Your kitchen is the heart of your home — and remodeling it is one of the most
meaningful investments you can make. But let’s be honest: pricing in the remodeling
industry can feel like a black box. Quotes vary wildly, and it’s hard to know what you’re
actually getting for your money.
At Aslan Design & Build, we believe you deserve complete transparency. This guide is
designed to answer every pricing question you might have — from what drives costs
up or down, to how we compare to other contractors, to whether a kitchen remodel is
truly worth it. By the time you finish reading, you’ll have the knowledge to make a
confident, informed decision.
Understanding what increases the cost of a kitchen remodel is the first step toward building a realistic budget. Several key variables can significantly affect your final investment.
Older homes carry a higher risk of hidden costs. Outdated electrical panels, aging plumbing systems, and structural members that don’t meet current building codes are common discoveries once work begins. In many cases, these issues must be corrected before the remodel can proceed — and they can add meaningfully to the overall budget. A newer home, by contrast, tends to be more predictable.
If you’re dreaming of an open-concept kitchen, be prepared for the costs that come with it. Removing load-bearing walls requires structural engineering, and moving walls almost always means relocating electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. These changes are absolutely achievable — and often transformative — but they represent one of the most significant cost drivers in any remodel.
This is perhaps the single biggest variable in kitchen remodeling costs. The difference between stock cabinetry with MDF doors and full-custom white oak cabinetry with hand-applied glazing is enormous — not just aesthetically, but financially. The same principle applies to countertops (laminate vs. quartzite), flooring (LVP vs. finished-inplace hardwood), plumbing fixtures, lighting, and hardware. Every finish decision compounds, and the cumulative effect on the budget is substantial.
Not all materials are created equal when it comes to installation. Finished-in-place hardwood flooring, for example, requires sanding, water-popping, staining, sealing, and multiple coats of finish — a multi-day process that demands skilled labor. LVPflooring, by contrast, can be installed quickly and efficiently. The more labor a material or process requires, the more it will cost.
The good news is that there are real, meaningful ways to reduce the cost of your kitchen remodel without sacrificing quality or beauty.
One of the most effective ways to save money is to keep your existing kitchen layout. Every time you move a sink, a dishwasher, or a range, you’re potentially adding plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work to the scope. If you can achieve your design goals while keeping the major elements in their current locations, you can eliminate entire trades from the project — and that savings is significant.
Stock cabinetry is manufactured in standard sizes and a limited range of finishes, which keeps costs low. Semi-custom cabinetry offers more flexibility and a wider selection of styles, sizes, and finishes, at a mid-range price point. Both can produce a beautiful result, especially when paired with thoughtful design. Full-custom cabinetry is the pinnacle of quality and craftsmanship, but it comes at a premium.
At Aslan Design & Build, we use quality mid-range materials as our baseline — not because we cut corners, but because we believe in building kitchens that last. Choosing materials in the mid-range tier is an effective way to balance aesthetics, durability, and cost.
Every trade you can eliminate from a project saves money. Before finalizing your design, it’s worth asking: do we truly need to move this wall? Do we need to relocate this plumbing stack? Sometimes a thoughtful redesign can achieve a similar result with a fraction of the disruption and cost.
When you collect multiple quotes for a kitchen remodel, you will almost certainly see a wide range of numbers. A 30, 000 – 100,000 quote for what seems like “the same kitchen” can be deeply confusing. Here’s what’s actually going on.
Higher prices are not always a sign of price gouging. In many cases, they reflect a higher level of service, expertise, and accountability.
A full-service design-build firm, for example, includes design professionals, project managers, and skilled tradespeople all under one roof. That overhead is real, and it’s reflected in the price. But what you get in return is a seamless, coordinated process where the people who design your kitchen are the same people who build it — eliminating the miscommunication that can occur when you hire a designer and a contractor separately.
Higher-priced companies also tend to have more robust systems, better insurance, longer warranties, and a stronger track record. They’ve invested in their business, and that investment protects you.
It’s also worth noting that some companies charge more simply because they’ve chosen to operate at a higher margin. Two companies with identical costs can have very different prices based on how they’ve decided to run their businesses.
A low price is not always a bargain. In fact, it can be a warning sign.
The most common reason for a dramatically lower quote is that the contractor is not pricing the same scope of work. They may be specifying lower-quality materials, skipping permit fees, or simply leaving line items out of the quote entirely — only to add them back as “change orders” once construction is underway. This is known in the industry as pricing “apples to oranges,” and it’s one of the most frustrating experiences a homeowner can have.
Some low-priced contractors are also underpricing because they lack the experience to anticipate the true cost of a project. They may not know what they don’t know — and you’ll end up paying for their education.
Finally, a contractor who is desperate for work may underbid a project just to get it. That desperation is rarely a good sign for the quality or reliability of the work that follows.
When comparing quotes, always ask each contractor to provide a detailed, itemized breakdown of exactly what is included. Make sure you are comparing the same materials, the same scope, and the same level of service before making a decision based on price alone.
