What a Real Kitchen Remodel Costs in Los Angeles Right Now

The most common question we get from first-time remodelers in LA is some version of "what should a kitchen cost?" The honest answer is that a kitchen is not one product — it is roughly nine trades stacked on top of each other, and the range from a light refresh to a structural rework is enormous.

Here is the breakdown we use with clients before a design is finalized, so no one is surprised in month three.

Same footprint, same appliances, new life. Paint, refaced or repainted cabinets, new counters, new backsplash, updated lighting and hardware, sometimes a new sink and faucet. Zero walls moved, no permit-triggering electrical or plumbing changes.

This is the tier where sweat equity actually pays off. It is also the tier where hiring a real contractor for the trim, tile, and stone still makes sense — those are the details that separate a refresh from a re-do.

New cabinets, new stone, new appliances, new flooring extended through the kitchen, new lighting on updated circuits, new plumbing fixtures. The layout stays roughly the same but the entire kitchen is replaced.

Cabinets are usually the biggest single line item. Semi-custom domestic cabinets run $18k–$35k for a typical LA kitchen; full-custom local cabinet shops start around $40k and go up from there. Stone counters run $6k–$15k depending on material.

Walls moved, island added or resized, structural beam installed where the wall came out, HVAC and electrical rerouted, plumbing relocated. This tier requires permits, structural engineering, and inspections.

The jump in cost is not just materials — it is the number of trades and the sequencing. A single misordered inspection in this tier can add two weeks to the schedule.

Temporary kitchen setup. Dust protection on the rest of the home. Appliance delivery and unboxing (yes, really). Electrical panel upgrade if you are adding an induction range or an EV charger from the same panel. Structural review for any wall you are hoping to remove.

Ask any contractor bidding your kitchen how those five items are handled in their number. If the answer is "we'll figure that out later," you are getting a low bid, not a real one.