Estimate kitchen renovation cost by size and quality tier.
Kitchen remodels are quoted per square foot, and the tier spread is enormous — roughly $150 for stock cabinets and laminate worktops against $900 or more for bespoke joinery and stone, a six-fold range on identical floor area. Cabinetry alone is typically thirty to forty percent of the total, which is why the tier choice dominates everything else. The two lines people leave out of their own arithmetic are both here. Moving plumbing, gas or a wall converts a fit-out into a construction project — demolition, first fix, patching, inspection — and reliably adds fifteen to twenty percent plus a fixed cost. And a contingency of at least ten to fifteen percent is not optional in a room where opening the walls routinely reveals old wiring, rotten subfloor or pipework that must be brought up to code.
Remodel cost by area, tier and scope
Fit-out = area x tier rate; structural = fit-out x 0.18 + 2500 when services or walls move; subtotal = fit-out + structural + appliances; total = subtotal x (1 + contingency / 100)
A rough budgeting estimate from broad industry averages, not a quotation. Real costs vary greatly by region, contractor, specification and site conditions, and structural, electrical, gas or plumbing alterations generally require permits and inspection. Obtain itemised written quotes from licensed contractors.
Because plumbing, gas and waste runs are the expensive part to move, and touching them triggers permits and inspections. Keeping the sink and hob where they are frequently saves fifteen to twenty percent for no visible compromise.
Yes. Kitchens hide the worst surprises — failed waste pipes, undersized circuits, water damage under units, subfloor rot. Contractors expect ten to twenty percent, and projects without it stall when something is found.
Usually not all of it. Industry surveys typically show fifty to seventy percent of a mid-range kitchen remodel recovered on resale, with high-end projects recovering proportionally less. Remodel for how you will use it.