Henry Check
Check what your kitchen remodel estimate actually includes
Already have a written kitchen remodel estimate? Enter it into Henry Check or upload a PDF or photo to see it alongside published, cited price ranges. Review red flags and questions to ask before signing, then choose whether to be matched with up to 3 local pros for more estimates.
A kitchen quote can name cabinets, counters, and installation yet leave major decisions unresolved. Cabinet fillers, countertop cutouts, appliance hookups, and the route for the range hood all affect the finished result. Start by separating confirmed work from allowances, exclusions, and decisions still waiting on you.
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Published price ranges
Each range is shown with who published it. Henry Check also uses the ranges from Henry's city guides near your ZIP.
| Work | Range | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $5,000 – $15,000 | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Mid-range remodel, same layout | $25,000 – $60,000 | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Upscale remodel or layout change | $60,000 – $150,000+ | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Cabinet refacing | $5,000 – $15,000 | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| New cabinets, installed | $8,000 – $35,000+ | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Quartz or granite countertops | $50 – $150 per square foot installed | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Laminate countertops | $20 – $50 per square foot installed | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
| Tile backsplash | $1,000 – $4,000 | Homeowner Henry's national kitchen remodel guide |
What drives kitchen remodel cost beyond room size
First identify the project: keeping cabinet boxes and replacing doors is not the same scope as removing everything to the studs. Moving the sink, adding an island with utilities, or opening a wall introduces work that a surface refresh does not include. Ask each bidder to describe which layout stays and which elements move.
Cabinet construction, drawer accessories, finished end panels, and installation details can separate two seemingly similar packages. For countertops, compare material, thickness, edge profile, backsplash height, seams, and sink openings. Appliance selections can also change cabinet dimensions, electrical work, and ventilation design.
Existing conditions matter too. Uneven floors, damaged subfloor around the dishwasher, and inaccessible plumbing can add work once demolition exposes them. Have the contractor distinguish observed problems from concealed conditions and explain how discoveries will be documented and authorized.
Read the scope before comparing the totals
Request a cabinet schedule and a dimensioned layout that correspond to the estimate. Match each appliance opening, pantry unit, corner cabinet, trim piece, and exposed panel to that plan. A cabinet allowance without quantities or a named product leaves too much room for substitutions.
An allowance is a placeholder for an unselected item, not proof that your selection is covered. Ask whether it includes delivery, taxes, installation, and related accessories. For owner-supplied appliances or fixtures, identify who checks dimensions, receives deliveries, stores items, and handles damage or missing parts.
Make exclusions explicit. Painting adjoining walls, extending flooring under new cabinets, repairing the ceiling after a wall comes down, and reconnecting the dishwasher can disappear between separate subcontractor scopes. Ask who owns each transition rather than accepting a broad promise of a complete kitchen.
Compare kitchen quotes using one selection sheet
Give each contractor the same layout, appliance model numbers, cabinet specifications, countertop selection, and finish list. Label optional work separately: an island, relocated sink, or taller cabinets should not be bundled into only one bid. Compare quantities and responsibilities before comparing totals.
For each difference, ask for a written revision or alternate. One estimate may include hood ducting to the exterior while another covers only hanging the hood. One may include cabinet hardware installation but exclude buying the pulls. Neither distinction is visible in a single cabinet-installation total.
Check sequencing as carefully as scope. Ask when the cabinets must be installed before countertop measurement, who confirms the sink is available for fabrication, and when the kitchen will lose water and cooking access. A proposed start date means little if cabinets or appliances have not been ordered.
Confirm permits, trade credentials, and lead-safe planning
Permit and licensing rules vary by state/city. Describe the actual kitchen work to your building department: wall changes, new wiring, plumbing relocation, and exhaust ductwork. Seattle, for example, publishes remodel permit guidance, but its requirements are not a nationwide checklist. Ask your contractor to identify applicable approvals and who obtains them.
The FTC recommends checking contractor licensing with state or county government and requesting proof of insurance. For a kitchen involving several trades, ask who is responsible for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work and verify any credentials required locally. Put permit responsibility and inspection scheduling in writing.
