Let’s face it: The biggest question for most people looking for a new kitchen is, “What’s this going to cost?” 

Most people are willing to change their minds to a certain degree on the design, door style, color choices, or any number of details about their new kitchen. But when it comes to how much they’re able to spend, that detail tends to be less flexible. 

How to Determine the Price of a Kitchen

Decades ago, kitchen prices were commonly quoted “per lineal foot”. Cabinetry was relatively simple back then. Your options didn’t vary much from one store to the next. (Take a walk through a few houses from a neighborhood developed in the 80s. Every kitchen looks the same – orange-y oak cabinets with brass handles.) 

Things have changed. Today, your options are endless. There are so many variables – styles, quality levels, features and accessories, how and where the cabinets are built, etc. Space-saving and practical strategies have added to the functionality of kitchen cabinets.  

Answering the question, “How much does a new kitchen cost?” isn’t simple. It depends on many factors:

• What is the size of the kitchen?
• Is it a brand new home, or will it be a renovation?
• What materials do you want for your doors?
• What kind of countertop do you want?
• What features are important to you?
• Is this a DIY project, or are you hiring a professional?

The answers to these questions will all result in a variation in pricing. 

How Various Features Change the Price of a Kitchen

If you’ve never bought a new kitchen before, you might be shocked to discover all the options available to you. If the last time you bought a kitchen was more than a decade ago, you still might be surprised by all the new features to consider. 

Here’s an example. A very basic feature is drawers. It might seem like a default feature in any kitchen design, but if you take a look at older kitchens, you’ll notice they rarely have more than a few small drawers (typically used for cutlery or the obligatory “junk drawer”). 

Today, kitchen designers encourage the use of drawers for much more than forks and knives. Large, easy-open drawers make storing pots and pans or small appliances like a food processor much easier. 

What does this have to do with the price of the kitchen? The construction of a drawer is much more involved than a basic cabinet. Additionally, there’s the hardware for the drawers to slide on. While it seems every kitchen should have drawers, the amount of drawers you have in your kitchen will affect the cost. 

That’s just a single example. When you start considering appliances, countertops, backsplash, drawer pulls and inserts, tray dividers, spice racks, accent lighting, magic corners or leMans corners (a replacement for lazy susans), and all the other options available, you can see how there is no quick answer to the question of how much your new kitchen will cost. 

A Sample Kitchen Comparison

Still, your question is unanswered. You want to budget for your kitchen and you need a point of reference. We get it. 

We had one of our expert designers create 3 options for the same kitchen space. It’s the same basic design for all 3, but with different features in each, resulting in 3 different price points. 

#1: Base Kitchen Design Sample – $6,500

The starting price for a kitchen of this size. Nothing special added. 

• White Melamine Doors and Drawer Fronts
• 4 Drawers
• No other features

#2: Average Kitchen Design Sample – $11,000

The same kitchen above, but with a few upgrades. Notice how a few details improve the look significantly. 

• Painted Shaker-style Doors and Drawer Fronts
• 6 Drawers
• Light Valance
• Top Trim
• Deep Fridge Cabinet with Full Side Gable

#3: High-End Kitchen Design Sample – $19,000

This design has even more upgrades, but still has not factored in any of the features available for cabinet interiors (like tray dividers, for example). 

• Black Walnut, 3” Shaker Doors and Drawer Fronts
• Maple Melamine Interiors
• Dovetail Drawers
• Door Panels instead of plain finished ends (including back of island)
• Wood Super Susan
• 12 Drawers
• Overlay Fillers

What Will a New Kitchen Cost?

The best way to find out how much to realistically budget for your new kitchen is to talk to an expert. Tell them what you’re looking for and what features are important to you. They’ll ask you a few questions and then be able to give you a more accurate idea of what to expect. 

We’d love to assist you. Contact us today for help in determining your new kitchen budget.