Kitchen Remodel Cost - Written Fixed Price, Finish Date in the Contract

How Much Does Kitchen Remodel Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

A full kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale typically costs between $14,000 and $45,000 in 2026. Most mid-range projects where you keep the existing layout but replace cabinets, countertops, appliances, and flooring land between $20,000 and $30,000. The final number moves with cabinet line, countertop material, appliance grade, and whether you’re changing plumbing or electrical locations.

These are real numbers from the Fort Lauderdale market, not national averages. Coastal humidity, older 1950s and 1960s home stock in neighborhoods like Victoria Park and Coral Ridge, and the city’s building permit process all shape what you’ll actually pay here. Getting a written price before demo day matters more in this market than almost anywhere else, because South Florida remodeling has a reputation for estimates that drift once the wall opens up.

Here’s how the numbers break down, what moves them, and how to keep your remodel from becoming a money pit.

Kitchen Remodel Cost Breakdown (2026)

For planning purposes, here’s what we see across Fort Lauderdale kitchens in 2026. These ranges assume a professional licensed contractor handling the work, with permits pulled through the City of Fort Lauderdale or your municipality if you’re in Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, or unincorporated Broward.

Project Component	Typical Cost Range	Notes
Full kitchen remodel (mid-range)	$20,000 – $30,000	Same layout, new everything: cabinets, counters, appliances, flooring, fixtures
Full kitchen remodel (higher-end)	$30,000 – $45,000	Custom or semi-custom cabinets, quartz or natural stone, layout changes
Small kitchen remodel	$9,000 – $20,000	Compact footprint, fewer cabinets, budget-conscious material choices
Cabinet installation (labor + stock/semi-custom)	$4,000 – $13,000	Includes tear-out and haul-away of old cabinets
Countertop installation	$2,000 – $6,500	Material dominates: laminate at the low end, Cambria quartz higher
Backsplash installation	$800 – $2,500	Tile choice and square footage drive this
Kitchen island installation	$3,000 – $10,000	Islands with plumbing (sink or dishwasher) push higher
Full kitchen remodel (low-end / refresh)	$14,000 – $20,000	Refinish or reface cabinets, laminate counters, keep appliances

What you won’t see in that table: line items that show up anyway. Expect the unexpected, because Fort Lauderdale homes built before the 1990s frequently hide surprises behind drywall. We regularly open up kitchens in Sailboat Bend or Rio Vista and find corroded galvanized supply lines, cloth-wrapped wiring, or moisture-damaged studs from decades of humidity. That’s not a scare tactic. It’s the reality of remodeling in a subtropical coastal city, and a good contractor writes a price that anticipates what’s possible rather than hoping for the best.

What drives the price up

• Moving plumbing or gas lines. Relocating a sink or range adds $1,500 to $5,000 in rough-in plumbing and electrical work depending on access. In slab-on-grade homes, which make up a large share of Fort Lauderdale’s older housing stock, moving a drain line means cutting concrete. That’s a real cost driver.
• Structural changes. Removing a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen into a living space requires an engineer, a beam, and a permit. In a typical mid-century Fort Lauderdale ranch, you’re looking at $3,000 to $8,000 for that work before any finishes go in.
• Cabinet grade jump. The difference between stock cabinets and KraftMaid or Wellborn semi-custom cabinetry can be $6,000 to $15,000 on a mid-size kitchen. Custom local cabinet shops push higher still.
• Countertop material. Laminate runs $20 to $40 per square foot installed. Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone quartz run $70 to $140 per square foot installed. A large island can swing the number by $3,000 on its own.
• Appliance upgrades. A suite of stainless appliances runs $3,000 to $8,000. Expect to pay more if the kitchen space limits supply-chain options right now, which still happens with some European brands.
• Permitting and code corrections. Fort Lauderdale requires permits for most kitchen work that goes beyond cosmetic replacement. If an inspector flags outdated electrical or missing GFCI protection, correcting that costs $500 to $2,500.

