Costs
What Really Drives Kitchen Cost
Updated 2 min read
The short answer
There is one decision that separates two very different kitchen budgets: whether services move. Keeping the sink, range and fridge where they are means a cabinetry-and-finishes project. Moving any of them means plumbing, electrical, possibly gas, likely a permit, and a different order of cost.
Cost drivers in order
| Driver | Impact | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Moving the sink or range | Very high | Plumbing, gas, permits — the big fork in the road |
| Removing or moving walls | Very high | Structural, permits, possibly an engineer |
| Number of cabinets | High | You pay per box, per door, per set of hardware |
| Drawer banks vs door bases | High | Drawers cost 1.6–2× a door base |
| Countertop material | High | Wide range; also affects support requirements |
| Integrated appliances | High | Panels built to spec, longer lead times |
| Island with services | High | Structural plus plumbing or ventilation |
| Door style and species | Moderate | Visible but the smaller lever people assume is the big one |
| Hardware grade | Moderate | Worth spending on |
| Backsplash and finishes | Moderate | Varies enormously by material |
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Keeping a kitchen in the lower band
- Keep the services where they are
- The single biggest cost decision. A refresh in the existing layout is a fundamentally different project.
- Fewer, larger cabinets
- Two 900mm units cost less than three 600mm units of the same width.
- Freestanding rather than integrated appliances
- No panels to build, shorter lead times, lower appliance cost.
- A simple door style
- Plain Shaker or slab. Ages well and costs less than raised panel or fluted.
- Consider refacing
- If the boxes are sound plywood and the layout works, this is the biggest saving available.
- Laminate counters over plywood boxes
- Better than stone counters over particleboard, if the budget forces a choice.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
Why is moving a sink so expensive?
Because it means new supply and drainage runs, which usually means opening floors or walls, which means a plumber, possibly a permit, and making good afterwards. Drainage in particular needs correct fall, so it is not simply a matter of extending a pipe.
Is it cheaper to keep the same layout?
Substantially, and it is the single largest saving available in a kitchen. If the existing layout genuinely works, keeping it converts the project from a renovation into a refresh, with a correspondingly different budget.
Where do most kitchen budgets go?
Cabinetry is usually the largest single line, followed by countertops and appliances. But the decision that most changes the total is not any of those — it is whether services move, because that brings other trades, permits and making good into a project that otherwise would not have them.
Ready to discuss your project?
We offer free consultations and fixed written quotes across Calgary.
We review every estimate request. Any next step depends on confirming a suitable available contractor — there is no guaranteed callback or quote timeframe.