Kitchen Remodel Cost Calculator
Add up your kitchen remodel line items — cabinets, countertop, appliances, flooring, backsplash, plumbing & electrical and labor — then apply a contingency buffer. Every number is one you enter from real quotes, so the estimate is yours, not a price list.
Calculator
Formula
subtotal = cabinets + countertop + appliances + flooring + backsplash + plumbing & electrical + labor
total = subtotal × (1 + contingency%)
The tool sums the seven line items into a subtotal, then multiplies by one plus your contingency percentage to hold back a buffer for the things a demolition always uncovers.
Worked example
Say your written quotes come in at cabinets $8,000, countertop $2,500, appliances $3,000, flooring $1,800, backsplash $700 and plumbing & electrical $2,000, with no separate general-labor line.
subtotal = 8,000 + 2,500 + 3,000 + 1,800 + 700 + 2,000 = $18,000.
total = 18,000 × 1.15 = $20,700 with a 15% contingency.
Cabinets and countertops here are more than half the job — that is normal, and it is exactly where a second written quote pays off.
What drives a kitchen remodel number
A kitchen is the most component-heavy room in the house, which is why estimates swing so widely. The same 150-square-foot kitchen can be a $15,000 refresh or a $60,000 gut depending on three decisions: whether you keep the layout, whether the cabinets are stock, semi-custom or custom, and whether you move plumbing, gas or electrical. This calculator does not guess any of that for you — it adds up the numbers on your own quotes so you can see where the money actually goes.
Keeping sinks, the range and major circuits where they are is the single biggest lever on cost. The moment a sink moves to an island or a range changes fuel type, you are into permitted plumbing, gas and electrical work that a licensed pro has to do and an inspector has to sign off. That is why the plumbing & electrical line and the contingency both matter more in a kitchen than almost anywhere else.
Use the contingency band as a labeled planning aid: around 10% when you are only swapping finishes, about 15% for a standard same-footprint remodel, and up to 20% in an older home where opening a wall can reveal old wiring, failed plumbing or a surprise that has to be brought up to code. Enter your real quotes, keep the buffer, and treat the total as a planning estimate you confirm with itemized written bids before you sign anything.
Reference table
These are labeled planning bands for the contingency buffer, not a quote. Pick the one that matches how much of your kitchen is unknown, and override it with your own figure whenever you have better information.
| Scope | Typical contingency |
|---|---|
| Light / cosmetic (paint, hardware, refacing) | ~10% |
| Standard remodel (new cabinets & countertops, same layout) | ~15% |
| Older home / moving plumbing & electrical / unknowns behind walls | ~20% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to remodel a kitchen?
There is no single national number that stays true, which is why this tool works from your quotes instead of a price table. Enter what your contractor and suppliers quoted for cabinets, countertop, appliances, flooring, backsplash and plumbing & electrical; the calculator sums them and adds your contingency. In the worked example six line items total $18,000 and become $20,700 with a 15% buffer.
Why add a contingency to the total?
Because kitchens hide surprises behind cabinets and under floors — old wiring, water damage, out-of-level walls, code upgrades. A contingency of 10–20% is money you set aside so a normal surprise does not stall the job. If you never need it, you keep it.
What usually costs the most in a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets and countertops together are typically the largest share, followed by labor and appliances. Moving plumbing, gas or electrical adds cost quickly because it turns a finish job into permitted trade work.
Are these prices built into the calculator?
No. The tool holds no prices at all. Every dollar figure is one you type in from your own written quotes and bills, so the estimate never goes stale as materials or labor rates change.