The short answer
A mid-range remodel of a 150-square-foot kitchen in greater Houston costs about $18,450 to $30,750 by our cost-adjusted figures, and the 2025 Cost vs. Value report priced a Houston minor kitchen update at $28,300. Scope decides the rest. New cabinets and counters need no City permit. Moving gas, plumbing or a wall brings in licensed trades and, for a new floor plan, plan review.
What a kitchen remodel costs in Houston
Our table starts from national remodeling prices and applies Houston's construction cost factor of 0.82 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which puts the area about 18% under the national average for the same work.
| Job | Houston (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh, 150 sq ft kitchen | $9,250–$18,450 | $11,250–$22,500 |
| Mid-range remodel, 150 sq ft kitchen | $18,450–$30,750 | $22,500–$37,500 |
| High-end remodel, 150 sq ft kitchen | $30,750–$55,350 | $37,500–$67,500 |
| Small kitchen (10×10 ft), mid-range | $12,300–$20,500 | $15,000–$25,000 |
| Large kitchen (15×15 ft), mid-range | $27,700–$46,150 | $33,750–$56,250 |
| Stock cabinets, installed | $82–$330/lin ft | $100–$400/lin ft |
| Semi-custom cabinets, installed | $125–$575/lin ft | $150–$700/lin ft |
| Custom cabinets, installed | $410–$985/lin ft | $500–$1,200/lin ft |
| Appliance package | $2,050–$16,400 | $2,500–$20,000 |
| Moving plumbing or walls (add-on) | $4,100–$20,500 | $5,000–$25,000 |
| Permits | $410–$1,250 | $500–$1,500 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Houston prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 0.82 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
For a Houston-specific check, look at the Cost vs. Value report from JLC and Zonda. Its 2025 Houston column priced a minor midrange kitchen update at $28,300, a major midrange remodel at $81,521 and an upscale major remodel at $157,727 (Cost vs. Value 2025, Houston). Each one is a model project with a fixed scope. They show how far apart a refresh and a gut job sit in this market, and your own bids will depend on your kitchen.
Enter your kitchen's size, finish level and ZIP code in the calculator below, or open the full kitchen cost calculator.
Where a Houston kitchen budget goes
HomeGuide's national budget split is a fair starting point (HomeGuide):
| Budget line | Share of a typical remodel |
|---|---|
| Cabinets and shelving | 25% |
| Installation and labor | 15% |
| Appliances | 15% |
| Countertops and backsplash | 10% |
| Flooring | 7% |
| Lighting, paint and drywall, design, sink and faucet | 5% each |
| Doors and windows | 4% |
| Plumbing | 3% |
| Permits and other items | 1% |
Cabinets come first because they are bought by the foot. At Houston prices, stock cabinets run about $82 to $330 per linear foot installed, semi-custom $125 to $575 and custom $410 to $985. Measure your cabinet run before comparing bids. A galley kitchen and a U-shaped one at the same finish level can be thousands of dollars apart.
Layout is the line that grows fastest. Moving the sink, running gas to a new island cooktop or opening a wall adds roughly $4,100 to $20,500 in our Houston figures. Leave the plumbing wall and the range where they are and most of that cost goes away.
Older houses and hidden work
Census data shows 47.0% of homes in the City of Houston were built before 1980. Pasadena's median home dates to 1977. In Fort Bend County the median is 2005, and in The Woodlands it is 2000. Opening the walls of an older house can expose undersized wiring or one circuit serving the whole kitchen, so keep a contingency in the budget. In a home built before 1978, any crew disturbing painted cabinets, trim or drywall has to follow the EPA's lead-safe rules (EPA RRP).
Which kitchen work needs a Houston permit
Houston has no zoning, but it does enforce a building code. The City's Residential Permitting 101 guide lists cabinets, countertops, tiling, painting and similar finish work as needing no building permit (Houston Permitting Center). The trades are handled separately. New circuits, gas outlets and moved fixtures each need a permit, and only licensed pros registered with the City can buy one.
| What you change | What the City asks for |
|---|---|
| New cabinets, counters, backsplash tile or paint, same layout | No building permit |
| New outlets, circuits or light fixtures | Electrical permit from a registered master electrician |
| New gas line or a relocated range | Gas permit and inspection from a registered master plumber |
| Relocated sink or dishwasher | Plumbing permit from a registered master plumber |
| Wall removed or floor plan changed | Remodel permit with plans and plan review, then the trade permits |
A floor plan change needs drawings showing the layout, the materials, the ceiling framing (so the reviewer can tell which walls carry load) and energy code compliance. Removing a load-bearing wall may need an engineer's seal. The Residential Remodel Permit goes through 1 to 15 business days of plan review and is valid for six months (HPWCODE1135). Our page on permit drawings covers what reviewers look for.