What keeps the price down

• Keeping the existing footprint. The single biggest money-saver is not moving the sink, range, or refrigerator. Same-layout remodels avoid most rough-in plumbing and electrical costs.
• Refacing instead of replacing cabinets. If the cabinet boxes are solid (and in older Fort Lauderdale homes they often are, when they’re not water-damaged), refacing with new doors and drawer fronts runs roughly 40 to 50 percent of full replacement.
• Mid-grade quartz over natural stone. Cambria and Silestone give you the heat and stain resistance of natural stone without the sealing maintenance or the higher price of exotic marbles.
• Doing the work in the right order. A contractor who sequences demo, rough-in, drywall, and finish work correctly avoids rework, and rework is what turns a $25,000 kitchen into a $38,000 kitchen.

What Affects Kitchen Remodel Pricing in Fort Lauderdale

Remodeling costs here don’t look like costs in Orlando or Tallahassee. Here are the local factors that actually move the number:

• Home age and construction type. Fort Lauderdale has two distinct housing stocks: pre-1970 slab-on-grade homes (common in Poinsettia Heights, Croissant Park, and Dorsey-Riverbend) and newer elevated concrete-block homes built post-Andrew. Older homes hide more problems and often mean more money in plumbing and electrical updates. Newer homes are easier to work in but may have non-standard layouts that limit cabinet sizes.
• Humidity and moisture management. We use cement board substrate (the moisture-resistant layer behind your tile and under your flooring) in every kitchen we do here, not as an upsell but as standard practice. High humidity in Fort Lauderdale means drywall behind a backsplash will swell and fail faster than it would in a dry climate. Skipping proper moisture management saves $400 up front and costs $2,500 in repairs later.
• Permit requirements and inspections. The City of Fort Lauderdale Building Services division requires permits for electrical, plumbing, and structural changes. Permits aren’t optional, and working without them creates liability when you sell. Permit fees for a standard kitchen remodel typically run $300 to $1,200, with inspection scheduling adding days to the timeline.
• Labor market. Fort Lauderdale has high demand for skilled finish carpenters and tile setters year-round, driven by constant renovation activity in areas like Las Olas Isles and Harbor Beach. That demand keeps labor rates higher than state averages. Expect $60 to $110 per hour for licensed trade work depending on the discipline.
• Material logistics. Cabinet lead times have stabilized since 2022 but aren’t back to pre-pandemic norms. Custom cabinetry from local shops runs 6 to 10 weeks. Cambria quartz runs 2 to 4 weeks from templating to install. Pricing a remodel without accounting for lead times creates scheduling chaos, and scheduling chaos costs money.
• Weather window. Hurricane season (June through November) doesn’t stop interior work, but it does affect material delivery and supplier availability. June through October also brings daily afternoon storms that slow work on any part of the project involving exterior access. We plan for this; contractors who don’t leave you with a kitchen that stalls for weeks.

How Much Does a Small Kitchen Remodel Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

A small kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale runs $9,000 to $20,000. We’re talking about galley kitchens in 1950s-era homes in neighborhoods like Middle River Terrace or condos along Galt Ocean Mile where the footprint runs 70 to 100 square feet.

At the low end of that range, you’re keeping the layout, using stock cabinets, laminate or entry-level quartz counters, and reusing your existing appliances. At the high end, you’re getting semi-custom cabinets, quartz or solid surface counters, a tile backsplash, new lighting, and maybe a pass-through window or small peninsula.

The biggest cost variable in small kitchens is whether the space was ever updated. We’ve done small kitchens in older Fort Lauderdale condos where the original 1960s electrical had to be brought up to code before any new work could pass inspection. That added $2,200 to the project. It wasn’t optional; it was in the wall.

How to Save on Kitchen Remodel

Saving money on a kitchen remodel is about making deliberate choices early, not cutting corners late. Here’s what actually works in the Fort Lauderdale market:

