A kitchen is the room where a small change in scope produces the biggest change in price. Moving a sink, opening a wall or swapping stock cabinets for custom ones can each shift a permit valuation by tens of thousands of dollars, which is why filings for "kitchen remodels" span such a wide range.
What the permit filings show
Based on 9,129 residential building-permit filings. The median kitchen renovation valuation runs from $20,000 in Los Angeles to $75,000 in Seattle, about 3.8× the cheapest city. Within a city the spread matters too: the middle half of Chicago filings spans 327% of its median, versus 151% in Los Angeles.
CityTypical range (P25–P75)MedianFilings
Los Angeles$10,000 – $40,250$20,0001,595
Chicago$8,300 – $90,000$25,000816
San Francisco$25,000 – $110,000$50,0004,706
Austin$25,000 – $150,000$60,0001,383
Seattle$30,000 – $150,000$75,000629
Filings are declared valuations from each city's open permit dataset, limited to residential records classified as kitchen renovation work and valued between $1,000 and $2,000,000. A city is listed only when at least 30 filings qualify. Full methodology. Data refreshed September 2026.
What separates a cheap kitchen filing from an expensive one
The single biggest lever is whether the layout changes. A like-for-like refresh keeps plumbing, gas and electrical where they are, so most of the spend goes on cabinets, worktops and appliances. A new layout means relocating services, patching floors and often upgrading circuits, and the labor for that is invisible in a showroom quote.
The second lever is cabinetry. Stock, semi-custom and fully custom cabinets can differ several-fold in price for the same footprint, and cabinets are usually the largest single line in a kitchen budget. When two quotes for the same room differ sharply, compare the cabinet specification before anything else.
Reading a permit valuation for a kitchen
A permit valuation is the cost the applicant declared when filing. Some owners declare only the licensed trade work and leave out owner-supplied appliances or finishes, so the numbers here lean toward the contracted portion of the job rather than the total you might spend end to end.
Use the 25th percentile as a realistic floor for a modest, contractor-led scope and the 75th percentile as a marker for a substantial, higher-specification project. A quote well above the upper figure is not automatically wrong, but it should come with a specification you can point to.
Where kitchen budgets go wrong
The most common overrun is discovering problems once walls are open: outdated wiring, undersized ventilation, uneven floors or old water damage. Hold a contingency and ask the contractor to state how surprises will be priced before work starts.
The second is treating appliances and worktops as afterthoughts. Lead times and template-and-fit steps for worktops can stall a job for weeks, so confirm selections and delivery dates before demolition begins.
Use your quote to test the range
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.
Checks before you accept a quote
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.