For East Bay homeowners looking to modernize their homes, improve function, or simply inspire a little “house envy,” kitchen remodels tops the list. Moreover, with some of the highest priced real estate in the country, today’s kitchen renovation could yield a higher selling price down the road.
That being said, kitchen remodels are costly—so, we want to help you visualize the dream kitchen that aligns with your budget and help you understand our approach. Here’s how HDR Remodeling categorizes our kitchen remodel projects:
Kitchen Refresh
>$165K
- Basic architectural and design services
- Floor plan remains unchanged
- Mid-grade fixtures and finishes
- Modular cabinetry
Kitchen Remodel
>$200k
- Full-service architectural/design services
- Floor plan reconfiguration
- Mechanicals moved
- Mid-to-high-end fixtures, finishes, flooring
- Mid-to-high-end appliances
- Custom Cabinetry
Luxury Kitchen Remodel
>$260K
- Full-service architectural/design services
- Floor plan and mechanical reconfiguration
- Expanded square footage, or kitchen relocation
- Large island
- Custom cabinetry w/accessories
- Luxury finishes/flooring
- Intricate or bespoke tile work
- Panel ready appliances
- Smart home features
To further illustrate how HDR Remodeling differentiates (and ascertains) a budget, the following three kitchen remodel examples will help you visualize what’s possible based on:
Square footage
Level of customization
Quality of finishes
Construction/design costs
Kitchen Refresh
Don’t be fooled by the “refresh” moniker—an HDR Remodeling kitchen refresh is more than a coat of paint and new appliances. Working within the existing kitchen layout, we focuses on modernization and efficiency, leaving more of your budget for high-quality fixtures and finishes, and less on construction costs—by far the largest percentage of your budget.
Because this was a relatively small kitchen refresh, we were able to allocate a larger percentage of the budget to higher end finishes, including custom cabinets, quartz counters, and hardwood flooring to match the home.
Additionally, our client provided some of her own items, including a trio of elegant Birch Lane island pendant lights that added a brilliant finishing touch to this reimagined kitchen, and subtracted them from the budget.
In most instances, a small kitchen refresh affords the most bang for your buck, however, for larger kitchens, you can still maximize your budget by specifying modular cabinets instead of custom, manufactured stone over natural, or high-quality mid-grade fixtures and finishes instead of their luxury brethren.
How to budget for a Kitchen Refresh:
Design & Planning - 10 - 15%
Construction - 25 - 30%
Mid- to High-Grade Fixtures & Finishes - 25 - 30%
Modular Cabinetry - 20 - 25%
Budget - >$165K
An HDR Remodeling kitchen remodel modifies a kitchen’s floor plan or footprint, moves (or removes) walls, and relocates the mechanicals e.g. electrical and plumbing systems, to accommodate the new configuration.
In other words, we take it down to the studs—and sometimes beyond.
For major kitchen renovations, construction and material costs will continue to constitute the lion’s share of your budget—up to 60%. Moreover, these types of projects require a greater degree of involvement from our architectural and design teams, especially during the planning stages.
Here, our designers transformed an inefficient, disjointed, and disconnected kitchen into a welcoming space with beautiful flow—and definite “wow” factor.
The removal of interior and exterior walls allowed us to reclaim space from an awkward outdoor landing and reintroduce the kitchen to the rest of the home. We gained over 30 sq.ft. of new
floor space, instrumental in creating a stunning and well-equipped galley.
One of the kitchen’s focal points, a black walnut island, is surrounded by custom Shaker-style cabinets, both topped with cost-conscious, “marble-look” sintered stone. Reclaimed monkeypod floating wood shelving (a family gift) mounted to budget-friendly tile backsplashes, added head room, timeless appeal—and green credibility.
If your dream kitchen includes European, or luxury brands, plan for the higher end of the $250K range for those champagne tastes (remember the mix and match approach). This kitchen’s show-stopping Lacanche range would have nudged the project closer to a luxury kitchen remodel price tag—had it not been a gift.
A combination of budget-friendly and luxe finishes—along with generous gifts from family—allowed our clients to utilize more of their budget on custom metal-framed windows and matching doors.
How to budget for a Kitchen Remodel:
Design & Planning - 15 - 20%
Construction - 40 - 50%
Mid- to High-Grade Fixtures & Finishes - 20 - 30%
Custom Cabinetry - 15 - 20%
Budget - >$200K
When it comes to creating a professional, chef worthy, or, simply awe inspiring kitchen, the sky may be the limit, but let’s stand on terra firma for a moment to talk about the possibilities—and real costs.
A luxury kitchen remodel is a major kitchen remodel—and then some. It might be a component of a whole home renovation—and we often combine the two when possible. It might also entail moving the kitchen to an entirely new location within the home, or expanding the footprint through new construction.
However we do it, the walls come down—and architectural and construction costs go up.
Your good taste will delight our design teams, who specialize in sourcing premium and luxury brands, sustainably manufactured
fixtures and finishes, and efficient appliances with 21st-Century smarts.
For this luxury kitchen, we were fortunate to work with an abundance of natural materials like eco-friendly hardwood flooring, custom ceramic tiles, and decorative stone countertops from the world’s leading producers.
Your luxury kitchen might feature bespoke and designer finishes or custom tile backsplashes from local artisans. Formidable multi-burner European ranges, state-of the art appliances, stored in “disappearing” appliance garages are just a part of the smorgasbord of options in a luxury kitchen remodel.
You’re only limited by your vivid imagination.
How to budget for a Luxury Kitchen Remodel:
Design & Planning - 20 - 30%
Construction - 20 - 30%
High-end Materials & Finishes - 15 - 25%
Custom Cabinetry - 10 - 15%
Budget - >$260K
Now that you have a better understanding of how to budget for the kitchen you can afford, are you ready for your dream kitchen? We are.
Over the past two decades, HDR Remodeling has created countless high-end kitchens for satisfied customers throughout
the coastal East Bay. You might say the dream kitchen is HDR Remodeling’s sweet spot.
We’d be delighted to speak with you about your kitchen remodeling needs. Call HDR Remodeling at 510 845-6100 to schedule an in-home consultation.