Kitchen cost guide · Fall 2026
Three tiers, from painted cabinets and new counters to an opened-up layout. The ranges come from our own jobs and proposals in Rogers, Bentonville, Fayetteville and Springdale, priced with the same labor, trade bids and material costs we use on real work.
Tier 1
The Refresh
For solid cabinets and a layout that works, with finishes that look dated
$7,000 – $25,000
Tier 2
The Full Remodel
Everything new, with the sink and range staying where they are
$35,000 – $70,000
Tier 3
The New Layout
Walls come out, the sink moves, and the kitchen opens to the room beside it
$90,000 – $175,000
Cost estimator
Pick the tier that matches what you want to change, then add the upgrades you're considering. A Tier 2 kitchen near the top of its range, plus one big upgrade, usually lands between $75,000 and $85,000.
1. Pick your tier
2. Add upgrades
Your total estimated budget
Recommended budget range
$35,000 – $70,000
The Full Remodel: Everything comes out and goes back new, but the sink and range stay in place, so no plumbing gets cut into the slab. Expect new stock to semi-custom cabinets across about 22–28 linear feet, 40–60 SF of granite or quartz with a tile backsplash, an island where the room allows, outlets brought to code, recessed and undercabinet lighting, and new flooring, paint and trim with your appliances installed. Add upgrades on the left to see how they move the number.
Want to refine these numbers further? Let's talk about your project.
Get a tailored estimatePlanning ranges built from Right Hand Home 2026 jobs and proposals — not a quote. Prices include installing your appliances, not the appliances themselves.
Find out which tier you're in
Send three photos of your kitchen and a rough sketch with measurements. We'll tell you which tier it fits and give you a realistic number before anyone comes out.
What it's worth when you sell
Minor kitchen remodel · about Tier 1
117%
of a $26,762 average cost recovered at resale in our region.
A minor kitchen remodel — new cabinet fronts, counters, sink and flooring, with the layout unchanged — added $31,385 in resale value on a $26,762 average cost across our region. In Fayetteville alone it returned 110%. That's our Tier 1 Refresh.
Source: Cost vs. Value Report 2025 (Zonda / JLC), West South Central region, 117.3%; Fayetteville, AR, 109.7%. The report's project also includes a new range and refrigerator. Averages are regional, not a projection for your home.
Real projects, real prices
Tier 1 · Partial rebuild
$14,390
Fayetteville: three base cabinets replaced to match, 31 SF of granite with the sink reset, subway tile backsplash, drywall and insulation repair, full paint, appliances pulled and reset. Includes the homeowner's upgrades to the granite and tile.
Install only · Owner's materials
$17,370
Base, upper and tall pantry cabinets with a ceiling trim kit, a two-sided island, tile backsplash, sink and appliance hookups, new outlets, lighting fixes, drywall repair and trim. Labor only; the homeowner supplied the materials. The final invoice matched the approved proposals.
Tier 3 · New layout
about $90,000
A non-structural wall opened, the sink moved to a new island through the slab, semi-custom cabinets and quartz counters — the low end of a Tier 3 project.
Tier 3 · Top of the range
about $175,000
A 14-ft load-bearing wall carried on a flush beam, sink and range both moved, custom cabinets and quartzite counters, full lighting plan and continuous flooring.
Source: Right Hand Home approved proposals and change orders, 2026. Tier 3 figures are typical scopes priced with the same labor, trade bids and material costs.
What each tier changes
Each row opens up more of the kitchen than the one above it.
| Part of the kitchen | Refresh | Full Remodel | New Layout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paint, hardware, lighting | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt |
| Countertops, sink, backsplash | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt |
| Cabinets | Often, or in part | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt |
| Flooring, drywall, wiring to code | Often, or in part | Replaced or rebuilt | Replaced or rebuilt |
| Where the sink and range sit | Stays as is | Stays as is | Replaced or rebuilt |
| Walls and structure | Stays as is | Stays as is | Replaced or rebuilt |
Upgrades that move the number
Move the sink to an island on a slab floor
Includes cutting and re-pouring the concrete, a new vent, and power for the island.
$7,600 – $12,700
Open a load-bearing wall
Includes an engineer's letter, the beam, permits and patching. The span and beam type set the price.