We are not the cheapest option in Bucks County — and we’re proud of that. We are also not the most expensive. We know for a fact that there are firms charging 50% more than we do for comparable work. We also know there are contractors charging less, often because they are using a lower standard of materials or providing a less comprehensive service.
Our pricing is built on a foundation of fairness and transparency. We benchmark our markups against industry standards through our connections with Jobtread, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and our broader professional network.
Our goal is always to provide a price that is competitive and fair for the level of craftsmanship, design expertise, and project management we deliver. We start with quality mid-range materials because we refuse to build kitchens that will fail in five years. We want to be proud of every project we complete — and we want you to love your kitchen for decades, not just for the first few years.
Not all remodeling companies are structured the same way, and the type of firm you hire will affect both your experience and your price.
Design
Communication
Pricing Accuracy
Accountability
Best For
In-house design team
Single point of contact
Designers know real costs; budget is managed throughout
One firm responsible
for everything
Comprehensive remodels where design and execution must align
DESIGN
In-house design team
COMMUNICATION
Single point of contact
PRICING ACCURACY
Designers know real costs; budget is managed throughout
ACCOUNTABILITY
One firm responsible
for everything
BEST FOR
Comprehensive remodels where design and execution must align
General Contractor
+ Separate Designer
Hired separately
(architect or interior designer)
Multiple parties, higher risk of
miscommunication
Designer may specify items the
builder can’t price accurately
Responsibility can be diffused
between parties
Projects with a pre-existing design or architectural plan
DESIGN
Hired separately
(architect or interior designer)
COMMUNICATION
Multiple parties, higher risk of
miscommunication
PRICING ACCURACY
Designer may specify items the
builder can’t price accurately
ACCOUNTABILITY
Responsibility can be diffused
between parties
BEST FOR
Projects with a pre-existing design or architectural plan
At Aslan Design & Build, our design-build model means that the people designing your kitchen know exactly what it costs to build it. We balance creativity with budget reality from day one — so you never fall in love with a design that turns out to be unaffordable.
One of the most important — and most overlooked — aspects of kitchen remodeling pricing is the difference between the initial cost and the lifetime cost of your investment.
Choosing a lower-cost material to save money today can sometimes cost you more in the long run. Consider cabinetry: a cabinet box made from particle board or furniture board is less expensive than one made from ¾-inch plywood. But particle board is far more susceptible to moisture damage and wear over time. Hinges and hardware are more likely to fail, and repairs become increasingly difficult. A plywood cabinet box, by contrast, is heavier, stronger, and far more likely to remain true and square as your home goes through seasonal changes in humidity and temperature.
The same logic applies to flooring. LVP flooring is an excellent product, and high- quality versions carry warranties of 10-15 years. But at some point, it will wear and need to be replaced. Engineered hardwood can be sanded and refinished one or two times, extending its life significantly. Solid, finished-in-place hardwood can be refinished multiple times over decades — meaning that the floor you install today could still be beautiful years from now, simply by refinishing it every few years.
Timeless design also plays a role in lifetime value. A classic kitchen style — shaker cabinets, neutral tones, quality stone countertops — will look beautiful in or years and will support strong resale value. A highly trendy design, by contrast, may feel dated in to years, potentially requiring another remodel sooner than you’d like.
The takeaway: when you’re evaluating the cost of your kitchen remodel, consider not just what you’re spending today, but what that investment will be worth — and what it will cost to maintain — over the next to years.
If you remodeled a kitchen before , the prices you remember are no longer
accurate. The COVID- pandemic caused significant disruptions to the construction
supply chain, and material prices — particularly for cabinets, fixtures, and finished
goods — increased dramatically. Unlike commodity materials such as lumber (which
saw some modest price corrections), manufactured products like cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, and lighting have not come back down.
As a general benchmark, a kitchen that cost, today — a roughly 50% increase driven by inflation and supply chain factors. Labor costs have also increased in line with broader economic trends. We share this not to alarm you, but to set accurate expectations as you begin your planning process. 100, 000 before 2020 would cost approximately
A kitchen remodel is a significant investment, and we understand that not every
homeowner wants to — or is able to — pay for it entirely out of pocket. Financing is a
practical and widely available option that can make your dream kitchen a reality
sooner.
Most kitchen remodel financing is home equity-based, either through a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) or a home equity loan. These products typically carry interest rates that are lower than credit card rates, though higher than a primary mortgage. If you have sufficient equity in your home and the income to support the payments, financing can be an excellent tool.
One particularly compelling option for larger projects is renovation financing, in which the loan amount is based on the projected value of your home after the renovation is complete — not just its current value. This can give you access to a larger pool of funds than a traditional home equity loan, and it aligns the financing with the value you’re creating.
As always, paying with cash is the most cost-efficient approach if it’s available to you. But for those who prefer to preserve their liquidity or spread the cost over time,
financing provides a responsible and accessible path forward.
Even the most carefully planned kitchen remodel can encounter unexpected costs. Being aware of the most common “hidden” expenses will help you budget more accurately and avoid unwelcome surprises.