2026 permit fees in the City of Houston
There is no flat kitchen fee. The building permit is priced by construction type and floor area, and trades are added item by item. From the City's 2026 fee schedule:
- Administrative fee: $33.56 per permit
- Minimum building or electrical permit: $91.06, and $97.56 for plumbing
- Plan review: 25% of the estimated building permit fee
- Gas permit and inspection: $45.53 for up to 4 openings
- Plumbing fixtures: $34.24 for the first three, then $11.41 each
- Electrical outlets and fixtures: $1.34 each
- Reinspection: $94.00
Work done without a permit draws an investigation fee of $333.42 or double the permit fee, whichever is greater, charged on top of the permit.
Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Pasadena and Conroe run their own permit offices with their own fees. In The Woodlands, any alteration of a structure needs prior written approval from the village design review committee (The Woodlands Township). Wherever you live, read your subdivision's deed restrictions too.
Gas, hood and outlet rules Houston inspectors check
Gas to the range
CenterPoint supplies natural gas to much of the Houston area. Texas plumbing law counts gas piping as plumbing, so extending a line to a new range or island cooktop is a job for a licensed plumber, and the City sells the gas permit only to a registered master plumber. If you smell gas during demolition, get out of the house first, then call CenterPoint at 888-876-5786 and 911.
Range hoods and makeup air
The hood rules come from Houston's residential code, the 2021 IRC with City amendments (Houston Residential Code, Chapter 15). A ducted hood has to vent outdoors through a smooth, airtight duct of galvanized steel, stainless steel or copper, with a backdraft damper. The duct may not end in the attic or anywhere else inside the house. A listed ductless hood is allowed when the home has other ventilation.
Large hoods add a second rule. Suppose the house has a fuel-burning appliance inside its air barrier that is neither direct-vent nor power-vented, such as a natural-draft gas water heater. Then any exhaust system able to move more than 400 cubic feet per minute needs makeup air at about the same rate, through a damper that opens when the hood runs. Settle this with your remodeler before you order a 600 cfm hood.
Counter outlets and islands
Texas adopted the 2023 National Electrical Code on September 1, 2023, and Houston reviews kitchens against it. At least two 20-amp small-appliance circuits must feed the counter outlets, and no point along the counter wall can be more than 24 inches from one (2023 NEC checklist). Islands changed in the 2023 edition. An island outlet now goes on or above the countertop, no higher than 20 inches, and may no longer be mounted under the counter edge. Leave the outlet off and the electrician still has to run wiring for a future one. Panel and circuit prices are in our Houston electrician guide.
Kitchens in the floodplain
Hurricane Harvey flooded an estimated 154,170 homes in Harris County. If your house sits in the City's regulated floodplain, appliances must be 2 feet above the 500-year flood elevation, and materials below the design flood elevation must resist water damage. When a remodel's cost reaches 50% of the structure's market value, the City's substantial improvement rule applies to the whole house; our Houston remodeling guide explains how that works. Call the Floodplain Management Office at 832-394-8854 before the design is final.
How long a Houston kitchen remodel takes
| Scope | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Cabinets, counters and appliances, same layout | About 6 to 9 weeks |
| New layout, moved plumbing or gas, wall removed | About 3 to 5 months, permits and materials included |
These are HomeGuide's national averages. For a floor plan change in Houston, add the 1 to 15 business days of plan review. Cabinets usually set the pace, so order them once measurements are final.
Will a kitchen remodel pay off in Houston?
| 2025 Cost vs. Value, Houston | Job cost | Added resale value | Cost recouped |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange | $28,300 | $30,024 | 106.1% |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange | $81,521 | $38,166 | 46.8% |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale | $157,727 | $52,414 | 33.2% |
The minor remodel in the report keeps the cabinet boxes and replaces the fronts, counters, sink, faucet, range, refrigerator and flooring. In Houston it earned back 106.1% of its cost, less than the West South Central figure of 117.3% and the national 112.9%. The full remodels recovered under half. If a sale is a few years away, a same-layout refresh is the safer spend. Try your own budget in the remodel return calculator.