If the home was built before 1978, raise lead-safe planning before painted cabinets, walls, or trim are disturbed. EPA recommends hiring an EPA- or state-certified lead-safe contractor for these renovations. Its consumer guidance and lead-safe renovation pamphlet explain the risks and work practices; ask how containment and cleanup appear in your scope.
Put kitchen milestones, changes, and warranty terms in writing
Tie proposed payment milestones to identifiable deliverables, such as cabinet delivery, completed installation, or countertop installation, rather than vague progress labels. Ask what documentation supports a special-order materials payment. The FTC advises against paying the full project amount upfront; deposit rules vary by state/city, so verify local requirements before paying.
California CSLB guidance calls for written changes and a payment schedule linked to completed work. Use that as a prompt to ask how your own contract handles changes, not as a statement of every state’s law. Require a description of added work, its price, and its schedule effect before approving it.
Ask for the contractor’s written workmanship warranty and the separate manufacturer terms for cabinets, counters, and appliances. Identify who handles a sticking drawer, leaking sink connection, or failed countertop seam. Agree on a final walkthrough covering appliance operation, cabinet alignment, plumbing checks, cleanup, and any outstanding inspection documentation.
What a complete estimate lists
Measured design and cabinet schedule
Identify the approved layout, cabinet dimensions, appliance openings, and revision date so purchasing and installation use the same plan.
Demolition and protection
List cabinets, counters, backsplash, and flooring to remove, plus protection for retained appliances, dust separation, debris hauling, and disposal.
Wall changes and concealed-condition process
Describe openings, structural evaluation if needed, patching boundaries, and the approval process for hidden damage discovered during demolition.
Cabinet package and installation
Name the manufacturer, product line, door style, finish, box construction, hardware, fillers, toe kicks, panels, and trim; separate supply from installation.
Countertop fabrication and fitting
Specify material, thickness, edge, measured area, seam planning, sink and faucet cutouts, support details, delivery, and installation.
Sink, faucet, disposal, and dishwasher plumbing
List fixtures, supply and drain changes, shutoff work, disposal connection, dishwasher reconnection, and testing, including who supplies each component.
Electrical and lighting scope
Identify appliance circuits, receptacle changes, switch locations, recessed fixtures, under-cabinet lighting, controls, and any panel work included or excluded.
Range hood and exhaust route
Name the hood model, duct route, exterior termination, wall or roof repairs, and responsibility for checking installation instructions and local requirements.
Appliance delivery and installation
Record model numbers, opening checks, unloading, placement, connections, anti-tip installation where specified by the manufacturer, and removal of old units.
Flooring and subfloor preparation
Specify removal, leveling or repair allowances, flooring product, installation boundaries under cabinets and appliances, and transitions into adjoining rooms.
Backsplash and finish repairs
Define tile coverage, edge treatment, grout, substrate preparation, drywall patching, caulking, and exactly which walls and ceilings receive paint.
Approvals, closeout, and exclusions
Allocate permits, inspections, cleanup, final adjustments, warranty documents, and omitted work so the kitchen has a defined completion point.
Red flags to look for
Cabinets described only by color
A white cabinet package does not identify box construction, door material, drawer hardware, or finished panels. Ask for a product schedule before approving the order.
Countertops priced without fabrication details
An area measurement alone leaves sink cutouts, edge treatment, seams, support, and installation unresolved. Request a fabrication scope tied to the kitchen plan.
A moved sink with no utility scope
Moving cabinetry does not explain how water, drain, vent, and electrical connections reach the new location. Ask which trades and surface repairs are included.
A hood with no duct destination
Installing the appliance is not the same as providing an exterior exhaust route. DOE guidance says kitchen exhaust should vent outdoors, not into an attic or crawlspace.
Appliance fit left until delivery
Unconfirmed refrigerator clearances or dishwasher opening height can force cabinet or flooring changes. Ask who checks the selected model instructions against the finished dimensions.
Demolition before selections and ordering are settled
An unresolved cabinet order or unavailable sink can stall countertop measurement. Request a purchasing and installation sequence before agreeing to lose kitchen access.
