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Written by
Dan Simms
How Much Does Kitchen Remodeling Cost in Philadelphia in 2025?
The average cost of a kitchen remodel in Philadelphia, PA, is $22,950. Click below to connect with a certified contractor and receive an accurate estimate for your project.
A kitchen remodel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, costs an average of $22,950, with the majority of people paying between $8,160 and $204,000. The cost of your specific remodel will depend on the quality of the materials you choose, whether you change your current kitchen's layout, and the average cost of labor in your city.
Quick Takeaways
It costs an average of $22,950 to remodel a kitchen in Philadelphia.
You can save money by keeping your kitchen layout as is, refinishing or refacing your cabinets rather than replacing them, and DIYing any work you can.
You'll need to make sure the materials you choose are highly durable in Philly's humid subtropical climate.
Calculate Your Kitchen Remodel Costs in Philadelphia
Kitchen remodels in Philly can cost anywhere from $8,160 to $204,000. Of course, this is quite a wide range. Calculating exactly where your total will fall involves a lot of planning and price comparison between materials. Let’s discuss some of the major factors that will determine your Philly kitchen remodel cost.
Kitchen Size
The average size of a kitchen in Philadelphia is 80 to 240 square feet, and the average cost per square foot for a kitchen remodel in Philly is $131. That puts the total average kitchen remodel cost at $22,950. If your kitchen is smaller or larger than average, you can adjust this figure based on the cost per square foot.
Utilities
Another major cost is adding or updating utility lines. If you're making any updates to the utility lines in your kitchen — whether it's to relocate a sink, put in a new gas line for a gas stove, or run electricity to a built-in microwave — you should be aware of the hourly rates for certified plumbers and electricians in Philadelphia.
Professional | Hourly Cost in Philadelphia |
|---|---|
Plumber | $122 |
Electrician | $77 |
Most Philly residents pay between $1,020 and $4,080 for the utility work needed in their kitchen upgrades.
Kitchen Cabinets
New kitchen cabinetry costs an average of $8,160 in Philly, but you can control this price via the cabinet materials you choose. You have four primary options: solid wood, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and particle board.
Philly falls in a humid subtropical climate, so the hot, humid summers can cause issues if you install more affordable cabinet materials, like MDF and particleboard. Paying more for plywood cabinets with hardwood doors is best for longevity and value, especially if your HVAC system isn't equipped with a whole-home dehumidifier.
Kitchen Appliances
Appliance replacements cost $5,100 on average in Philadelphia. Final costs will depend on the type and quality of appliances you choose.
Philly experiences high humidity levels in the summer, which can be problematic for budget refrigerator brands. If you don't have a dehumidifier built into your HVAC system, consider spending a bit more than average on your fridge for longevity.
Kitchen Countertops
New kitchen countertops cost an average of $4,080 to install in Philadelphia, but this can vary widely depending on the material you pick.
Granite is the most popular countertop material for kitchens in Philly. It's mined somewhat nearby in Massachusetts, making it more affordable and accessible in Philadelphia. It's also a more durable and higher-end material than quartz.
If you're not a fan of granite, here are some other options and their relative prices.
Material | Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
Granite | $70 to $140 |
Marble | $70 to $190 |
Quartzite | $60 to $100 |
Quartz | $50 to $75 |
Stainless | $50 to $150 |
Butcher block | $50 to $150 |
Laminate | $8 to $30 |
Kitchen Flooring
Flooring options range from just $3 per square foot for sheet vinyl and laminate, up to $25 per square foot for hardwood floors. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is one of the best kitchen flooring options in Philly. LVT costs $4 to $16 per square foot.
The table below includes some other options you may want to consider, along with average costs.
Material | Cost per Square Foot |
|---|---|
Hardwood | $7 to $25 |
Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) | $4 to $16 |
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) | $4 to $16 |
Sheet vinyl | $3 to $10 |
Ceramic tile | $15 to $20 |
Laminate | $3 to $11 |
Labor
Labor accounts for 50% to 60% of the total project cost. In Philadelphia, that’s between $5,400 and $18,400. Services tend to be more expensive in major cities where the cost of living is higher.
Other Kitchen Remodel Costs in Philadelphia
Aside from kitchen size and specific materials, here are some other factors that will influence the cost of your Philly kitchen remodel.
Add-Ons
Remodeling a kitchen is a massive undertaking, so many Philadelphia homeowners choose to add on specialty services during the process. This gives them more value, functionality, and utility from their kitchen remodel.
Below are some common kitchen remodel add-ons you may want to consider, along with typical pricing.
Garbage disposal cost: $300 to $600
Trash compactor cost: $1,400
Custom backsplash cost: $800 to $1,500
Wine cooler cost: $500 to $1,500
Permits
Most kitchen remodels require building permits. You may also need separate plumbing and electrical permits depending on the extent of your remodel. In Philadelphia, building permits for a full kitchen renovation cost an average of $1,000, but the total can vary.
