FAQs

COST vs. VALUE

How much does a typical kitchen or bathroom remodel cost?

Typical does not mean the same for each person. For some, it might be their 10x10 kitchen with standard appliances and basic flooring, or their master bath that is 5x8 – the same as their hall bath. For others, with a kitchen that measures 18 x 30 with flooring that leads into the foyer and great room, they might also be thinking along those “standard” lines.  Unfortunately there are huge differences between these two and so much has to do with product choices and the labor involved installing those choices.

I usually start with the appliance package and refer to the most basic package with a standard refrigerator, freestanding range and over-the-range microwave plus dishwasher that could be purchased for $5000 or less – depending on brand. To the next extreme are your built-in professional appliances that will run anywhere from the upper teens to $30,000 plus. You can’t even start to put these two opposites into any “typical” ballpark but these ranges will dictate what kind of product you are thinking about for your project.

The best reference I have come across is the annual “Cost vs. Value” report that is put out each January from a national remodeling magazine. They compare different remodeling projects and their costs and then break it down into national regions. Here you can compare a major kitchen remodel – midrange, using a 200 square foot kitchen and see that the national average is over $68,000 and the Midwest region is about $66k. It goes into detail about exactly what is in this price and most would be surprised. This is for semi-custom cabinets, laminate tops, resilient flooring (yes, vinyl sheet-goods) and standard appliances. There is also a major kitchen remodel – Upscale, that has more popular choices but this one comes in at $135,000 nationally. So somewhere in between? The best place to start, is talking to a professional that can listen to the ideas you have for your space and work with you to come up with a budget. This will help your designer steer you toward product that is within your price range.

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