Kitchen Remodel Cost Estimator

Cabinets and labor. Cabinets are usually the single largest line item, and the gap between stock boxes and custom millwork can be tens of thousands of dollars on the same footprint. Labor is second, because skilled trade rates in Santa Clara County are among the highest in the country. Countertops, appliances, and tile matter, but they rarely swing a budget the way cabinet grade and crew time do. Square footage matters less than people expect, since a small kitchen still needs the same trades, the same permits, and the same inspections as a large one.

Sometimes. Moving the sink, dishwasher, or gas line means opening the floor or wall, running new supply and drain lines, and pulling a plumbing permit, which typically adds 10 to 30 percent to the project. That is worth it when the current layout genuinely does not work, such as a sink stuck in a corner or a range with no landing space. It is not worth it when the goal is a modest shift of a foot or two. If you keep the wet wall where it is and change only cabinets, counters, and finishes, you keep the budget in the lower half of the range.

Plan on 4 to 8 weeks of construction for a cosmetic to mid-range remodel, and 3 to 5 months for a full gut with moved plumbing, plus 4 to 10 weeks up front for design, cabinet ordering, and permits. Most homeowners stay in the house. We set up a temporary kitchen with the refrigerator, microwave, and a sink elsewhere in the home, and we dust-wall the work area. Expect roughly two to four weeks with no working kitchen sink or range in the middle of the schedule.