• Get a written price before any work starts. This is the single biggest money-saver in remodeling. Verbal estimates change. A written price you can hold someone to does not. We provide every homeowner with a written price before any work starts, so the number on day one is the number on the invoice. That’s not a courtesy; it’s how contracting should work.
• Keep the sink and range where they are. Moving plumbing and gas is expensive everywhere, but especially in slab-on-grade homes where drain relocations mean concrete cutting. If you can live with the existing sink location, you’ll save thousands.
• Choose mid-grade materials with strong warranties. Cambria quartz carries its own lifetime warranty. Kohler and Moen fixtures carry limited lifetime warranties. These aren’t the cheapest options, but they’re cheaper than replacing a failed countertop or fixture in year three.
• Reface before you replace. If the cabinet boxes are square and dry, new doors and drawer fronts give you 80 percent of the visual impact for roughly half the price of new cabinets. Ask your contractor to actually inspect the boxes before making this call.
• Don’t pay for work you don’t need. A contractor who tells you a job costs more than expected because of a real, documented condition (water damage behind the sink, outdated wiring) is doing their job. A contractor who keeps finding expensive surprises every week is not. Written pricing protects you from both.
• Plan the whole project before demo day. Change orders are the quiet budget-killer. Every time you change a cabinet size or countertop material after work starts, you pay for the delay and the rework. Lock your decisions before the first cabinet is pulled.

If you’re weighing a remodel right now, call us at (754) 551-2922 for a free estimate. We’ll walk your kitchen, talk through what’s realistic for your home and your budget, and put the number in writing before you commit to anything.

How Much Does Cabinet Installation Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

Cabinet installation in Fort Lauderdale runs $4,000 to $13,000 for a standard kitchen, including tear-out of the old cabinets and haul-away. That range covers installation labor plus stock or mid-grade semi-custom cabinet materials.

KraftMaid and Wellborn semi-custom lines typically land in the middle to upper end when you’re fitting a non-standard footprint, which describes 60 to 70 percent of older Fort Lauderdale kitchens. Stock cabinets fit cleanly in newer, more uniform layouts. If you’re in an older home where nothing is square and the wall behind the sink has a subtle bow, semi-custom or custom is the only way to avoid filler strips and awkward gaps.

Custom cabinetry from local South Florida shops pushes beyond this range, often $15,000 to $30,000 for a full kitchen. That’s a different product with a different buyer. For most homeowners, KraftMaid or Wellborn gives you the look and function of custom at a much more reasonable number.

How Much Does Countertop Installation Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

Countertop installation runs $2,000 to $6,500 for a typical kitchen in Fort Lauderdale. The range is wide because the material decision drives almost all of it.

Laminate countertops run $20 to $40 per square foot installed. Quartz from Cambria, Silestone, or Caesarstone runs $70 to $140 per square foot installed. A mid-size kitchen with 45 to 55 square feet of counter surface will see roughly $1,200 to $2,200 for laminate versus $3,500 to $7,000 for quartz. Natural stone like marble or granite sits in between, with granite on the lower end and marble pushing above quartz.

We install a lot of Cambria in Fort Lauderdale. It holds up to the humidity better than some natural stones, doesn’t require sealing, and carries a lifetime warranty alongside our 365-Day Done Right Promise. That layered warranty matters in a climate where heat and moisture are constant.

Installation costs are fairly consistent: $25 to $45 per square foot for fabrication and installation labor, plus the cost of the slab. Seams, edge profiles, and sink cutouts (especially undermount) add incrementally. If you have an island with a waterfall edge, expect to add $800 to $1,500.

How Much Does Backsplash Installation Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

Backsplash installation runs $800 to $2,500 in Fort Lauderdale. The range reflects tile price, square footage, and whether the installer is working around existing cabinetry or installing new cabinets first.

Basic ceramic subway tile runs $5 to $10 per square foot for materials, while glass mosaic tile can run $15 to $40 per square foot. Installation labor typically runs $12 to $25 per square foot. A standard backsplash area of 20 to 40 square feet means most homeowners land between $900 and $2,200 all-in.

In Fort Lauderdale homes, we always install cement board substrate behind the tile rather than setting directly on drywall. It costs about $150 to $300 more per kitchen and prevents the moisture problems that plague coastal kitchens. Drywall behind a backsplash absorbs humidity, swells, and eventually loosens the tile. Cement board doesn’t. It’s a small upfront cost that prevents a visible failure in year two or three.

Is It Cheaper to Repair or Replace a Kitchen?

For isolated problems, repair is cheaper: replacing a single cabinet door costs under $200, fixing a cracked tile runs $150 to $400, and repairing a loose countertop seam runs $200 to $500. But when you’re looking at three or more failing components, or when the original materials are simply worn out, replacement typically costs 20 to 40 percent less than a series of piecemeal repairs stretched over two or three years.

