As our bathroom renovation continues (current status: more demo, the vanity, tub, and toilet have arrived, and the plumber and electrician are scheduled to rough in so we can prep and tile), we wanted to share a clear duplex kitchen budget breakdown. For anyone who asked about renting the duplex this fall, there’s a short announcement near the end of this post.
Kitchen renovation costs can vary widely depending on scope, materials, labor, and location, so treat this as a reference point—not a rule for what a kitchen should cost. For perspective, national averages and magazine experts show a huge range, and while our kitchens’ price tags are modest compared with high-end projects, there are areas where we could have saved money in hindsight.
Below is a breakdown of major materials and fixtures for one side of the duplex kitchen (the other side is a mirror image and cost about the same). This excludes whole-house items like new drywall, full electrical or plumbing packages, and floor refinishing, which were billed as common work. Later I include ballpark labor examples from our past projects so you can estimate a more complete cost.
We transformed the space from an empty box to a fully fitted kitchen with two walls of cabinetry, quartz counters, built-in appliances, tile backsplash to the ceiling, and refinished hardwoods. Here’s the itemized cost list for one kitchen.
- Ikea cabinets (including hinges and drawer slides): $2,100
- Hardware: $100 (four packs at $24.99 each)
- Quartz countertops (sink and installation included): $2,850
- Appliances (including microwave and vent hood): $2,550
- Backsplash tile: $475
- Floating shelves: $90
- Horizontal planking: $31
- Faucet: $155
- Pendant light: $140
- TOTAL (materials & fixtures): $8,491
The total was a bit higher than we expected. The biggest single costs were the quartz counters and the appliances. We love quartz—it’s durable and worry-free, and we’ve had it in other homes with no staining, cracking, or scratching issues—so we were happy to invest there, even for a rental. If you’re tight on budget, there are cheaper surfaces, but quartz is a long-term value we appreciate.
Appliances offered obvious places to save. White appliances are generally cheaper than stainless steel, and you can buy simpler, less built-in versions for less money. However, stainless steel still reads as “updated kitchen” for many renters, and we wanted the kitchens to feel upgraded. We also avoided fridges with ice makers and water dispensers to reduce potential leaks and maintenance issues.
Some appliance upgrades were costly because we chose concealed options. For example, an in-cabinet recirculating hood and a cabinet-front dishwasher added several hundred dollars compared with exposed, standard models. We liked the seamless look because the kitchens are visible from the entry, and it was important to avoid interrupting the lower cabinet run with a visible dishwasher or hood.
The numbers above are for materials and fixtures only because we did most of the labor ourselves. To give a more complete picture, here are example labor costs from our past projects that you can add if hiring professionals:
- Hardwood refinishing (typical for us): about $3.50 per sq. ft. — this kitchen (11.5′ x 10′) would be roughly $402
- Electrical (examples from other projects): $455 to $900 depending on scope — a mid-range estimate here: $700
- Plumbing (moving sink, dishwasher hookups, fridge line, gas line adjustments): our recent jobs ranged from $500 to $650 — estimate here: $500
If you add the floor refinishing ($402), a mid-range electrical fee ($700), and plumbing ($500) to the material total ($8,491), the combined figure comes to about $10,093. That’s not “cheap,” but it’s reasonable for converting an empty room into a fully fitted kitchen with cabinets, quartz, built-in appliances, tile to the ceiling, and refinished hardwoods.
Labor costs vary a lot by region and by how much of the home is opened up. When walls and floors are exposed it’s often faster and cheaper to run new wiring and plumbing, which helped keep costs down here. If you’re planning your own project, get multiple bids and factor in the specifics of your house (slab foundation, crawlspace access, multiple floors, etc.).
A quick note about bookings: for those who asked, we released fall dates for the duplex and most are already reserved. The end of this week is still available on the left side, and the end of next week is open on both sides. We require a three-night minimum in the off-season, which is why some available check-in days look limited. If you’re curious about the area, we’ve shared a travel guide and a before-and-after of the duplex in past posts.
If you want more reading, here are a few related posts we’ve written about kitchen projects, budget refreshes, and lessons learned from past remodels that can help you plan and save.
- Friend’s budget kitchen refresh that kept much of the original layout but feels new
- Our 2015 kitchen remodel and its budget breakdown
- Five renovation mistakes we made that you can avoid
- Our first house kitchen and the budget breakdown for that project
- How to install a subway tile backsplash affordably
- How we planned the beach house kitchen
- Tips for organizing kitchen cabinets and drawers
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