How Much to Remodel a Kitchen in 2025: Average Cost Guide

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: Angi, HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide

Kitchen cabinetry: $2,008 – $11,062

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: $1,883 – $4,477

Upgrading your countertops not only transforms your kitchen’s design but also boosts your home value. Top agent Stacey Glenn, who works with nearly 69% 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: $2,100 – $5,400

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: $3,000 – $6,000

According to Angi, installation and labor can account for roughly 25% 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 agent 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:

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 $1,990 – $4,498.
• 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: Opt for either a solid color or a veined design resembling marble. Expect to pay $10 to $140 per square foot for granite or $15 to $70 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: A walk-in pantry is one of the coveted features among buyers surveyed by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Convert an existing space into a functional walk-in pantry for an average cost of $1,100 to $2,900.

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 high-tech fridge and a Wolf range.
• Build durable countertops: Outpricing granite, professional-grade stainless steel countertops cost $70 to $225 per square foot at an average of $4,500 for installation.
• Design a functional layout: Layout is everything, so expect to splurge on custom cabinets running an average of $500 to $1,200 per linear 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. 88% of agents in HomeLight’s recent survey also say upgraded kitchens and appliances are one of the best selling points for homes.

“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.