$8,100 – $23,700
Add an island with outlets
Cabinets, a stone top and a new circuit.
$10,200 – $15,600
Lighting plan
8 recessed lights, undercabinet strips, 2 pendants and a new circuit.
$5,400 – $7,800
Granite to quartzite or premium quartz
About 60 SF of countertop.
$4,000 – $7,000
Full-height backsplash
Tile from the counter to the bottom of the uppers, or to the ceiling on open walls.
$3,800 – $5,600
Move a gas range
A new gas line and a dedicated circuit.
$2,000 – $3,300
Vent the range hood outside
$1,300 – $2,500
Upgrades that cut concrete or open structure include a contingency, because that's where surprises turn up. Source: Right Hand Home 2026 proposal pricing.
What drives the price
01
Cabinets and their installation run about a third of a full remodel. Going from stock to custom boxes can triple that line, on exactly the same footprint.
02
Leaving them in place saves more than any other choice. On a slab foundation, moving a sink means cutting and re-pouring concrete, plus a new drain and vent.
03
In our jobs, installed granite has run about $117 to $169 per SF. Most kitchens have 40–60 SF of counter, so the material step-up is real money.
04
Old leaks, soft subfloor and wiring problems only show up after demo. That's why every remodel carries its own contingency line.
05
These ranges include installing your appliances, not buying them. Pick your own, or we'll price a package as an allowance.
06
Moving plumbing, adding circuits or taking out a wall needs permits. A Tier 3 kitchen always does.
What's in every Right Hand Home price
Sink, faucet, hardware and tile are priced as allowances. If you choose something above one, we price the difference as a change before anything is ordered.
Full remodels include a design budget for layout, cabinet plans and selections.
We disconnect, set and hook up ranges, dishwashers, microwaves and hoods as part of the job.
Hidden conditions get their own line on the budget, so nothing gets tucked into labor.
Floor protection, dust walls, debris removal and dump fees are in the price.
We'll install them. Install-only work is priced by the scope, like the $17,370 project above.
About online estimates. Cost calculators quote Bentonville kitchens anywhere from about $6,500 to $33,000, averaging $20,000 — a range that lumps painted cabinets in with full remodels. Whatever number you're comparing, ask what it includes: cabinets, stone, electrical to code, contingency, haul-off, and who pulls the permits.
The three tiers
The biggest jumps come from replacing cabinets, then from moving the sink or range.
Tier 1
For solid cabinets and a layout that works, with finishes that look dated
$7,000 – $25,000
The layout and the cabinet boxes stay right where they are. We paint or refinish the cabinets and add new hardware, set new granite or quartz tops with an undermount sink, run a tile backsplash, and update the faucet and lighting. Any damaged cabinets get replaced to match the rest. It is the fastest, highest-return way to make a dated kitchen feel new.
Tier 2
Everything new, with the sink and range staying where they are
$35,000 – $70,000
Everything comes out and goes back new, but the sink and range stay in place, so no plumbing gets cut into the slab. Expect new stock to semi-custom cabinets across about 22–28 linear feet, 40–60 SF of granite or quartz with a tile backsplash, an island where the room allows, outlets brought to code, recessed and undercabinet lighting, and new flooring, paint and trim with your appliances installed.
Tier 3
Walls come out, the sink moves, and the kitchen opens to the room beside it
$90,000 – $175,000
This is the one that changes how the house lives. A wall opens to the living space, carried on an engineered beam if it is load-bearing. The sink moves to an island through the slab with a new drain and vent, the range and gas line move, and the hood vents outside. Semi-custom to custom cabinets, premium stone, a full lighting plan, continuous flooring across the opened space, new circuits and trade permits.
Kitchen remodeling near you
How these numbers were built
The ranges use Right Hand Home's 2026 jobs and proposals, including the projects shown above. Tier 2, Tier 3 and upgrade prices are typical scopes priced with the same labor rates, trade bids and material costs. Resale figures come from the Cost vs. Value Report 2025, West South Central region (Zonda / JLC). Prices reflect fall 2026, include installing appliances but not the appliances themselves, and are planning ranges, not quotes.403 W Mulberry St, Rogers, AR 72756 · Residential remodeling across Northwest Arkansas · 479-396-3242