Here’s the math from our own project records. One Fort Lauderdale homeowner in the South Middle River neighborhood called us about a failing countertop and two water-damaged cabinets under the sink. Repair quote: $1,800 to patch and brace. Full small-kitchen remodel with refaced cabinets and new quartz: $11,400. She chose the remodel because the repair would have bought 18 months at best before the next problem surfaced. If your kitchen is structurally sound but cosmetically tired, repair or refacing is the right call. If you have structural or moisture problems, stop patching and replace.

If you’re not sure which camp you’re in, call (754) 551-2922 and we’ll look at it honestly. A written estimate tells you what repair costs, what replacement costs, and what makes sense for your kitchen.

How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost Per Square Foot in Fort Lauderdale?

Kitchen remodels in Fort Lauderdale run $120 to $300 per square foot of finished kitchen area in 2026. A 150-square-foot kitchen lands at $18,000 to $45,000 depending on material and scope choices.

The floor and ceiling move more dramatically than other rooms because kitchens concentrate so much material and labor into a small area. Flooring is comparable room to room; cabinets, countertops, backsplash, plumbing fixtures, electrical work, and appliances are not. That’s why a kitchen at $120 per square foot still costs more in total than a whole living room at $40 per square foot.

For a Fort Lauderdale reference point: a 120-square-foot galley kitchen with stock cabinets, laminate counters, and budget flooring runs about $14,000 to $16,000, or $115 to $135 per square foot. The same footprint with KraftMaid cabinets, Cambria quartz, a tile backsplash, and new appliances runs $28,000 to $36,000, or $230 to $300 per square foot.

For a deeper look at the full scope of what’s involved, our Kitchen Remodel in Fort Lauderdale page covers the process from demo through final walkthrough, including how we sequence work to keep your home livable during the project.

Kitchen Remodel Timeline and What It Means for Your Budget

A mid-range kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale takes 4 to 8 weeks from demo to final cleanup. The timeline stretches with custom cabinetry lead times, permit scheduling through the city, and any surprises found behind the walls.

Timeline affects budget in ways that don’t show up on line-item estimates. If you’re in a condo building along the Intracoastal with elevator scheduling rules or delivery restrictions, material handling adds time and small amounts of labor cost. If your kitchen is your only cooking space, you’ll eat out or order in for the duration of the project, and that’s a real budget line that nobody puts in the contract.

We give every homeowner a defined arrival window and a written schedule before work starts. That’s part of the Kingswell standard that’s been in place since 2004. The schedule isn’t a suggestion; it’s the commitment we write down and stand behind. When you know the crew is showing up Tuesday at 8 and leaving Friday by 4, you can plan your life around the remodel instead of the other way around.

Permits and Code Compliance for Fort Lauderdale Kitchen Remodels

Most Fort Lauderdale kitchen remodels require permits. If you’re changing electrical, moving plumbing, altering walls, or replacing a gas line, the City of Fort Lauderdale requires a permit and inspections. If your home is in Wilton Manors, Oakland Park, or unincorporated Broward County, the requirements are similar but issued through different offices.

Permit costs for a standard kitchen remodel run $300 to $1,200, not including any corrections the inspector requires. Unpermitted work is common in South Florida, and it creates problems: insurance claims get denied, home sales stall, and the property records don’t match the actual building. We pull permits on every project that requires them. It’s slower than skipping the paperwork, and it’s the only way to be sure your remodel is legal, insurable, and sellable.

Older Fort Lauderdale homes frequently need one specific code correction during a kitchen remodel: GFCI protection on kitchen circuits. The current electrical code requires it, and many homes built before 1990 don’t have it. Adding GFCI breakers or outlets runs $150 to $500 depending on the panel’s condition. Budget for it if your home predates the 1990s.

Key Takeaways

• Full kitchen remodel: $14,000 to $45,000 in Fort Lauderdale, with most mid-range projects at $20,000 to $30,000.
• Small kitchen remodel: $9,000 to $20,000.
• Cabinets run $4,000 to $13,000; countertops $2,000 to $6,500; backsplash $800 to $2,500.
• Per square foot: $120 to $300, with humidity management and older-home conditions playing real roles in the final number.
• The single biggest cost-swings come from moving plumbing and skipping proper moisture barriers. Keep the sink where it is, insist on cement board behind tile, and you’ve already saved thousands.
• Written pricing is the best budget protection. Every Penhallow Remodeling project includes a written price before work starts and a written guarantee on every repair.

