How Much Does a Small Kitchen Remodel Cost? [2025 Data]

Average Cost of a Small Kitchen Remodel

A small kitchen remodel costs around $10,500 on average. That price varies depending on the scope of your renovations, as well as materials, labor, and permits. A small remodel can involve aesthetic upgrades and minor layout changes rather than major structural transformations. Some of those upgrades might include:

• Cabinet replacement

• Countertop refinishing 

• New sink

• Appliance upgrades

• Backsplash installation

• Painting walls

• Adding storage

Small Kitchen Remodeling Cost Factors

Various cost factors impact the price of your small kitchen remodeling project, with the biggest being size, materials, and labor. The larger, more in-depth, and labor-intensive the project is, the higher the costs. Here’s a breakdown of each of these components and their role in the average small kitchen remodel cost.

Size

Remodeling a kitchen costs about $150 per square foot. The average size of a small kitchen is between 70 and 100 square feet, so anticipate spending between $10,500 and $15,000 for a kitchen of that size.

Project Scope

Your project’s scope and complexity will also dictate pricing. Minor kitchen remodeling involves refreshing your space without changing the layout—refinishing cabinets, updating hardware, replacing countertops or flooring, painting the walls, and upgrading one or more appliances. 

That range still varies depending on the upgrades you make, even if they’re small. A small remodel that includes cabinet replacements will cost much more than one that includes painting and plumbing fixes but only a refacing of cabinets. 

For a major or complete kitchen renovation project, expect to pay at least $20,000. A major overhaul includes moving plumbing and electrical work, structural changes, custom cabinetry, luxury flooring, appliances, countertops, backsplashes, a new kitchen island, fresh paint, and new lighting.

Cabinets

As stunning as cabinets look in a kitchen, they come at a cost. Kitchen cabinets cost $1,900 to $9,400 for a small kitchen—50% of the total cost of your project. You’ll pay anywhere between $100 and $1,200 per linear foot, depending on the size, depth, and type of material you choose for your cabinets. Most small kitchens need around 15 linear feet of cabinets.

Appliances

Home appliances cost between $350 and $8,000 on average for each appliance, including the installation. This wide price range takes into account high-tech appliances like stainless steel smart refrigerators and smaller appliances like microwave ovens. Installation can increase the price to the higher end of the range if you need new electrical wiring or plumbing.

Countertops

The cost of countertops in a small kitchen will fall around $1,050 to $7,000. Installing countertops costs between $15 and $70 per square foot. Granite, marble, and stainless steel countertops cost more than laminate, wood, or Corian—so consider your materials when making a decision.

Backsplash

Small kitchen backsplash installation costs around $600 to $1,300, with the cost per square foot falling between the $15 and $40 range. Ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles are the most cost-friendly, while glass and stainless steel backsplash costs more.

Flooring

For a small kitchen, flooring costs between $1,000 and $1,250 on average. The type of flooring material you choose has the biggest impact on your total cost, with vinyl or linoleum flooring coming in at the lower end and ceramic, stone, porcelain tile, and hardwood flooring coming in toward the higher end.

Plumbing, Sinks and Faucets

Installing or replacing plumbing fixtures can add $350 to $2,000 to your project. Installing a kitchen faucet costs between $160 and $360, installing a sink costs $200 to $650, and the cost to repipe a kitchen is $3 to $10 per linear foot on average. You might also need to acquire a permit before a plumbing project, which can add $500 to $1,500 to your project.

Lighting

You can expect to pay an average price of $50 to $500 to enhance your kitchen lighting. Kitchen lighting includes pendant lighting, recessed lights, high-tech features, interior cabinet lighting, under-cabinet lighting, chandeliers, and flush-mount lighting. However, if you want a more high-end look, you could pay $2,000 to $4,500 to illuminate your kitchen.