Hidden damage handled by verbal permission
Open-ended authorization for subfloor or wall repairs gives you no clear approval boundary. Ask for photographs, a written repair description, and a priced change before work proceeds.
Pre-1978 painted surfaces treated as ordinary debris
Sanding or removing painted kitchen components can create lead dust. Ask about EPA or state lead-safe certification, containment, and cleaning before demolition begins.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can you mark every included cabinet, filler, finished panel, and trim piece on the layout?
- Which appliance model numbers did you use to check openings, door swings, and connection locations?
- Does the countertop scope include all cutouts, seams, edge finishing, supports, and sink installation?
- What plumbing work is included if the sink or dishwasher moves, and who repairs the opened surfaces?
- Which new circuits, receptacles, lighting fixtures, and panel changes are included?
- Where will the hood exhaust terminate, and who checks duct sizing and any local makeup-air requirements?
- Does flooring extend beneath the dishwasher, and will it remain removable after the new floor is installed?
- Which permits and inspections apply here, and who coordinates each one?
- What must be delivered before demolition, and how long are water and cooking facilities expected to be unavailable?
- How will you document hidden damage, price changes, and obtain my approval?
- Which payments correspond to cabinet ordering, delivery, installation, and final completion?
- Who handles cabinet adjustments, plumbing leaks, and countertop seam concerns after the walkthrough?
Check your estimate in about 2 minutes
Upload a PDF or photo, or type it in. Free, no login.
FAQs
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
The scope and selections matter more than a room-size label alone. Reusing the layout, replacing all cabinets, moving utilities, and opening walls are different projects. Use Henry Check to view your written estimate alongside published, cited price ranges, then inspect the included quantities, allowances, and exclusions.
What should a kitchen remodel estimate include?
Look for a measured layout, specified cabinet package, countertop fabrication details, demolition, utility work, appliance installation, flooring, backsplash, finish repairs, and cleanup. It should also identify allowances, exclusions, permit responsibility, schedule assumptions, payment milestones, and the process for changes.
Can I compare cabinet refacing with cabinet replacement?
Treat them as separate scopes. Refacing retains cabinet boxes while changing selected visible components; replacement removes the boxes and installs new units. Ask what happens to drawer boxes, hinges, interiors, end panels, and counters in each proposal. Confirm whether the existing layout and cabinet condition support the retained components.
Why is my countertop allowance different from the final selection?
The allowance may cover a different material or omit fabrication details. Ask which slab or product, thickness, edge, cutouts, backsplash, and installation services it assumes. Before approving your selection, request a written reconciliation showing the allowance credit and the complete selected scope.
Does keeping the kitchen layout mean no permits are needed?
Do not assume so. Electrical, plumbing, or mechanical changes may need approval even when the sink and range stay in place. Rules vary by state/city. Give your local building department a description of the proposed work and ask the contractor to record permit and inspection responsibilities.
Should appliances be selected before cabinets are ordered?
Select models early enough for the designer and installer to check opening dimensions, clearances, power, water, and ventilation instructions. Ask who signs off on compatibility. A later change from one refrigerator or range model to another can affect cabinetry, countertop openings, or connection locations.
How do I handle an estimate with a large materials payment?
Ask which kitchen products are being ordered, whether they are returnable, when they will arrive, and what order or delivery documentation you receive. Check applicable deposit rules with your state consumer agency or licensing authority. The FTC advises against paying the entire project amount upfront.
Can Henry Check replace a contractor’s site visit?
No. A written-estimate comparison cannot expose concealed subfloor damage, verify circuit capacity, or confirm a proposed wall opening. Use Henry Check to organize scope questions and compare cited price information, then have the responsible professionals verify site conditions and revise the written proposal where needed.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission - How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam
- California Contractors State License Board - Step 3: Homeowner Checklists
- US EPA - Steps to Lead Safe Renovation, Repair and Painting
- US EPA - Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Consumers
- US Department of Energy, Building Science Education - HVAC Kitchen Exhaust
- Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections - House Additions & Remodels