Dumping Fees
Major kitchen overhauls will require removing old materials and disposing of them, and you can expect to pay an average of $408 to haul away and dump the materials you need to remove.
Dumping fees in more remote areas may cost more due to the distance from a dumping site.
Financing a Kitchen Remodel in Philly
Some Philadelphia residents pay more than $200,000 for full luxury kitchen renovations. Even if your remodel will only cost a fraction of that, many homeowners aren't able to cover the total in cash. Here are some common financing options for kitchen remodels:
Home improvement loan: Home improvement loans have lower rates than personal loans, but they still give you cash to work with to get your kitchen remodel done.
Home equity line of credit (HELOC): A HELOC is a second mortgage that uses your equity as collateral. You can basically use your equity to finance building additional equity with a kitchen remodel.
FHA 203k loan: If you’re buying a home, consider financing extra for repairs with a 203k loan. Your principle will be higher, but you may be able to secure more immediate equity thanks to the repairs.
How to Save Money on Your Kitchen Remodel in Philadelphia
There are many things you can do to keep your kitchen remodel costs to a minimum. Here are some money-saving methods to get you closer to your ideal budget.
Choose Your Materials Carefully
Certain materials for flooring, countertops, and cabinets can bring your kitchen makeover costs down significantly, but you should still be careful to choose materials that will stand up to the high traffic and wear-and-tear that kitchens see.
You don’t have to splurge on high-end materials, but make sure you pick based on more than just the upfront cost. Mid-range materials often provide a balance between high quality and low cost.
Keep Your Kitchen Design the Same
Moving plumbing, electrical, and gas lines to change your kitchen layout can instantly add $1,200 or more to your total. Stick with the same floor plan to avoid these added costs.
If you’re adding in a kitchen island, consider leaving the sink and appliances on the exterior and just using the island for storage and work space. You can even change out plumbing and electrical fixtures yourself to reduce labor costs — you’d save roughly $122 per hour on professional plumbers and $77 per hour on electricians in Philadelphia.
Refinish Your Cabinets Rather Than Replace
If you have plywood or hardwood cabinets, you could save a few thousand dollars by refinishing or refacing your cabinets instead of replacing them.
In addition to the normal physical wear and steam resistance, be sure to consider the high summer humidity in Pennsylvania when choosing a new finish. Something like a high-gloss polyurethane or polyaspartic coating should serve you well and stand up to everything the Philly climate can throw at them.
DIY What You Can
You’ll pay an average of $11,475 for labor to remodel your kitchen in Philly, but you can bring down labor costs by DIYing some of the work. Installing cabinets and new countertops should always be left to the pros, but consider laying new flooring, installing new plumbing and electrical fixtures, and painting the walls and ceiling yourself to bring down your costs.
Consider Efficiency Incentives
If you’re upgrading your electrical fixtures, plumbing fixtures, or appliances to more efficient models, you may qualify for grants, rebates, and other incentives for boosting efficiency.
Check out federal programs, like the Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit, to see if you can save with energy-efficient appliances or fixtures. Also, check the Energy, Efficiency & Conservation (EE&C) Programs from the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PAPUC) and for other incentives offered by your utility company.
Regardless of whether you get incentives for it, looking for appliances that are Energy Star certified is a better choice for the environment.
Finding Kitchen Remodelers in Philadelphia
The first step when researching kitchen remodeling companies is to confirm they’re licensed in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General issues and manages contractor licenses in PA, so you can check the AG's website to confirm that you’re working with a licensed kitchen remodeling contractor.
If you need plumbing or electrical work done, be sure to confirm the contractor also holds those licenses.
Next, you should interview the professional. Ask about pricing and timeline, request references, and look at their past work to confirm they’re a good fit. If anything seems off, move on. There are plenty of contractors to choose from.
When in doubt, or to save time, you can the tool below to find certified and pre-qualified professionals in Philadelphia that can help you get your project underway.
FAQ: How Much Does Kitchen Remodeling Cost in Philly?
The average kitchen remodel in Pennsylvania costs $21,353, which is slightly lower than the Philly average of $22,950. This is mostly due to higher labor costs, which scale to account for the higher cost of living in more densely populated areas.
Cabinets, countertops, and a backsplash will usually account for the largest portion of your kitchen remodeling costs in PA, sometimes totaling $8,000 to $12,000 or more. An appliance package is often the next biggest expense, totaling between $2,500 and $7,000, in most cases.
The off-season for kitchen remodelers in Philadelphia is winter, so scheduling your project for that time will often save you some money. Most Philly residents start their kitchen remodeling projects in summer, so your prices may be 1% to 5% higher then, due to increased competition.
Dan was a property manager from 2015 to 2020, during which time he managed and oversaw the upkeep and repairs of over 2,000 residential properties. He uses that experience, as well as his extensive DIY knowledge, to bring reliable information to homeowners about renovations and home-related projects. Since 2020, he has been using his experience to write about home improvement, and his work has appeared on sites like USA Today, CNN, Angi, and Today’s Homeowner.