Kitchen remodeling cost in southeast Wisconsin

What actually drives the price

1. 01

   Whether the layout stays or moves

   Keeping the sink, range and refrigerator where they are is the biggest single cost decision in a kitchen. Moving the sink means new drain and vent piping back to the stack. Moving a range means a new gas line or a new heavy-duty circuit. Removing a wall means first finding out whether it carries load, and if it does, a beam, posts and engineering. Each of these turns a replacement into an alteration with permits and inspections.

2. 02

   Cabinet tier and how much of it is new

   Cost vs. Value and Houzz both separate kitchens where the cabinet boxes stay from kitchens where every cabinet is replaced, because that is where budgets divide. New doors and fronts on sound boxes are usually the least expensive route. Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes, semi-custom lines add sizes and options, and custom cabinets are built to the room. Linear footage, an island and tall pantry units add up quickly.

3. 03

   What the walls and floor are hiding

   In houses built before the 1940s, walls are usually plaster on wood lath, framing may be balloon-framed with stud cavities open floor to floor, and wiring can include knob-and-tube, which ENERGY STAR flags as a fire hazard where it touches insulation. None of this can be priced exactly until the walls are open, so a good estimate says in writing how discovered conditions will be handled.

4. 04

   Electrical capacity and lighting

   A new kitchen usually needs more circuits than the old one: counter outlets, dishwasher, disposal, microwave and range, plus new lighting. If the panel has no room for them, a panel upgrade enters the budget.

5. 05

   Countertop material and details

   Laminate, the counter in both Cost vs. Value midrange specs, is the lower-cost option. Quartz and stone are templated after the base cabinets are set, then fabricated and installed on a return visit. Edge profiles, undermount sink cutouts and full-height backsplashes add cost to any material.

6. 06

   Appliances and a ducted range hood

   Some estimates include appliances and some leave them out (both Cost vs. Value specs include them), so check before comparing. A hood ducted outdoors needs a route through an exterior wall or the roof and a weather-tight cap, which is easy to plan before the cabinets go up and awkward afterwards.

7. 07

   Flooring and the subfloor under it

   Cabinets and a new floor need a flat, stiff subfloor. Older kitchens often have several layers of flooring, some glued down, and the area around the sink and dishwasher is where old water damage shows up. Whether the new floor runs under the cabinets also changes the scope. See flooring.

8. 08

   Lead-safe work in homes built before 1978

   In a pre-1978 house, paid work that disturbs 6 sq ft or more of painted surface in a room falls under Wisconsin's lead-safe renovation rule (DHS 163): a certified lead-safe company, a certified renovator in charge, containment and specific cleanup. Kitchen demolition almost always crosses that line. No source we reviewed put a number on what it adds. See lead-safe renovation in Wisconsin.

9. 09

   Permits and trade permits

   Replacing cabinets and counters in place needs no permit in Milwaukee or Waukesha. Once plumbing, wiring or walls change, the municipalities we checked require a building permit plus trade permits, priced on construction cost in Milwaukee and Racine and per square foot in Franklin, Muskego and Waukesha. The fees are listed below.

How projects differ

Permit fees for kitchen remodels

Fees for one- and two-family homes, as each municipality publishes them. Plumbing, electrical and HVAC permits are separate. Confirm with the building department before you budget; our permit guide explains what triggers a permit.

Controlling cost without cutting corners

Questions

• Muskego
• New Berlin
• Franklin
• Waukesha
• Milwaukee
• Racine