The honest answer is a range, and anyone who gives you a number before seeing your kitchen is guessing. But ranges are useful — here's what projects actually run in Northern Virginia in 2026, and the three decisions that move your number more than everything else combined.
The real ranges in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia runs above national averages — labor, permits and the housing stock (older homes with surprises behind the drywall) all push costs up. These are the ranges we see across Arlington, McLean, Vienna, Fairfax and Loudoun:
| Project tier | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| The Refresh | $25,000 – $45,000 | New countertops, full-height backsplash, sink, faucet and hardware on cabinetry worth keeping |
| The Full Remodel | $60,000 – $100,000 | New cabinetry, stone, lighting, flooring and finishes in the existing footprint |
| The Reinvention | $100,000 – $200,000+ | Walls move, layout is redrawn, custom cabinetry, structural work, premium appliances |
Where a specific kitchen lands inside its tier comes down to three decisions.
The three decisions that move the number
1. Does the layout change?
Keeping plumbing, gas and walls where they are is the single biggest money-saver in remodeling. The moment a wall comes out or a sink moves, you add engineering, permits, rough-in work and drywall — often $15,000–40,000 before anything beautiful happens. Sometimes it's absolutely worth it; an island where a wall used to be can change how a family lives. But it should be a deliberate choice, not a default.
2. What tier of cabinetry?
Cabinetry is usually the largest single line on a kitchen — often 25–35% of the budget. Semi-custom shaker in paint-grade wood and full-custom inset cabinetry in stained walnut can differ by $20,000–50,000 in the same kitchen. The middle path most of our clients take: semi-custom boxes with custom fronts and interiors where it counts.
3. Which slab?
Quartz, quartzite and porcelain can range from $60 to $250+ per square foot installed. Waterfall edges and book-matched backsplashes add fabrication hours. This is why we take clients to the yard to tag the exact slab — you see exactly what a step up costs, on the actual stone, before anything is ordered.
What a fixed proposal changes
The industry's dirty secret is the allowance game: a low contract number with "allowances" for cabinets, counters and tile that were never realistic — and change orders to bridge the gap. It's how a "$65k kitchen" becomes a $95k kitchen after demo, when you have no leverage left.
At Valdor, scope, materials and price live in one fixed document, signed before demo day.
The number changes only if you change the scope — never because we missed something. That's only possible because the people pricing the work are the people doing it.
Where not to save
Two places where the cheap option costs more within five years: waterproofing and cabinet boxes. Bargain cabinet carcasses sag under stone; skipped substrate prep telegraphs through tile. Save on hardware finishes if you must — never on what's behind the walls.
Get a real number for your kitchen
Ranges get you oriented; only design gets you a price. Our complimentary design consult maps your scope to honest ranges in one visit — and if we're not the right fit for your budget, we'll tell you that too.
Book a Design ConsultRanges reflect typical Valdor projects in Northern Virginia as of 2026 and are provided for orientation. Your fixed proposal is based on your specific kitchen. See also: Kitchen Remodeling in Northern Virginia · How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take?