How much should you spend on a kitchen remodel?
A common rule of thumb is to spend 5% to 15% of your home's value on a kitchen remodel, about 10% for a typical project. For a $400,000 home that is $20,000 to $60,000, with $40,000 as a middle target. Keep 10% to 20% of it as a contingency and expect cabinets to take about 30%.
Updated · By the Interior Redesign AI editorial team · Sources cited on the page
The 5% to 15% of home value rule is an industry rule of thumb that keeps a kitchen in line with the house around it. It is a guide, not a limit.
Budget at 10% of home value
$40,000
Full range at 5%-15%: $20,000-$60,000.
Contingency (10-20%)
$4,000-$8,000
kept back for surprises
Plan the scope on
$32,000-$36,000
| Cabinets (30%) | $12,000 |
|---|---|
| Appliances (14%) | $5,600 |
| Countertops (10%) | $4,000 |
| Lighting (5%) | $2,000 |
| Plumbing fixtures (4%) | $1,600 |
| Installation, labor and everything else (37%) | $14,800 |
A 150 sq ft kitchen typically costs $11,300-$37,500 at $75-$250 per sq ft. Your budget sits above that range: room for custom work, or keep the difference.
Split by NKBA guidance as reported; labor alone is often about 25% of a kitchen budget. A planning estimate, not a quote.
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Key numbers
- Rule of thumb
- 5%-15% of home value on the kitchen
- Contingency
- 10%-20% held back for surprises
- Cabinets
- About 30% of the budget (NKBA guidance, as reported)
- Appliances / countertops
- About 14% / about 10%
- Labor
- About 25% of a kitchen budget (HomeAdvisor)
- Cost per sq ft
- About $75-$250 per sq ft (HomeAdvisor)
Worked example
A $400,000 home with a 150 sq ft kitchen
Target 10% of home value.
- Range: 5% to 15% of $400,000 = $20,000-$60,000; target at 10% = $40,000.
- Contingency: 10% to 20% of $40,000 = $4,000-$8,000, so plan the scope on $32,000-$36,000.
- Cabinets: 30% × $40,000 = $12,000; appliances $5,600; countertops $4,000.
- Size check: 150 sq ft × $75-$250 = $11,300-$37,500, so the target is inside the typical range.
Budget about $40,000, plan the work on $32,000-$36,000, and hold the rest in reserve.
How we calculate
The 5% to 15% of home value range is an industry rule of thumb, repeated by kitchen designers and home publications, to keep a kitchen in line with the house around it. Spending far less can leave the kitchen behind the rest of the home; spending far more is hard to get back at resale. It is a guide, not a limit.
We split your target with NKBA's budget percentages as reported (cabinets 30%, appliances 14%, countertops 10%, lighting 5%, plumbing fixtures 4%) and put the remaining 37% under installation, labor and everything else.
We also show a 10% to 20% contingency, the common planning practice for remodels. If you enter the kitchen's size, we compare your target with HomeAdvisor's $75 to $250 per square foot range.
Estimates, sources
Planning estimates and published guidelines, not quotes, designs or code rulings. Local prices, your home and your jurisdiction's adopted code decide the real answer: get local bids and check with your inspector.
- What is the percentile rule for upgrading a kitchen? (House Digest, 2023): rule of thumb: spend 5%-15% of the home's value on a kitchen
- Kitchen renovations: how to determine your budget (Laurysen Kitchens, 2023): a kitchen budget of about 5%-15% of the home's value
- Kitchen remodel budget split (NKBA guidance as reported) (Money.com, 2014): cabinets 30%, appliances 14%, countertops 10%, lighting 5%, plumbing fixtures 4%
- How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? (HomeAdvisor, 2026): $14,591 to $41,617 typical, average $26,990; $75 to $250 per sq ft; cabinets nearly 30%, labor about 25%
Where a kitchen budget goes
The NKBA split below is a starting point. If you keep your cabinets and paint them, move that money to counters or appliances; if you change the layout, raise installation and labor.
| Category | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets | 30% | $12,000 |
| Appliances | 14% | $5,600 |
| Countertops | 10% | $4,000 |
| Lighting | 5% | $2,000 |
| Plumbing fixtures | 4% | $1,600 |
| Installation, labor and everything else | 37% | $14,800 |
Kitchen budget by home value
The same rule at a few home values. Use the low end for a refresh in the same layout and the high end for a full remodel.
| Home value | 5% | 10% | 15% |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $12,500 | $25,000 | $37,500 |
| $400,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 | $60,000 |
| $600,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 | $90,000 |
| $900,000 | $45,000 | $90,000 | $135,000 |
How to use this tool
Enter your home value
A recent estimate or appraisal is fine.
Pick a share
5% for a refresh, around 10% typical, up to 15% for a full remodel.
Add the kitchen size
Optional: compare the budget with the $75-$250 per sq ft range.
Read the plan
Target, contingency, the scope budget and the split by category.
Questions
How much should I spend on a kitchen remodel?
A common rule of thumb is 5% to 15% of your home's value, about 10% for a typical remodel. For a $400,000 home that is $20,000 to $60,000.
How much is too much to spend on a kitchen?
Spending well past 15% of the home's value is hard to recover at resale. It can still be right if you plan to stay for many years and the kitchen matters to you.
How much contingency should a kitchen remodel have?
10% to 20% is common planning practice. Older homes and layout changes deserve the higher end, because hidden wiring, plumbing and floor problems show up during demolition.
What percentage of a kitchen remodel is cabinets?
About 30%, the largest single line, per NKBA guidance as reported. Appliances are about 14% and countertops about 10%.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost per square foot?
HomeAdvisor puts it at about $75 to $250 per square foot. Small kitchens cost more per square foot because fixed costs are spread over less floor.
Is this a quote?
No. It is a planning budget from rules of thumb and published averages. Get at least three itemized local bids.
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