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Kitchen Refresh Cost Calculator, California

A cosmetic update with no layout change: keeps your cabinets; new countertops, sink and faucet, backsplash, paint and lights, and optionally a new range and dishwasher. (A full remodel also replaces cabinets and floor.)

Typical mid-range budget: $16,400–$18,900, depending on the city, for a kitchen keeping its cabinets: 20 ft of new countertop, sink and faucet, backsplash, paint, lights and appliances.

Estimate my kitchen refresh by ZIP Costs by city

Budget estimate, not a bid, appraisal, or insurance claim valuation. Get licensed contractor bids. Pilot.

Kitchen refresh cost by California city

Mid finish, same size everywhere. Likely is the median of 4,000 simulated outcomes; the range is the 10th to 90th percentile.

City (ZIP)	Likely	Range
Los Angeles (90026)	$17,500	$14,700–$20,900
San Diego (92104)	$16,900	$14,300–$20,100
San Jose (95112)	$18,900	$16,000–$22,700
San Francisco (94110)	$18,900	$15,600–$23,000
Sacramento (95819)	$16,900	$14,200–$20,200
Fresno (93704)	$16,400	$13,900–$19,400
Riverside (92507)	$16,600	$14,000–$20,000
Santa Cruz (95060)	$17,800	$15,000–$21,200

By finish level (Los Angeles, 90026)

Finish	Likely	Range
Basic	$13,300	$11,300–$15,800
Mid	$17,500	$14,700–$20,900
Premium	$19,400	$16,600–$22,900

Where the money goes (likely, Los Angeles)

Materials, with sales tax	$4,500
Labor at local billed rates	$6,900
Permit fees (estimate)	$500
Contractor markup on materials	$700
General contractor overhead and profit (Tile and stone setter,Plumber,Painter,Electrician trades)	$2,400
Contingency	$1,500

Time on site: about 8 crew days; roughly 2–5 weeks start to finish. This permit is often issued over the counter or online within days; allow 1 to 2 days of waiting per inspection.

How the numbers are built

Local labor
Each trade at the hourly rate contractors bill in your county: BLS wages, payroll taxes, California workers' comp rates for that trade, and contractor overhead and profit.
Real product prices
Materials priced from public store pages, each with its link and the date checked (latest 2026-10-29), plus waste and your county's sales tax.
Honest ranges
Low, likely and high from 4,000 simulated outcomes, not one number that sounds more certain than it is.

Open the free estimator to change the size, finish and ZIP, leave out or add line items, and print a scope sheet for contractor bids. Method and sources.

Questions

How much does a kitchen refresh cost in California?

For a kitchen keeping its cabinets: 20 ft of new countertop, sink and faucet, backsplash, paint, lights and appliances, our mid-finish likely budget is $16,400 to $18,900 across eight California cities (Fresno lowest, San Jose highest). Your own size, finish and ZIP change this; the free estimator recalculates it line by line.

Why do costs vary so much by city?

Mostly labor. We price each trade at the hourly rate a contractor bills in your county, built from Bureau of Labor Statistics wages, payroll taxes, California workers' comp rates and contractor overhead. Sales tax and permit fees also vary by county and city.

Does the estimate include permits and contractor profit?

Yes. Permit fees are estimated from the job's valuation. When three or more trades are involved, a general contractor overhead and profit line is shown separately; single-trade jobs are priced at the trade's billed rate only.

Is this a quote?

No. It is a budget estimate, not a bid, appraisal, or insurance claim valuation. Get written bids from licensed contractors, and check licenses with the Contractors State License Board.

Other cost guides

Remodel Estimator is self-serve budgeting software from Caissonix, in pilot. Budget estimate, not a bid, appraisal, or insurance claim valuation. Figures computed 2026-10-29 from price book 2026-10-29.2; they change as prices and wages are updated. Get licensed contractor bids, and check a contractor's license with the Contractors State License Board before you sign.