Estimate a facelift, midrange remodel, or upscale renovation
| Remodel Level | Low | Typical | High | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facelift / cosmetic | $19,000 | $27,000 | $36,000 | Reface or paint cabinets, new counters, sink & faucet, paint, hardware, lighting swap |
| Midrange gut | $70,000 | $84,000 | $104,000 | Semi-custom cabinets, stone counters, new mid-range appliances, flooring, layout kept |
| Upscale / custom | $140,000 | $165,000 | $190,000 | Custom cabinetry, pro appliances, stone slab, island, high-end finishes, layout changes |
National 2025-26 ranges for a 200 sq ft kitchen, aligned with Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value Report categories (minor remodel ≈ $28,000, major midrange ≈ $80,000, major upscale ≈ $160,000+). Scale down with your square footage; at 150 sq ft a midrange remodel runs near $63,000.
| Line Item | Share of Budget | On a $63,000 Remodel |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets & hardware | 29% | $18,270 |
| Installation & labor | 17% | $10,710 |
| Appliances & ventilation | 14% | $8,820 |
| Countertops | 10% | $6,300 |
| Flooring | 7% | $4,410 |
| Walls & ceilings | 5% | $3,150 |
| Lighting & electrical | 5% | $3,150 |
| Plumbing | 4% | $2,520 |
| Design fees | 4% | $2,520 |
| Doors, windows & other | 5% | $3,150 |
Allocation follows NKBA-style budgeting guidance. Cabinets are the big line and the big swing: stock runs a third the price of custom, so that single choice moves the whole budget.
Kitchen pricing resists flat per-square-foot quotes because finishes swing so much, but square footage is still the best predictor of total cost once you fix the finish level. This calculator prices three published project tiers and lets you add the scope changes that actually move bids.
Total = size × rate for your level ($135/sq ft facelift, $420/sq ft midrange, $825/sq ft upscale, each with a low and high bound), plus 8% for a layout change (moving supply, drain, or gas lines), plus a flat allowance for wall removal (typically $3,000–$9,000 with the header) or a new island ($2,500–$7,000 with top and electrical).
Measure your kitchen's finished floor area, wall to wall, including the eat-in area if it's part of the project. Pick the level that matches the cabinet tier you're shopping for, since cabinets drive the tier more than anything else. Tick the scope boxes if you're moving the sink, range, or a wall; leave them off to see the keep-the-layout number, which is the one lenders like.
A 150 sq ft kitchen, midrange, layout kept: $350–$520 per sq ft gives a range of $52,500 to $78,000, with $63,000 typical. Of that, expect roughly $18,300 for cabinets and hardware, $10,700 for installation labor, and $8,800 for appliances.
Same kitchen at 200 sq ft with a layout change and a new island: 200 × $420 = $84,000, plus 8% ($6,720) for moving plumbing, plus $4,500 for the island, or about $95,220 typical with a range of $78,100 to $119,320. The low end usually means stock cabinets and laminate; the high end means semi-custom plus stone slabs.
All figures are national planning ranges. Cabinetry lead times and local labor rates move real bids by 20% or more, so treat this as a budget frame, not a quote.
About $420 per square foot nationally, so a 150 sq ft kitchen lands near $63,000 and a 200 sq ft kitchen near $84,000. Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value Report puts a major midrange kitchen remodel around $80,000 for a 200 sq ft kitchen with semi-custom cabinets, new counters, and mid-range appliances.
Cabinets and hardware, at roughly 29% of a typical budget. On a $63,000 midrange remodel that's about $18,000. Installation labor follows at about 17%, then appliances and ventilation at 14%, and countertops at 10%.
A cosmetic refresh runs about $135 per square foot, roughly a third of a midrange gut job. Keeping the layout and appliances while refronting cabinets, adding counters, paint, hardware, and a new sink and faucet brings a 150 sq ft kitchen in around $20,000.
A facelift runs 2 to 4 weeks. A midrange gut remodel typically takes 6 to 12 weeks from demo to punch list, and upscale projects with layout changes and custom cabinetry run 4 to 6 months, mostly because custom cabinets alone can take 8 to 12 weeks to build.
Minor kitchen remodels are among the best-value projects in Remodeling's Cost vs. Value Report, recouping roughly 95% of cost. Major midrange remodels recoup closer to 40% to 50%, and upscale remodels less. The smaller the project, the higher the return percentage tends to run.
Keep the plumbing and gas where they are, since moving supply and drain lines adds about 8% to the project. Keep window and door locations. Reface or paint cabinets instead of replacing in a facelift, buy appliances during holiday promotions, and do demolition and painting yourself if you can do them safely.