Kitchen Remodels: Comparing Market Costs

February 7, 2022

Kitchen renovations are expensive no matter where you live, but homeowners pay a lot more to remodel in some parts the country than they do in others. According to data from HomeAdvisor, homeowners in Los Angeles pay nearly $10,000 more, on average, to remodel their kitchens than homeowners in other areas. And homeowners in New York pay nearly $4,000 more. Here’s a deeper look at where homeowners spend the most to remodel their kitchens — and what they spend their money on.

The national average cost for kitchen renovations is $19,920, according to HomeAdvisor True Cost Guide data, with most homeowners spending between $11,194 and $28,646.

Here’s how the most expensive cities stack up:

Location	Average	Average Range	High Cost
National	$19,920	$11,194 – $28,646	$45,000
Los Angeles	$29,751	$20,941 – $42,454	$60,000
New York City	$23,719	$13,962 – $33,673	$50,000
Washington D.C.	$20,808	$13,695 – $30,752	$45,160
Detroit	$20,546	$13,908 – $30,501	$45,000
Philadelphia	$20,241	$14,177 – $30,985	$41,000

Not surprisingly, most homeowners make the decision to remodel their kitchens at the start of the year — usually in January, February and March, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI).

Their reasons for remodeling? To upgrade old-looking designs (79%), beautify their homes (77%) and replace old or worn-out materials (76%).

Here’s what homeowners in major cities are investing the most money in to make it happen:

Project	Natl Avg	L.A.	N.Y.C.	D.C.	Detroit	Phil.
Install Cabinets	$4,621	$5,162	$4,874	$4,788	$11,576	$4,691
Install Countertops	$2,819	$3,144	$2,659	$2,983	$2,720	$2,613
Install Wood Flooring	$4,430	$5,001	$4,140	$4,170	$7,223	$3,923
Install Ceramic or Porcelain Tile	$1,591	$2,116	$1,664	$1,819	$1,446	$1,890

Homeowners make the decision to remodel early in the year, says HIRI, but work on the remodel itself is generally delayed until later in the year — usually March through June. Looking at the numbers, it seems that — whenever it is that homeowners decide to remodel — they’re willing to spend the money to do it right.