How to check a kitchen remodeler before you hire
Texas has no state license for general contractors or remodelers, and the City of Houston states that general contractors are not required to be licensed. The licenses that count belong to the trades on your job:
- Electrician: a TDLR license, which you can check at the TDLR license search. In Houston the master electrician must also be registered with the City.
- Plumber, gas work included: a TSBPE license, checked at the TSBPE license search, with the master plumber registered with the City.
- Ask the remodeler which licensed trades they bring in and who pulls each permit.
- Before you sign, the contractor has to hand you the Texas disclosure statement. You hold back 10% of the price until 30 days after completion, and on a written homestead contract over $5,000 the contractor must keep your money in a construction account (Texas Property Code ch. 53).
Milestone payments are explained in our guide to paying a contractor.
Areas we cover
GOLDGCP kitchen remodelers work across greater Houston:
- Houston, inside and outside the Loop
- Katy and Cypress
- Sugar Land and Pearland
- Pasadena
- The Woodlands and Conroe
Type your ZIP code below to see kitchen prices for your area and the remodelers who work there.
How GOLDGCP works
- Describe your kitchen through the form, by phone or on WhatsApp: its size, what you want changed and your budget.
- See prices for your ZIP code, then get matched with 3 vetted remodelers who work in your area.
- If a wall is coming out, our in-house architects can draw the plans for plan review.
- Your remodeler and their licensed trades pull the permits and book the inspections.
- You pay in milestones, each one after you approve that stage, and track the job in the client portal.
Buying stone or cabinets from overseas? GCP Source and Ship handles sourcing, factory inspection, shipping, customs and delivery to the house.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Houston?
By our cost-adjusted figures, a 150-square-foot kitchen runs about $9,250 to $18,450 for a cosmetic refresh, $18,450 to $30,750 mid-range and $30,750 to $55,350 high-end. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report priced a Houston minor kitchen update at $28,300 and a major midrange remodel at $81,521.
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen in Houston?
Not for cabinets, countertops, tile or paint. New circuits, gas lines and relocated fixtures need trade permits, bought by licensed pros registered with the City. Removing a wall or changing the floor plan needs a remodel permit with drawings and plan review.
Does a range hood have to vent outside in Houston?
A ducted hood must vent outdoors through a smooth metal duct with a backdraft damper, and the duct may not end in the attic. Listed ductless hoods are allowed when the home has other ventilation. A hood over 400 cfm may need makeup air if the house has a natural-draft gas appliance.
Is a kitchen remodel worth it in Houston?
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, a minor midrange kitchen update earned back 106.1% of its cost in Houston. A major midrange remodel returned 46.8% and an upscale one 33.2%. If you expect to sell, keep the layout and update the finishes.
Do kitchen remodelers need a license in Texas?
Texas has no license for general contractors or remodelers, and Houston does not require one. Electricians need a TDLR license and plumbers a TSBPE license, and in Houston both must be registered with the City before they can buy permits. Look up both online before you sign.
Can I put an outlet under my kitchen island in Houston?
No. Houston follows the 2023 National Electrical Code, which puts island outlets on or above the countertop, no more than 20 inches up. If you choose no island outlet, the electrician still has to run wiring for one later.
How long does a kitchen remodel take in the Houston area?
Plan on 6 to 9 weeks for a same-layout job and 3 to 5 months for a new layout with moved plumbing, gas or walls. A City remodel permit adds 1 to 15 business days of plan review, and cabinet lead times often decide the finish date.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the calculator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
- How much does a kitchen remodel cost? · HomeGuide
- 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: Houston, TX · JLC / Zonda
- Residential Permitting 101 · Houston Permitting Center
- 2026 Building Code Enforcement Permit Fee Schedule · City of Houston
- Houston Residential Code 2021, Chapter 15: Exhaust Systems · UpCodes (City of Houston amendments)
- Residential Dwelling Checklist, 2023 NEC · City of Saint Paul, Department of Safety and Inspections
- Texas Property Code Chapter 53 · Texas Legislature
- Covenant Administration · The Woodlands Township
- Area Cost Factors, PAX Newsletter 3.2.1 (2024) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Regional Price Parities by State · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for Houston; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.