Electrical 

You’ll need to hire an electrician near you to install your new kitchen lighting. Hiring an electrician costs $50 to $100 per hour. Here are the costs to install common kitchen renovation lighting:

Paint

The cost to paint kitchen cabinets and drawers is around $400 to $1,400. Meanwhile, the cost to paint the walls of a kitchen is between $2 and $6 per square foot, or $140 to $600 for the average small kitchen. If you paint your kitchen yourself, you’ll pay for the cost of paint, which is $25 per gallon on average, saving you on expenses.

Drywall

Installing drywall costs between $105 and $300 on average for a small kitchen. To break this down further, you’ll pay between $1.50 and $3 per square foot. Thicker, moisture-resistant panels cost more than thin, generic drywall panels.

Labor

The average cost of labor is $1,900 to $2,700 for a small kitchen or roughly 18% of your project’s total costs. Projects that require new electrical wiring and plumbing will cost the most, as you’ll likely need to hire separate contractors to take on these specialized installations.

Permits

Acquiring permits for your kitchen remodel will cost between $500 and $1,500. Your expenses may vary depending on where you live, the size of your kitchen remodel, and the type of work you’ll need to renovate it. New wiring, plumbing, and foundation or structural work will increase these costs.

Design Work

Hiring a professional kitchen designer near you costs anywhere from $65 to $250 per hour. Another way to look at it is by dedicating 3% of your budget to hiring a designer. If you plan on having your designer come to your home or a hardware store to help you select the right materials for your kitchen, you may pay a flat-rate fee of $100 to $800.

Demolition

Demolishing your kitchen costs anywhere from $4 and $17 per square foot. The harder it is to access the area and remove large pieces of junk, the more you’ll pay. Your materials also play a role in the demolition costs—wooden materials are far easier to remove than metal or brick.

Cleanup and Disposal

Tearing into walls and removing old cabinets creates a lot of debris. The average cost for cleaning up and disposing of debris for a small kitchen renovation is between $130 and $370, depending on how much waste there is to remove.

Remodeling a Kitchen Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro

You’ll save roughly 18% on the cost of your small kitchen remodel if you choose to do it yourself. This could mean savings of anywhere from $1,900 to $3,600. Painting kitchen cabinets yourself, installing new appliances, and adding a new backsplash to your kitchen may be doable for avid DIYers. 

However, unless you have carpentry skills, you’ll want to hold off on taking a sledgehammer to your kitchen and attempting to construct a new one. For some more complex projects, like flooring, cabinets, plumbing, and electrical, it’s best to hire a local kitchen remodeling company, plumber, and electrician to get the job done safely and efficiently.

Signs Your Kitchen Needs to Be Remodeled

If you recognize any of these signs, it’s time to consider a small I’m kitchen remodel:

• Outdated Appearance: Your kitchen isn’t up to par with your tastes or feels stuck in a different decade.

• Inadequate Storage Space: You find yourself doing a dance to get around because there’s not enough space for pots, pans, and pantry essentials.

• Wear and Tear: Cabinets are falling apart, countertops are chipped, and flooring could use a refinish.

• Inefficient Appliances: Your appliances are past their prime, leaving you with high energy bills or difficulty with cooking and cleaning.

• Safety Concerns: You’ve spotted some kitchen hazards like faulty wiring or slippery flooring.

• Resale Value: If you plan to sell your home, an updated kitchen is a great way to attract buyers and increase the value of your property.

How to Save When Remodeling a Small Kitchen

Since kitchen remodeling is largely a matter of personal taste, you can easily go over budget if you’re not careful or start picking out high-end materials. If you’re working with a smaller budget, you can still make the most out of your remodel by following these tips for saving money:

• Since cabinets take up half of the project’s cost, choose stock cabinets over custom cabinets. 

• Avoid purchasing high-tech appliances with big price tags. 

• Select cost-friendly materials for your countertops, floors, and cabinets like wood, laminate, and porcelain. 

• DIY simple projects like painting existing cabinets and installing a backsplash. 

• Try to install appliances that use the same plumbing and electrical system you currently use.

Elisa Greenberg contributed to this piece.