How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost in Central PA? (2026 Pricing)

Real 2026 pricing for kitchen remodels in Blair, Centre, and Huntingdon counties — from cabinet refacing on the low end to full gut renovations with custom cabinetry on the high end. Written by a licensed contractor, not a price-comparison site.

Kitchen remodels are the single most-asked-about project in Central PA — and also the project with the widest pricing range. Two homes on the same street can end up with kitchens that cost $20,000 and $80,000, both done by reputable contractors. The price isn't about who's cheaper; it's about scope, materials, and how much of the house you're touching.

Here is what is typical across Blair, Centre, and Huntingdon counties in 2026.

The short answer

Most kitchen remodels in Central PA fall into one of three tiers:

• $15,000–$25,000 — a cosmetic refresh: cabinet refacing or painting, new counters, new backsplash, hardware, and paint.
• $30,000–$55,000 — a full kitchen renovation with new cabinets, quartz or granite counters, tile backsplash, new flooring, lighting, and fixtures.
• $60,000–$110,000+ — a kitchen with layout changes (wall removals), custom cabinetry, high-end appliances, and high-end finishes throughout.

If you're trying to roughly budget before you've talked to anyone, the middle tier is where most projects land.

The three pricing tiers, in plain English

Tier 1: The cosmetic refresh ($15K–$25K)

You keep your existing layout and cabinet boxes. We reface or repaint the cabinets, swap counters, install a new backsplash, replace the sink and faucet, and update the hardware. The room feels new. Timeline is one to two weeks.

This is the right move when your cabinets are in good shape, you like the layout, and you mostly want the kitchen to feel current. It's also the option that retains the most resale value relative to spend — you get most of the visual upgrade at a fraction of the full-remodel cost.

Tier 2: The full remodel ($30K–$55K)

This is the kitchen renovation most people picture: tear out the cabinets, replace them with semi-custom shaker boxes, install quartz or granite counters, run new tile to the ceiling, replace the flooring (or extend it from adjacent rooms), redo all the lighting (often adding recessed cans and pendants), and replace the sink, faucet, and most appliances. Timeline is four to seven weeks.

If you don't like the layout, the existing cabinets are tired, or you're planning to live in the house for another decade-plus, this is the tier where you get the most for your money in terms of long-term satisfaction.

Tier 3: The custom remodel ($60K–$110K+)

Layout changes — removing a wall, moving plumbing, relocating a range. Fully custom cabinetry with painted or stained faces. High-end appliances (Wolf, Sub-Zero, Miele). Premium quartz or natural stone. Custom range hood. Pantry buildouts. Wide-plank hardwood. This is where the kitchen becomes a custom-designed room rather than a refreshed one.

Where the money actually goes

For a typical $40,000 mid-tier remodel in Central PA, here's roughly how the budget breaks down:

• Cabinetry — 30–35%. Semi-custom cabinet boxes and fronts, soft-close hardware, interior accessories.
• Countertops — 12–18%. Quartz is the workhorse — durable, reasonably priced, low maintenance. Granite is similar pricing; high-end natural stone (marble, exotic granites) is a step up.
• Labor — 25–30%. Demo, framing if any, plumbing, electrical, cabinet install, counter templating, tile, paint, trim, punch list. This is the line item that varies most by contractor and by complexity.
• Flooring — 6–10%. LVP, tile, or extending existing hardwood.
• Lighting & electrical — 4–6%. Recessed cans, pendants, under-cabinet, GFCI, dedicated appliance circuits.
• Plumbing — 3–5%. New sink, faucet, dishwasher hookup, garbage disposal, any drain relocation.
• Backsplash & tile — 3–5%. Tile, mortar, grout, labor.
• Miscellaneous — 5–8%. Hardware, paint, permit fees, dumpster, protection, cleanup, contingency.

What changes the price most

If you're trying to predict where your kitchen will land in those ranges, these are the variables that move the number most:

1. Are you moving plumbing or gas? Relocating the sink, dishwasher, or gas range adds rough-in cost. Keeping fixtures roughly where they are saves several thousand dollars.
2. Custom vs. semi-custom vs. stock cabinets. Stock cabinets at a typical big-box price point are 30–40% cheaper than semi-custom; semi-custom is 20–40% cheaper than fully custom. The quality gap is real but smaller than the price gap.
3. Layout changes. Removing a wall — especially a load-bearing one — adds $3,000–$10,000+ depending on what's structurally needed.
4. Appliance package. A standard appliance package (GE, Whirlpool, Bosch) runs $4,000–$8,000. A premium package (Wolf, Sub-Zero, Thermador) starts around $20,000 and goes up from there.
5. Counter material. Quartz: $60–$90/sq ft installed. Granite: similar or slightly less. High-end quartz or natural stone: $120–$200/sq ft installed.

Ways to save (without compromising quality)

• Keep the layout. Plumbing and gas are expensive to move. If the existing layout works, lean into it.
• Choose semi-custom over fully custom cabinets. The difference is mostly in finish options and dimensional flexibility — both negotiable.
• Skip the trendy finish. Quartz with a clean profile will look good in 15 years; trendy patterns won't.
• Don't over-buy on appliances. A great kitchen with mid-range appliances cooks better than a mediocre kitchen with premium ones.
• Get a fixed-fee quote. Time-and-materials pricing on a remodel is almost always more expensive than a quoted scope. We quote fixed-fee on every project.

What we charge for at D Squared

We don't publish prices because every kitchen is different. But we do give you a fixed-fee quote after an in-home consultation, with selections locked in and timeline committed to. No change-order surprises mid-build. No 'looks like we found something extra' calls.

If you're starting to think about a kitchen remodel and want to know what your specific kitchen would cost, the next step is a walkthrough. We're licensed in PA (HIC #PA160145), we've been remodeling kitchens in Central PA for over twenty years, and we'll tell you honestly what your room needs — including when it doesn't need everything you might've planned.

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