How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?
Updated August 19, 2026 · every figure is cited to a public source below
Two well-known cost trackers land on nearly the same number: HomeAdvisor puts the national average for a kitchen remodel at $26,941, with most projects between $14,589 and $41,548, and Fixr independently estimates about $27,000, with most homeowners paying $15,000 to $45,000.[1][2]
But the average hides the real story: what you change matters far more than how big the kitchen is. Keeping the layout and refreshing surfaces is one project; moving plumbing, rewiring, and rebuilding cabinets is a different one at several times the price. Here is how the published numbers break down.
Typical costs at a glance
- National average, full remodeltypical range $14,589–$41,548
- $26,941[1]
- Same question, independent datasetmost homeowners pay $15,000–$45,000
- ≈$27,000[2]
- What homeowners report spending (medians)survey of 1,780 U.S. homeowners
- $20,000 minor · $55,000 major[3]
- Minor remodel
- $10,000–$20,000[1]
- Major remodel
- $20,000–$65,000[1]
Scope is the price — pick yours first
Most published data sorts kitchen projects into three tiers, and the two independent datasets agree closely on where the lines fall:
- Cosmetic refresh — paint, hardware, lighting, maybe new counters, cabinet boxes stay: $10,000–$20,000 per HomeAdvisor; Fixr’s comparable tier runs $10,000–$25,000.[1][2]
- Mid-scope remodel — new cabinets or major surfaces, layout mostly kept: $20,000–$65,000 per HomeAdvisor; $25,000–$60,000 per Fixr.[1][2]
- Full gut or high-end remodel — layout changes, custom cabinetry, premium appliances: $65,000–$130,000+ per HomeAdvisor; $60,000–$130,000 per Fixr.[1][2]
Where the money goes
Two budgeting facts explain most kitchen estimates. First, cabinets are the single biggest line — nearly 30% of a typical remodel budget. Second, how much of the total is labor depends on how you count: HomeAdvisor plans labor at about 25% of the budget as its own line item, while Fixr counts every trade’s labor against materials and puts it at 50–60% of the total. Both are published views of the same reality — skilled trades are a large share of what you’re buying.[1][2]
What makes the price jump
The expensive words in a kitchen remodel are “move” and “bigger.” Relocating plumbing or electrical runs $1,000–$4,000 before a single finish is installed, and if the plan needs professional drawings, designer fees add $2,750–$6,000.[2]
Size amplifies everything: in Houzz’s 2026 survey, the median major remodel of a larger kitchen came in at $75,000, versus $46,000 for a smaller space — same ambition, very different bill.[3]
Do you get it back when you sell?
The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report — the industry’s standard study of what remodeling returns at resale — found that a midrange minor kitchen remodel (cabinet boxes stay; fronts, counters, and appliances are replaced) cost $28,458 on national average and returned more than it cost: 113% recouped at resale. A midrange major remodel averaged $82,793 and recouped about half, 51%.[4]
That pattern is worth staring at before you set a budget: modest, functional updates hold their value; a gut remodel is something you buy because you’ll live in it — not because the next owner will pay for it.
How to find out what YOUR kitchen costs
National ranges bound the problem, but none of these publishers has seen your kitchen. The only real number is a line-itemed proposal from a pro who has — and the only way to know a proposal is fair is to compare several against the same written scope: same cabinet count, same appliances, same “move the sink or not.”
That comparison is exactly what Getstimate does: describe the kitchen once, add photos, and compare detailed estimates from local pros side by side — privately and free, with your contact details shared only with the one pro you choose.
Common questions
Can I remodel a kitchen for under $15,000?
Yes, at refresh scope: published minor-remodel ranges start around $10,000, which covers paint, hardware, lighting, and possibly counters — with the cabinet boxes and layout staying put. New cabinets or any plumbing move typically pushes past $20,000.
What is the most expensive part of a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets — nearly 30% of a typical budget, the largest single line item. That is why refacing or repainting existing boxes is the biggest lever for cutting cost without shrinking the project.
Why did I get wildly different estimates for the same kitchen?
Usually because the pros priced different projects: one assumed stock cabinets and kept the plumbing, another assumed semi-custom and a moved sink. Comparing line items against one written scope — not bottom lines — is how you find out which is which.
Is remodeling my kitchen worth it when I sell?
Modest updates historically hold value best: the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report found minor midrange kitchen remodels returned more than their full cost at resale, while major remodels returned about half. Remodel for how you live, not only for resale.
These figures are published national averages and ranges — context for planning, not a quote. Your project's real cost depends on your area, the site, materials, and scope, and the only way to know it is estimates from pros looking at yourproject. That's what Getstimate is for, and it's free.
Sources
- HomeAdvisor — How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Kitchen? — national average, typical range, per-square-foot, tier, and component figures; page updated June 17, 2026 (accessed August 19, 2026). Note: HomeAdvisor and Angi share one cost dataset.
- Fixr — Kitchen Remodeling Cost — independent national average, tier ranges, labor share, relocation and designer costs; updated January 27, 2026 (accessed August 19, 2026).
- 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study — median spends reported by 1,780 surveyed U.S. homeowners (accessed August 19, 2026).
- 2025 Cost vs. Value Report (Zonda Media) — national-average job cost and resale recovery for the minor and major midrange kitchen remodel projects, verified against the report’s public national table August 19, 2026. ©2025 Zonda Media, a Delaware corporation. Complete data from the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.