FAQs – Kitchen Remodel Cost

How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

A kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale costs $14,000 to $45,000 for a full project in 2026. Mid-range remodels with mid-grade materials and the existing layout typically run $20,000 to $30,000. Call (754) 551-2922 for a written estimate on your specific kitchen.

How much does a small kitchen remodel cost in Fort Lauderdale?

A small kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale runs $9,000 to $20,000. The low end covers stock cabinets, laminate counters, and cosmetic updates; the high end includes semi-custom cabinets, quartz counters, and new lighting. We’ll give you a written price for either end of the range before you commit.

Is it cheaper to repair or replace cabinets in Fort Lauderdale?

Repairing cabinets costs $150 to $800 per cabinet for minor fixes, while full replacement runs $4,000 to $13,000 for a standard kitchen. If your cabinet boxes are structurally sound and dry, refacing at 40 to 50 percent of replacement cost is often the smartest move. A contractor who inspects the boxes can tell you which path makes sense.

How much does countertop installation cost in Fort Lauderdale?

Countertop installation costs $2,000 to $6,500 in Fort Lauderdale. Laminate runs $20 to $40 per square foot; Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone quartz run $70 to $140 per square foot installed. Quartz costs more up front but carries a lifetime warranty and holds up better in South Florida humidity.

Can you remodel a kitchen for under $15,000 in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes, for a small kitchen with stock cabinets, laminate or entry-level quartz counters, and no layout changes, $14,000 to $15,000 is achievable. You’ll need to keep the plumbing and electrical where they are and avoid custom anything. We’d rather tell you an honest $15,000 number and deliver it than promise $12,000 and hand you a $19,000 bill at the end.

How long does a kitchen remodel take in Fort Lauderdale?

Most Fort Lauderdale kitchen remodels take 4 to 8 weeks from demo to final inspection. Custom cabinet lead times, permit scheduling, and any in-wall corrections stretch the timeline. Our written schedule tells you what’s happening each week, with a real arrival window for every crew visit.

What to Look For in a Fort Lauderdale Kitchen Remodeler

This is the section where we’re supposed to tell you why you should pick us. Instead, here’s what to check with any contractor you’re considering, including us:

• Written price before work starts. Not an estimate range, not a verbal ballpark. A written number you can hold them to. We do this on every project, and we’ve done it since the Kingswell standard was established in 2004.
• Written guarantee. Ask what happens if a cabinet door falls off in month eight. If the answer involves a service call fee, keep looking. Our 365-Day Done Right Promise says if it’s not done right, we make it right, backed in writing on every project. Free return visit if a repair fails. No service call, no re-inspection fee.
• Background-checked, uniformed technicians. You should know who’s walking into your home. Every Penhallow technician is background-checked and arrives in uniform, so the person at your door is the person we said would be there.
• Real brand materials, not mystery product lines. If a contractor won’t name their cabinet or countertop brands, they’re buying from whatever supplier is cheapest this month. We install KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry, Cambria, Silestone, and Caesarstone countertops, and Kohler and Moen fixtures, because the warranty behind the product is part of the protection you’re paying for.
• A live person on the phone. Call the contractor’s number on a Sunday and see what happens. A live person answers our phone 24/7. No voicemail maze, no callback window, no answering service. Just a real answer any time you call.

Trevor Nash runs Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale under that standard, and he answers questions about pricing the same way he’d answer them across a kitchen table: with a number, an explanation, and no pressure. We’re part of the Kingswell family of companies, operating to The Kingswell Way since 2004. Each location is independently owned and operated, but the standard is the same across every one of them: say the price before the work, show up in the window we gave, leave the place cleaner than we found it.

If you’re planning a kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale, start with a conversation. Call (754) 551-2922 for a free estimate. We’ll give you a written price, a written schedule, and a written guarantee before you commit to anything. That’s how this is supposed to work.

Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale.

Pricing reflects the Fort Lauderdale market as of 2026. Penhallow Remodeling Fort Lauderdale offers free estimates – call (754) 551-2922.