BTHE BARATELLI INSTITUTE · Mentoring at Scale
FOR HOMEOWNERS · FIX-AND-FLIP · LANDLORDS · ANYONE TYPING "KITCHEN REMODEL COST" INTO GOOGLE

A kitchen recovers 50-70% of cost on resale. Sometimes. The tier and region decide.

Cosmetic refresh ($15-25K), mid-range ($30-65K), or luxury ($80-150K+)? Stock cabinets, semi-custom, or full custom? Quartz, granite, marble, or laminate? Bosch or Sub-Zero+Wolf? Each lever moves both cost and resale recovery — and the relationship isn't linear. A $75K kitchen in a $250K house returns 35%; the same kitchen in a $900K house returns 75%. Run your numbers.

Total Cost
By tier + region
Resale ROI
5-year recovery %
Mismatch
Vs home value
Tier Lift
Marginal $ vs return
YOUR KITCHEN
1
Kitchen basics
2
Cabinets & counters
3
Appliances & trades
4
Region & home value
5
ROI results
STAGE 1 OF 5

Kitchen basics

Defaults are a mid-range kitchen remodel in a 200 sq ft kitchen — the sweet spot of the Remodeling Magazine Cost vs Value Report.

Cosmetic refresh = paint cabinets, new hardware, new counters, new sink, keep layout. Mid-range = new cabinets (semi-custom or stock), new counters, new appliances, same footprint. Luxury = move walls, custom cabinets, high-end appliances, designer finishes.
Footprint of the kitchen only. Typical: 100-150 (small), 150-250 (mid), 250-400 (large), 400+ (great room).
Total horizontal cabinet run (uppers + lowers separately, or just lowers if no uppers in design). Drives ~30% of kitchen cost.
Same footprint = cheapest. Move sink = +$1.5-3K plumbing. Add island = +$4-12K. Move wall = +$8-25K.
The single most useful number on this page is the cost-to-home-value ratio. A mid-range kitchen at 10-15% of home value is a normal renovation. At 25%+ you're investing more than the local market will pay for. The tool flags it; you decide.
STAGE 2 OF 5

Cabinets & counters

The two biggest line items. Cabinets are 25-35% of a kitchen budget; counters are 8-15%.

Refacing = $4-8K. Stock = $4-12K (IKEA, KraftMaid stock). Semi-custom = $10-25K (KraftMaid semi, Medallion). Custom = $25-60K+ (local cabinetmaker, factory-built custom).
Laminate $20-40/sf. Butcher block $40-60/sf. Quartz $50-100/sf. Granite $40-100/sf. Soapstone $70-120/sf. Marble $75-200/sf. Avg kitchen has 40-60 sf of counter.
Total counter surface area. Small kitchen ~30 sf, mid ~45 sf, large with island ~70 sf.
STAGE 3 OF 5

Appliances & trades work

Appliances are 10-25% of a kitchen budget — and the tier you pick must match the rest of the room. A $40K kitchen with a $400 fridge looks broken.

Builder-grade = $1,800-3,500 (Frigidaire, GE Profile). Mid-grade = $4,500-8,500 (Whirlpool, KitchenAid). Bosch-tier = $9,000-16,000 (Bosch, Miele entry, JennAir). Sub-Zero+Wolf = $20,000-45,000+ (Sub-Zero, Wolf, Thermador).
Standard 4: fridge, range, dishwasher, microwave/hood. Premium kitchens add: wall oven + cooktop split, beverage cooler, second dishwasher, warming drawer.
Kitchen designers typically charge 5-12% of project, or $2-8K flat. Worth it on layout changes; less critical on cosmetic.
$
STAGE 4 OF 5

Region & home value

The two variables that flip the ROI math. A $60K kitchen on the coast might be the right number. The same $60K kitchen in deep rural is overinvestment.

Realistic as-is value. The biggest single driver of whether your kitchen is "right-sized" for the house.
$
0-2 years = ROI matters a lot. 5+ years = some depreciation of design (avoid trendy choices). 10+ years = ROI matters less than your enjoyment.
Methodology note. Resale recovery rates are anchored to the Remodeling Magazine annual Cost vs Value Report (~70% mid-range kitchen recovery as a national average) and adjusted by tier-vs-home-value mismatch, regional submarket, and time-to-sale. The tool will flag when you're investing past the market ceiling.
STAGE 5 OF 5

Cost & ROI results

HERE — TRY THESE. THEY MAY HELP.

A kitchen is the most-googled remodel. It's also the most often over-built.

If you're rehabbing to sell, the Business Buyer's Guide covers ROI on small real-estate operations. If the kitchen is one of many capital decisions, the Family Office Guide covers the holding/entity questions. Or just try the bathroom remodel ROI tool or the repair-vs-replace tool.

Business Buyer's Guide Family Office Guide All free tools
This is not contractor, engineering, or financial advice. Materials and labor costs vary widely by region, season, contractor, and home condition. Get 3 written bids from licensed contractors and verify regional pricing before relying on any number. Resale ROI projections from Remodeling Magazine Cost vs Value Report and Zonda data — actual ROI varies. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice.
HERE — TRY THESE. THEY MAY HELP.
Kitchen ROI is one part of a bigger property decision.
The Business Buyer's Guide covers operator economics on small real-estate businesses (fix-and-flip, rental cash-flow, BRRRR math). The Family Office Guide covers entity structure, insurance, and estate questions when properties accumulate.
Business Buyer's Guide → Family Office Guide All free tools
PROFESSIONAL DISCLAIMER · PLEASE READ

Not contractor, engineering, or financial advice. This calculator and any output it produces are intended solely for general educational and decision-support purposes. Materials and labor costs vary widely by region, season, contractor, and home condition. Get 3 written bids from licensed contractors and verify regional pricing before relying on any number.

Resale ROI is an estimate. Recovery rates referenced here are derived from the Remodeling Magazine annual Cost vs Value Report and Zonda research data. Actual resale ROI varies based on specific home characteristics, neighborhood comparables, market timing, design choices, condition at sale, and dozens of other factors. The Baratelli Institute, its affiliates, and any co-branding professional make no warranty of accuracy, completeness, currency, or fitness for any particular purpose.

Consult licensed professionals. Before acting on anything calculated here, consult licensed contractors, kitchen designers, real estate professionals, and your financial advisor.

Educational references and tools — not legal, tax, accounting, or investment advice, and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation. © 2026 The Baratelli Institute.