Kitchens are among the most demanding rooms in a home from an electrical standpoint. Modern appliances — induction ranges, built-in refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves — require dedicated circuits, and older electrical panels may not have the capacity or the correct breaker types to support them. If your panel needs to be upgraded or a sub-panel needs to be added, that is a significant cost. Similarly, outdated plumbing systems (galvanized pipes, cast iron drain stacks) may need to be replaced once work begins, particularly if code requires it.
Moving ductwork is more complex and expensive than most homeowners expect. Ducts are large, and routing them through walls, floors, and ceilings often requires building chases — framed enclosures that can affect the aesthetics and layout of your space. If your remodel involves moving walls or reconfiguring the layout, HVAC relocation costs should be factored into your budget.
When we open walls, we sometimes discover that the original construction did not meet proper structural standards — undersized floor joists, improperly supported beams, or framing that doesn’t meet current code. These issues must be corrected before we can proceed, and they are not always predictable in advance. A reputable contractor will identify as many of these risks as possible during the planning phase, but some simply cannot be known until the walls are open.
Depending on the scope of your project and the requirements of your township, you may need to budget for building permits, architectural or structural engineering seals, and in some cases, civil engineering work (particularly for additions that disturb significant amounts of land). These are not glamorous costs, but they are real ones — and they are often overlooked in initial budget estimates.
This is perhaps the most important question on this page — and it deserves an honest answer.
For most homeowners in Bucks County, a kitchen remodel is absolutely worth it. Kitchens consistently rank among the highest-return home improvement projects, meaning that a significant portion of what you spend will come back to you when you sell your home. But the financial return is only part of the story.
Think about how often you use your kitchen. Most families are in the kitchen multiple times a day — cooking, eating, gathering, entertaining. A kitchen that functions poorly, feels cramped, or simply doesn’t reflect your taste affects your daily quality of life in ways that are hard to quantify but very easy to feel. Walking into a space you love — one that is well-lit, thoughtfully designed, and built exactly the way you envisioned — brings a genuine sense of joy and pride. That is not a trivial thing.
A well-designed kitchen can also transform how you use your home. An island that seats four people changes how your family interacts. An open-concept layout changes how you entertain. Better lighting changes the mood of every meal. These are real, meaningful improvements to how you live.
That said, not every kitchen remodel makes equal financial sense. If your kitchen was recently updated and is in good condition, the return on a full remodel may not justify the investment. But if your kitchen is outdated, dysfunctional, or simply no longer suits your lifestyle, a remodel is one of the most efficient uses of your home improvement dollars — both financially and in terms of the quality of life it delivers
Every kitchen is unique, and every budget tells a different story. Here are our three primary investment tiers to help you understand what’s possible at different price points.
This tier is ideal for homeowners who want a meaningful refresh without major structural changes. The focus is on updating the look and feel of the kitchen while retaining the existing layout. A typical project at this level includes new stock-level cabinetry, entry-level stone countertops and backsplash, updated plumbing and lighting fixtures, and new flooring. The result is a clean, updated kitchen that feels significantly different from what you started with — without the disruption and cost of a full gut renovation.
For homeowners who want more — more space, more functionality, more design flexibility — this tier opens up the possibility of minor layout changes, semi-custom cabinetry, quartz or natural stone countertops, designer plumbing and electrical fixtures, and new flooring throughout the kitchen and connected spaces. This is the sweet spot for many Bucks County homeowners who want a kitchen that feels truly transformed.
This tier is for homeowners who are ready to reimagine their kitchen from the ground up. Major floor plan redesigns, integrated living and dining areas, full-custom cabinetry and millwork, top-tier finishes, high-performance appliances, smart home technology integrations, and a fully designed lighting plan are all on the table. The result is a kitchen that is uniquely yours — a showpiece that reflects your lifestyle, your taste, and your vision.
All pricing is estimated and varies based on scope, size, and material selections. A detailed proposal will be provided after your design consultation.
The most common reason is that contractors are not pricing the same scope of work or the same quality of materials. Always ask for a detailed, itemized quote and compare line by line. A lower price may reflect lower-quality materials, a less experienced team, or a scope that omits important work.
Our starting prices represent the minimum investment for each tier based on typical project scopes. The final cost of your project will depend on the specific size, scope, and material selections you choose. We provide a detailed, itemized proposal after your design consultation — so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting before you commit.
Please contact us directly for current information on our consultation process and any associated fees.
We handle unforeseen conditions with full transparency. If we discover something during construction that requires additional work, we will discuss it with you immediately, explain the issue clearly, and provide a written change order before any additional work is performed. You will never be surprised by a cost you didn’t approve.
A limited remodel typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. An expanded or high-end custom remodel can take 12 to 20 weeks or more, depending on the complexity of the project and the lead times for custom materials. We will provide a detailed project timeline during the design phase.
Yes. We can connect you with financing options to help make your project more accessible. Please ask about financing during your consultation.
We stand behind our work. Please ask about our specific warranty terms during your consultation.
Every kitchen is different, and the best way to understand what your specific project will cost is to speak with one of our design experts. We’ll listen to your goals, walk through your space, and provide a transparent, detailed proposal tailored to your vision and your budget.