitchen remodel (upscale): $100,000 – $130,000+

A chef’s kitchen is designed for functionality and efficiency, with top-of-the-line appliances and a restaurant kitchen-inspired layout. With an eye-widening price tag, a high-end, full-gut kitchen remodel brings you more joy as a homeowner than it will a high return on investment when it’s time to sell.

Where to save:

• Brighten the room with affordable lighting: Add character with unique pendant lighting over the island or a modern chandelier above the dining table. For lighting below the cabinets, install hidden LED light strips or puck lights.
• Select chic, wallet-friendly hardware: There’s no reason to spend a fortune on cabinet jewelry when there are so many affordable alternatives. CB2, Etsy, Amazon, and AllModern offer a vast selection of knobs and pulls for as low as $3 each, with styles ranging from modern to farmhouse.

Where to splurge:

• Select high-end appliances: For a top-of-the-line kitchen, you need a Sub Zero fridge and a Wolf range.
• Build durable countertops: Outpricing granite, professional-grade stainless steel countertops cost $80 to $225 per square foot at an average of $7,500 for installation.
• Design a functional layout: Layout is everything, so expect to splurge on custom cabinets running an average of $700 per linear square foot. Huebner describes the layout of a recent chef’s kitchen his team designed: “I laid out the kitchen so that we have all the areas covered. I have a prep area with its own sinks and a stove nearby, a cooking area with its own trash and storage, and then a separate cleanup area where there’s another sink, trash, and dishwasher with its own storage for dishes. Then finally, a large pantry wall that’s just a ton of storage.”

Already know the scope of your remodel? Estimate your project cost

For a tailored estimate, Kukun’s Home Renovation Cost Estimator predicts the cost of your kitchen remodel based on your location, kitchen size, scope of remodel, and quality of finishes. Designed with sellers in mind, the tool also estimates the project’s return on investment by analyzing recent sales data.

Return on investment: Spend wisely for the best return

The 2024 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study reveals that kitchens are the most commonly remodeled interior room, accounting for 29% of all project activity. Of those who undertook a kitchen remodel, 26% were motivated by improving their home’s resale value.

“It’s what I call the AF — the aggravation fee. Whoever goes through the aggravation gets the fee,” says Huebner.

“If you are the seller and you go through the aggravation of the kitchen renovation, then you deserve to make the profit. Or, if you’re a buyer and you’re going to buy somebody’s old, outdated kitchen, then you have to go through the aggravation of renovating. So you should get the fees and should buy the house at a lower price.”

When planning the scale of your kitchen remodel, consider future homebuyers to maximize your investment return. Kitchen remodels rarely bring a 1:1 cost-to-value exchange, so don’t expect a ‘spend more, get more’ dynamic.

According to Remodeling Magazine, a minor kitchen remodel with midrange finishes adds, on average, $26,406 to your sale price, yielding an impressive 96.1% ROI. Comparatively, a major kitchen remodel with upscale finishes adds $60,176 but only recoups 38.0% ROI.

While lower-cost kitchen models might be the way to go for most homeowners, it’s not necessarily the route you should take. Glenn points out that you should consider spending the “appropriate amount of money” for the type of home you have. Do you have a starter home, a mid-level home, or a luxury home?

For instance, if your home belongs in the upper echelons of the market, budget materials won’t cut it with your buyer pool; you’ll need a mid-scale to major remodel to fetch a top sale price.

Conversely, if you have a mid-level home and install a chef’s kitchen, future buyers in your home’s price point may not fully appreciate the high-end fixtures and appliances the way you do.

For tailored advice, consult a top real estate agent in your market. They’ll let you know what buyers are looking for in your home’s price bracket. HomeLight’s agent-matching tool is completely free to use, and agents don’t pay to be featured. Our recommendations are purely based on an agent’s skills and experience in your area.

Personal budgeting for your remodel

Before you start a Pinterest vision board and stalk interior designers on Instagram, you’ll need to map out a budget for your project. While your ideal remodel budget is unique to your home and financial situation, we’ve pulled together a few tips to help get you started.

For the best ROI, spend 5% to 15% of your home’s value on your kitchen remodel

As a general rule of thumb, aim for your kitchen remodel to cost between 5% and 15% of your home’s value to maximize your return on investment.

Follow the one-third rule when allocating your kitchen budget

When determining how much budget you should allocate to each part of your remodel, follow the one-third rule: spend one-third of the budget on cabinetry, another third on other upgrades, including countertops, backsplashes, sinks, flooring, and appliances, and the final third on labor.

Consider hiring a professional designer

If you’re investing a fair sum in the remodel, bring in a professional designer to protect the quality of the final product. Professional kitchen designers charge, on average, $65 to $250 per hour, so leave some room in your budget for their services.

Pad your budget by 15% to 20% for unforeseen expenses

Last, but not least, set aside 10% to 20% of your budget for any unexpected problems that arise during the remodel. According to Houzz, 39% of renovating homeowners exceeded their budget in 2023. This is your insurance to cover extra costs for mending the termite damage, plumbing leaks, or mold you might discover when you rip out those cabinets from the last century.

Consult your local real estate agent for advice about how remodeling could affect your resale value

Whether you plan to sell your home in the near or distant future, it never hurts to reach out to a real estate agent with your questions on your kitchen remodel’s return on investment. They can lend an objective eye to design choices, share what upgrades buyers crave in your market, and connect you with reputable local contractors.

Financing your remodel

A lack of cash in the bank doesn’t mean you have to nix your dream of a chef’s kitchen. You could finance your remodel using a credit card, a home equity loan or line of credit, or a personal loan.

The 2024 Houzz and Home Study indicates that homeowners most often fund remodeling projects through some combination of cash from savings (83%), credit cards (37%), home loans (23%), and cash from home sales (21%).

Just proceed with care, warns Glenn. “My initial thought is ‘hesitation,’” she says about using home equity when financing a remodel project — especially if you aren’t planning to live in your home for the long term. When you borrow money to remodel your home, it’s easy to overspend, she says. “You can get more easily carried away.”

If you’ve weighed your options and believe borrowing money for your kitchen remodel works for your financial situation, consider these available options:

Remodeling your kitchen may speed up your home sale

Even people who fear cooking love a beautiful kitchen — elevate yours, and buyers will flock. “The kitchen is the most important room,” Huebner reiterates; “You can’t go wrong in improving your kitchen before the sale because it’s gonna help sell your house faster and more money.”

Header Image Source: (Sidekix Media / Unsplash)