What a kitchen remodel costs
In San Diego, most full kitchen remodels run $45,000 to $200,000 or more. A cosmetic refresh keeping the existing layout — new cabinets, counters, and appliances in the same footprint — typically lands at the lower end. Moving walls, relocating plumbing, or building custom millwork pushes toward the upper end.
The largest line items are almost always cabinetry, countertops, and appliances, in that order. Cabinetry alone commonly accounts for a third of the budget.
How long you will be without a kitchen
Plan on 8 to 14 weeks of construction for a full kitchen remodel, assuming materials were ordered during design. Add design time before that — typically 4 to 10 weeks — and permitting if the work is structural or relocates plumbing and gas.
The most common cause of a stalled kitchen project is long-lead materials ordered too late. Custom cabinetry can run 8 to 16 weeks on its own, and certain appliances and stone slabs run similarly long. These should be ordered before demolition, not during construction.
Layout decisions come first
Finishes are what people want to discuss first and what should be decided last. The layout — where the sink, range, refrigerator, and prep space sit relative to one another — determines whether the kitchen works, and no amount of beautiful tile compensates for a bad plan.
Things worth resolving before selecting anything:
- › Whether any walls are moving, and whether they are structural
- › Appliance selections, since they dictate cabinet dimensions and utility requirements
- › Where the primary prep zone sits, and whether it has landing space on both sides
- › How people move through the space when more than one person is cooking
- › Whether the island is doing real work or just occupying floor area
- › Storage strategy — pantry, drawers versus doors, and where small appliances live
The mistakes that cost the most
Three errors account for most kitchen remodel regret. The first is choosing finishes before the layout is settled, which causes reselection when the plan changes. The second is underestimating lead times, which idles the entire project. The third is discovering mid-demolition that the wall being removed is structural, or that the plumbing cannot easily relocate.
All three are avoidable with a proper design and pre-construction phase — which is precisely the phase people are most tempted to skip because it feels like nothing is happening.
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel? +
Generally yes if you are moving plumbing, gas, or electrical, or altering structure. Purely cosmetic replacement in the same footprint sometimes does not require one. We verify before starting.
Can I keep using my kitchen during construction? +
No — a full kitchen remodel makes the space unusable for the duration. Most clients set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house with a refrigerator, microwave, and a sink nearby.
Is it worth moving the kitchen to a different room? +
Sometimes dramatically so, particularly in older homes where the kitchen was placed at the back with no connection to living space. It costs more because plumbing and gas move, but it can transform how the entire house functions.