Kitchen & Bathroom

Kitchen Remodel Cost Calculator: 2026 Planning Range

Build a transparent kitchen-remodel budget range before you compare cabinet, countertop, flooring and appliance decisions. Choose a scope, review the editable 2026 benchmark rates, adjust for your local market, add known costs not already represented in the benchmark and keep contingency separate.

Maintained by Home Measure Lab Editorial TeamUpdated August 30, 2026Method & corrections

Project measurements

Change the defaults to match your project and the product you plan to buy.

Kitchen floor area

sq ft

Project scope

Low benchmark rate (editable)

$ / sq ft

High benchmark rate (editable)

$ / sq ft

Local market factor

× national

Known layout / trade / permit add-ons

Contingency reserve

Midrange same-layout remodel: 150–300 USD/sq ft national planning band. Edit the rates when you have better local evidence.

Project result

Your kitchen remodel planning range

Compare the scope-adjusted benchmark, explicit known add-ons and a separate contingency reserve before treating the range as a working project budget.

Planning estimate only. Verify product coverage, package size, supplier specifications and project requirements before purchasing.

Open Project Planner →

Use the result

From measurement to purchase

Measure the project area carefully.
Replace editable defaults with product-label or supplier values.
Review the waste or extra allowance.
Use the rounded purchase quantity for whole packages.

Assumptions & notes

The default rates are synthesized 2026 US planning bands from current published kitchen-remodel sources; they are not a quote and remain editable.
The benchmark is a whole-project planning basis. Enter only known add-ons that are not already represented in your selected benchmark or contractor scope to avoid double-counting.
Cabinet grade, countertop material, appliances, layout movement, wall removal, plumbing/gas/electrical changes and local labor can materially change the final cost.
Use qualified professionals and applicable permits/code guidance for structural, electrical, plumbing, gas, ventilation and other controlled work.

Choose the right tool

When to use this calculator

You need an early whole-kitchen project budget range with visible 2026 benchmark rates, local adjustment, known add-ons and contingency.

Use a different calculator when

Do not use it to design cabinets, price one measured finish, move utilities, remove walls, or replace a local contractor scope and quote.

Cabinet Linear Feet Calculator →Countertop Calculator →Backsplash Calculator →

Methodology

2026 kitchen cost-range model & assumptions

Base planning range

kitchen floor area × editable low/high benchmark rate × local market factor

The rates are visible inputs. Replace them with credible local or project-specific evidence when you have it.

Known add-ons

base range + entered layout / trade / permit add-ons

Use this only for costs not already represented by the selected benchmark or written contractor scope.

Contingency reserve

planning subtotal × contingency %

Keep uncertainty separate from expected cost so scope changes remain auditable.

Budget target range

planning subtotal + contingency reserve

The result is an early planning range, not a contractor bid, appraisal or promise of local pricing.

How to measure this project

Use finished kitchen floor area as the size anchor, measured wall to wall at the usable room footprint. For irregular or open-plan kitchens, separate the kitchen work zone from adjacent rooms rather than inflating the remodel area. Floor area helps normalize a benchmark, but cabinet run, countertop area, appliance package, island work and layout changes often matter more than a small difference in square footage.

Before you buy materials

Before committing to a project budget, replace national benchmark rates with current local evidence where possible and keep major decisions traceable. Measure cabinet runs with Cabinet Linear Feet, countertop surfaces with Countertop, backsplash areas with Backsplash and finish flooring with Flooring. Do not double-count a cabinet, countertop or trade quote if the same work is already included in the whole-project rate or contractor scope.

Reference

2026 kitchen remodel planning bands

Scope	Default HML planning band	Use when
Minor / cosmetic refresh	$75–$150 per sq ft	Layout largely stays; finishes, paint, hardware, selected appliances or cabinet refacing/replacement dominate.
Midrange same-layout remodel	$150–$300 per sq ft	Cabinets, counters, flooring, appliances and finishes change while major structural/layout movement remains limited.
Major / full remodel	$300–$500 per sq ft	Extensive replacement, premium materials, layout/trade complexity or major coordination increases scope.
Contingency	15% default, editable	Keep reserve explicit for hidden conditions and scope uncertainty; do not bury it inside measured quantities.

Data basis

Sources behind this planning model

Benchmarks are dated planning evidence, not live local prices. Replace them when you have stronger project-specific information.

Angi — Kitchen Remodel Cost (updated March 17, 2026)

Cross-check for 2026 professional remodel ranges, project-scope bands, cost per square foot and regional variability.

This Old House — Small Kitchen Remodel Cost (updated June 5, 2026)

Cross-check for minor/major small-kitchen ranges and the fixed-cost reality of compact projects.

Angi — How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take? (updated July 8, 2026)

Cross-check for minor and full-remodel active construction ranges used as planning context.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Why does the calculator use a range instead of one average?

Kitchen projects vary sharply with cabinetry, appliances, finish level, layout movement and local labor. A visible range preserves those uncertainties instead of presenting false precision.

Should I add cabinet and countertop quotes to known add-ons?

Only if your selected benchmark or contractor scope does not already include them. The calculator treats known add-ons as costs outside the benchmark basis so duplicate counting should be avoided.

What does the local market factor do?

It scales only the national benchmark portion of the range. Leave it at 1.00 unless you have credible local evidence for a different cost environment.

Does the calculator design electrical, gas, plumbing or structural work?

No. Those decisions require project-specific professional, code and permit guidance. The calculator only organizes an early budget range.

Next step

Keep this project moving

Follow the measurement into the most useful related reference, calculator or project view.

Understand the inputKitchen Remodel Cost Guide: Build a Realistic 2026 BudgetContinue →Compare a nearby toolCabinet Linear Feet CalculatorContinue →Browse this project typeKitchen & Bathroom calculatorsContinue →

Planning guides

Understand the inputs behind this calculator

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