What a $75,000 Kitchen Remodel Gets You in the Bay Area

Cost ranges are useful, but they don't tell you what you're actually buying. So here's a single realistic number — $75,000 — broken into line items for a 180 sq ft Bay Area kitchen with a full gut and no structural changes.

Approximate allocation for a mid-range 2026 project:

• Semi-custom cabinetry, ~25 linear feet: $22,000
• Quartz countertops and full-height backsplash: $8,500
• Appliance package (range, hood, dishwasher, refrigerator): $9,000
• Demolition and disposal: $2,500
• Plumbing and electrical rough-in and finish: $8,000
• Flooring (engineered hardwood or LVP), installed: $5,500
• Drywall, paint, trim, and lighting: $6,000
• Sink, faucet, hardware, and fixtures: $2,500
• Permits and plan review: $1,500
• Project management and general conditions: $4,500
• Contingency (~7%): $5,000

A completely new kitchen: soft-close plywood-box cabinets in your choice of door style, quartz counters, a real tile or slab backsplash, a full appliance suite, new flooring throughout the kitchen, recessed and pendant lighting, and permitted, inspected plumbing and electrical.

At $75,000 you're not moving load-bearing walls, adding windows, running new gas or panel upgrades, or buying Wolf and Sub-Zero. Each of those is a meaningful step up in budget.

• Removing a load-bearing wall with a beam: add $8,000 – $20,000
• Electrical panel upgrade: add $4,000 – $9,000
• Full custom cabinetry instead of semi-custom: add $15,000 – $30,000
• Luxury appliance package: add $15,000 – $40,000

Spend on the things that are expensive to change later: cabinet boxes, layout, plumbing and electrical, and ventilation. Save on the things you can swap in five years without demo — hardware, light fixtures, faucet, and paint.

We build estimates exactly like the list above, with your actual measurements and real product allowances, so you can see where every dollar goes before you sign. Free in-home consultation across San Jose and the Bay Area.