Homeowner Guide
No two kitchens cost the same. Here is what makes the price go up or down, so you can plan before you call anyone.
The Short Version
Three things matter most: the cabinets you choose, whether anything moves, and the finishes.
Homeowners often ask us for a per-square-foot number. We don't use one, because it would be a guess. A small kitchen with custom cabinets and a moved sink can cost more than a large one that keeps its layout. The honest answer comes from seeing the room.
This guide walks through each cost so you can decide what matters to you. When you're ready for real numbers, our kitchen remodeling estimates are free and in writing.
In most kitchens, cabinets are the largest single cost. Stock cabinets come in set sizes and cost the least. Semi-custom lines let you change sizes and finishes. Full custom cabinets are built for your exact room and cost the most.
If your cabinet boxes are solid, new doors, drawer fronts, and paint can give you a fresh look for much less than replacing everything.
A kitchen that keeps the sink, range, and fridge where they are is the cheapest to remodel. Once those move, you pay for new plumbing, wiring, and sometimes gas lines.
Most Baton Rouge homes sit on a concrete slab. Moving a sink or adding an island sink means cutting the slab to run a new drain. It can be done, but it adds days and cost.
Opening the kitchen to the den is the most common request we get in older ranch homes. If the wall holds up the roof or ceiling, it needs a beam sized for the load and a permit.
A wall may also hide wiring, plumbing vents, or air ducts that have to be moved. We check for these before giving you a price.
Laminate counters cost the least. Granite and quartz cost more and are priced by the square foot, plus cutouts for sinks and cooktops. Tile backsplash, flooring, lighting, and faucets all come in a wide price range.
This is where you have the most control. Pick where to spend and where to save, and the total can move a lot without changing the layout.
Local Cost Factors
A few things about homes here change the math.
Drains run under the slab, so moving a sink means cutting and patching concrete.
Slow leaks under sinks are common. Rotted cabinet bases and subfloor get replaced.
New circuits, gas work, and wall removal need a permit and inspection in East Baton Rouge.
With cabinets out, we look at the wall framing before anything new goes in.
Solid wood moves in our climate. We pick cabinet and flooring materials that hold up.
Custom cabinets and stone can take weeks. Ordering early keeps the job short.
Getting a Real Number
Four steps from a rough idea to a written price.
Write down what bothers you now and what you want most from the new kitchen.
Know what you're willing to spend so options can be matched to it.
We visit, measure, and check plumbing, wiring, and walls for free.
Make sure each estimate lists the same cabinets, counters, and work.
Cost Questions
Two kitchens the same size can cost very different amounts. It depends on the cabinets you pick, whether plumbing moves, and what is behind the walls. We need to see the room and measure it. The visit and the written estimate are free.
A common rule is to hold back 10 to 15 percent of the project price. In older Baton Rouge homes we sometimes find old water damage, outdated wiring, or termite damage once cabinets come out. If the money isn't needed, you keep it.
Swapping cabinets, counters, and flooring in place usually does not. New circuits, moved plumbing, gas line changes, or removing a load-bearing wall do. We handle the permit and inspections with the East Baton Rouge City-Parish permit office.
Keep the layout. New cabinet doors or paint, new counters, a tile backsplash, and better lighting change how the whole room looks. Leaving the sink and range where they are avoids the most expensive work.
A same-layout remodel often takes a few weeks once materials arrive. Layout changes and custom cabinets take longer. We order long-lead items before tearing anything out, so your kitchen isn't sitting empty while we wait on a delivery.
Free Kitchen Estimates
Call and we'll come measure, talk through options, and give you a written estimate at no charge.
Kitchen Pricing
Tell us the size of your kitchen and what you'd like to change.
Hours of Operation
Tell us about the project — we'll reply during business hours.
