A Note from Susanne

Almost every first call comes around to it, usually a little apologetically: what does a kitchen like this cost? It deserves a straight answer. Here is ours, drawn from the pricing we use to write our own proposals and updated this fall to what kitchens cost in Raleigh and the Triangle in 2026.

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Raleigh?

Kitchen renovations designed by our studio typically begin around $120,000, and most land between $150,000 and $250,000 all in. All in means the construction, the stone, the lighting, the plumbing fixtures, the hardware and the appliances. With typical choices, a kitchen comes to about $160,000 to $243,000, and a full rework with top finishes reaches about $286,000. The design fee is separate, and I’ll come to it below.

What goes into the number?

These are the figures behind a kitchen, from a lighter touch to top finishes, with the usual number beside each:

Construction and cabinetry: $90,000 to $200,000, usually about $150,000. This is your contractor’s bid, and it’s by far the largest part, about three quarters of a typical kitchen.
Countertops and backsplash: $10,000 to $28,000, usually about $16,000. The top of that range is for book-matched slabs, a waterfall island or a stone backsplash that runs up the wall.
Appliances: $14,000 to $45,000, usually about $25,000, from a standard suite to a professional range. You buy these directly, and if you keep the ones you have, the total drops by that much.
Pendants and sconces: $3,000 to $6,000.
Faucet and sink: $2,000 to $4,500.
Cabinet hardware: $1,200 to $2,500.

What moves the number most?

The layout. Keeping everything where it is costs the least. Moving a wall, a window or the sink adds plumbing, electrical and carpentry, and reworking the whole plan, with new room shapes and new openings, is what takes a kitchen toward the top of the range. In A New Light on Tradition, the kitchen in the photo above, we reconfigured the whole room and opened it to the living room. When the old layout is the problem, that’s where the money should go.

After the layout come the choices you’ll touch every day: the stone, the appliances, and whether the cabinetry is built for your room or chosen in standard sizes. An older home can also hold surprises behind the walls. We can’t promise there won’t be any, but a sensible budget leaves some room for them.

Want a number for your kitchen? The Renovation Cost Calculator lets you choose the layout, the stone and the appliances, then shows the range, who pays for what, and how long it takes.

What does the design fee add?

Our design fee is a flat fee for each phase, set after the consultation, and it’s separate from everything above. In all, a medium kitchen typically comes to about $9,300 to $10,800, and a kitchen with a primary bathroom about $15,800 to $18,300. It covers the design from the first concept through the drawing set your contractor prices from. I wrote more about what that work includes in How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost?

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

About nine months from the first design meeting to cooking in it: four months of design, a month and a half of bids and permits, and three and a half months of construction. Permits are often quicker than people expect, usually two to five weeks in Raleigh and less in Cary. Custom cabinetry can take eight to fourteen weeks to make, so the schedule is planned around it. The Renovation Timeline Planner works back from the month you want to be cooking in your new kitchen.

Where do we start?

Every project begins with a complimentary 20-minute call. Then comes a $500 consultation in your home, where we walk the kitchen together and talk through how you cook, what isn’t working, and the investment you have in mind. From there we write a proposal with our flat fee for each phase.

If you’re planning a kitchen in Raleigh or the surrounding Triangle, tell us about your project. Bring your number, even a rough one. It’s the best place to start.