Kitchen renovation cost in Los Angeles

Computed from 1,595 recent building-permit filings in Los Angeles, CA — what people actually declared, not survey guesses.

Typical low · P25$10,000
Median$20,000
Typical high · P75$40,250

✓ Verified from 1,595 recent building-permit filings in Los Angeles, CA

Every filing behind this range declared a residential renovation cost between $1,000 and $2,000,000 — outliers and commercial-scale projects are excluded. We only publish a range once at least 30 qualifying filings exist for a city/project combination; this one has 1,595.

Data refreshed September 2026

The short answer: a typical kitchen renovation in Los Angeles costs around $20,000, with half of all projects landing between $10,000 and $40,250. If a quote falls well outside that range, it isn't automatically wrong — but it deserves an explanation you can understand.

Los Angeles-specific factors

California's Title 24 energy code and LA's seismic retrofit requirements both apply to qualifying remodels, which is a real source of added scope not present in most other US cities.

Mild, dry weather keeps outdoor and roofing work less seasonal here than in colder or wetter cities, so timing has less effect on price than in Chicago or Seattle.

How to use this kitchen renovation range

The middle half of the published sample spans $10,000 to $40,250. That is a 151% spread around the median, so the details of your scope matter more than the label on the project.

What this project can cover

A kitchen renovation can cover cabinets, worktops, appliances, lighting, finishes, and related plumbing or electrical work.

What may sit outside it

Permit valuations may omit design fees, temporary accommodation, owner-supplied appliances, or later change orders. A filing is not an invoice.

Use your quote to test the range

  • Compare cabinet and appliance specifications line by line.
  • Ask whether plumbing or gas stays in its current location.
  • Keep a written allowance for demolition, disposal, and wall repairs.

This guide is based on 1,595 qualifying permit filings, not completed projects. Permit values reflect what applicants declared and can differ from the final paid cost.

Before you spend on a kitchen renovation

💸 What drives the cost

  • Moving plumbing, gas or walls — a layout change can double the price of an otherwise identical kitchen
  • Cabinetry is typically 30–40% of the budget; custom vs stock is the single biggest swing
  • Appliance package and worktop material (laminate → quartz → stone can triple that line)

✂️ How to spend less

  • Keep the existing layout: same sink, hob and drainage positions
  • Mix stock cabinets with one premium element (worktop or island) for a high-end look at mid-range cost
  • Buy appliances yourself during sale events — contractor markups on appliances are pure margin

🚩 Red flags when hiring

  • A quote given without measuring your kitchen in person
  • Deposit demands above ~25–30% before work starts

Next steps for your kitchen renovation

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Where this number comes from

Every figure on this page is computed from declared valuations on building permits filed with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), published via the Los Angeles GeoHub open-data portal. We report the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of 1,595 recent residential filings — never a single-point "average". Declared values are what applicants file, not final invoices, so treat the range as planning guidance rather than a quote. Full methodology →

Check the underlying public records

The source dataset is maintained by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). The published sample is the subset classified as residential, matched to this project type, and carrying a declared valuation from $1,000 to $2,000,000. The count above is the number of qualifying filings used for this city and project, not the number of homes or completed invoices.

Open the Los Angeles GeoHub open-data portal dataset

Questions people ask

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Los Angeles?

Based on 1,595 recent building-permit filings with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the median declared cost is $20,000. Half of all projects fall between $10,000 and $40,250.

Are these figures quotes?

No. Permit valuations are what applicants declare to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) when filing, not final invoices — and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) doesn't independently verify the declared value. Treat the range as planning guidance and a sanity-check against the quotes you receive, not a price to hold a contractor to.

Why is the range so wide for Los Angeles?

California's Title 24 energy code and LA's seismic retrofit requirements both apply to qualifying remodels, which is a real source of added scope not present in most other US cities. That local variation is on top of the usual differences in size and specification, which is why we publish the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile instead of a single misleading "average" — you can see where a quote sits in the real distribution.

Planning something else, or somewhere else? Request a city or project — requests decide what we ingest next.