What Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost in Dallas in 2026?

I get this question every week. Sometimes twice on a Monday. And I get it — a kitchen remodel is probably the biggest single investment you're going to make in your home, and nobody wants to start that conversation blind.

So let me just give you the real numbers. I've been doing kitchen remodels in Dallas for over 8 years. I've worked on projects from $50K gut jobs to $1.2M whole-home renovations where the kitchen alone was half the budget. I've seen what things actually cost, what surprises come up, and what separates a smooth project from a nightmare.

Here's what you need to know going into 2026.

The Range: $50K to $1.2M (and Why That's Not a Cop-Out)

When contractors throw out ranges that wide, it can feel like they're dodging the question. They're not — or at least I'm not. That range is real, and it reflects real variables: square footage, structural work, appliance tier, cabinet quality, countertop material, and whether anything unexpected lives behind your walls.

Here's how I actually think about it by scope:

Project Scope	Typical Range
Mid-range full kitchen remodel (new cabinets, countertops, appliances, tile)	$50K–$80K
Typical Plano/Dallas kitchen (quality finishes, some structural, full gut)	$60K–$120K
High-end with custom cabinets, premium appliances, structural changes	$120K–$250K+
Full home remodel with kitchen as anchor	$300K–$1.2M+

For most of the homes we work on in Plano and Dallas — 1980s to early 2000s builds, 200–350 square foot kitchen footprint, homeowners who want to do it right but aren't going Wolf-and-Sub-Zero — you're looking at $60K to $120K for a full gut remodel done well.

What Actually Blows Budgets

In my experience, three things kill budgets more than anything else:

1. Appliances

People underestimate appliances badly. You can easily spend $30K–$50K on a full suite if you're going high-end. Wolf range, Sub-Zero fridge, Bosch dishwasher — those numbers add up fast. We always push clients to nail down appliance selections early, because they drive cabinet sizing, ventilation requirements, and sometimes structural decisions.

2. Hidden Framing Issues Behind Old Tile

I can't tell you how many times we've opened up a wall and found something unexpected — water damage behind the backsplash, rotted framing around an old window, electrical that should've been updated 20 years ago. This is especially common in pre-2000 construction. It's not a contractor making excuses; it's just the reality of older homes. Budget a 10–15% contingency and hope you don't need it.

3. Load-Bearing Walls

Open-concept is still what everyone wants. And a lot of the time, the wall between the kitchen and the living room is load-bearing. That means engineering, a beam, posts, sometimes foundation work. It adds cost — but it's absolutely worth it when it's done right. We're backed by Load Bearing Wall Pros, so this is something we handle in-house. But it's not free, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either wrong or not including it in the quote.

Timeline: How Long Does It Actually Take?

A full kitchen gut remodel — demo through final punch list — typically runs 8 to 14 weeks for us. Here's roughly how that breaks down:

• Demo and rough work (framing, electrical, plumbing rough-in): 2–3 weeks
• Inspections and lead time on cabinets/countertops: 2–4 weeks (this is where most delays happen)
• Cabinet install, countertop template, countertop fabrication: 2–3 weeks
• Tile, backsplash, appliances, trim, fixtures: 2–3 weeks
• Final punch list and walkthrough: 1 week

Lead times on custom cabinets can stretch this. Semi-custom is usually 4–6 weeks out; fully custom can be 10–12 weeks. If you want a specific countertop material that has to be sourced, that adds time too. We build all of this into the project schedule upfront so there are no surprises.

What Remodelit Does (All of It)

We handle the full scope: demo, framing, electrical, plumbing rough-in, tile, cabinets, countertops, appliances, fixtures, paint, and final finishes. One contract. One team. One point of contact — which is DK's cell phone.

On our Aberdeen Ave project in Dallas, we did a full kitchen gut as part of a whole-home renovation. New layout, waterfall island, custom cabinets, range with a custom alcove, tile work throughout. That's the kind of project we live for — the ones where you get to redesign the space from scratch and build it exactly right.

What to Look for in a Contractor

A few things I'd tell anyone in the market:

• Get itemized quotes, not lump sums. If someone hands you a one-number bid, you don't know what's included. Ask for line-item breakdowns.
• Ask who's doing the work. Lots of contractors sub everything out. Know whether the guy you're signing with is managing the project or just brokering it.
• Check their structural knowledge. If there's a load-bearing wall anywhere near your project and your contractor can't talk confidently about beams and headers, find someone else.
• Don't chase the lowest bid. The cheapest quote usually means something's not included — or it means you'll be living in a demo'd kitchen for six months while they juggle other jobs.