How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in Canada? 2026 Price Breakdown
RenoQuotes’ September 2026 guide puts a mid-range full kitchen renovation in Canada at $30,000 to $55,000, and the national average for a full renovation at $35,000 to $45,000. A cabinet refresh runs about $15,000 to $25,000, and a high-end kitchen starts around $65,000 and can pass $100,000 in Vancouver. Where your kitchen renovation cost lands depends less on square footage than on how many cabinets you need, whether the sink, range or gas line moves, and which counters you pick.
Local numbers differ: RenoQuotes puts a mid-range kitchen at $40,000 to $75,000 in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland and $30,000 to $60,000 in Calgary, and a measured quote replaces any of these quickly. Plan by scope instead of a national average, since a cosmetic refresh and a new layout are different projects with different trades. Below: where the money goes, what pushes a kitchen into a higher band, how BC and Alberta differ, how long it takes and how to hire.
Kitchen renovation cost at a glance
| Scope | 2026 cost range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet refresh | $15,000 to $25,000 | New fronts or paint, hardware, limited cabinet work, often a new counter |
| Mid-range full renovation | $30,000 to $55,000 | New cabinets, counter, installation, demolition, electrical and plumbing updates, finishing |
| Custom renovation | $55,000 to $100,000 | Cabinets sized to the room, more drawers and pull-outs, panels and detailed millwork |
| High-end custom | $65,000 and up; can pass $100,000 in Vancouver | Layout changes, premium appliances, specialty materials and complex details |
- Cabinets are usually the biggest single line. Trades, counters, installation and tax make up the rest.
- Leaving the sink, range and gas line in place is the easiest way to stay in a lower band.
- Hold back 10% to 15% for what turns up behind the old cabinets.
- Compare quotes line by line, never by the total alone.
What does a kitchen renovation cost in Canada in 2026?
A mid-range full renovation, at $30,000 to $55,000, assumes new cabinets, a new counter, lighting or electrical updates, flooring repair or replacement and professional installation in a typical kitchen. It doesn’t assume premium appliances, a wall coming down or a sink moving to another wall. Each of those moves the job up a band.
Size still matters, but through cabinet count more than floor area. Our FAQ puts an average 3.7 x 3.7 m (12 x 12 ft) kitchen at roughly 20 cabinet cases. Add an island, a pantry wall or tall oven towers and the case count, finished panels and installation hours climb with it.
For 2026 context, Statistics Canada’s building construction price index shows residential construction costs across 15 census metropolitan areas up 2.3% year over year in the second quarter. Vancouver (down 0.2%) and Calgary (down 0.1%) dipped slightly from the quarter before. The index tracks new buildings rather than renovations, but renovation trades buy from the same labour and material markets.
Where does the money go in a kitchen renovation?
Cabinetry is usually the largest single category, at 30% to 40% of a mid-range budget in RenoQuotes’ breakdown, but it’s rarely half the job. The split below is how we’d expect a $60,000 renovation to break down. Use it to check that a quote covers every line, and treat it as a guide rather than a price list.
| Line item | Typical share | On a $60,000 project | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinets and hardware | 30% to 40% | $18,000 to $24,000 | Box material, finish, drawer count, accessories |
| Cabinet installation | 10% to 15% | $6,000 to $9,000 | Number of cases, fillers, panels, scribing |
| Countertops | 8% to 15% | $4,800 to $9,000 | Material, edges, cut-outs, seams |
| Demolition and disposal | 3% to 7% | $1,800 to $4,200 | Tile, flooring, access to the site |
| Electrical and lighting | 5% to 12% | $3,000 to $7,200 | New circuits, pot lights, panel capacity |
| Plumbing and gas | 3% to 10% | $1,800 to $6,000 | Moved fixtures, gas changes |
| Flooring, drywall and paint | 8% to 15% | $4,800 to $9,000 | Area, repairs, trim |
| Design, permits, delivery, contingency | 5% to 12% | $3,000 to $7,200 | Approvals, unknown site conditions |
A line that reads only “kitchen cabinets: $20,000” is incomplete. Ask whether it includes fillers, finished end panels, toe kicks, crown or light valance, interior accessories, delivery, installation and tax, because each can add real money when it’s missing. Our guide to reading a kitchen cabinet quote in BC and Alberta goes through every line.
How much do new kitchen cabinets cost?
For a 3 x 3 m (10 x 10 ft) kitchen, RenoQuotes’ 2026 comparison puts the cabinets alone at about $5,000 to $7,000 for ready-to-assemble, $8,000 to $12,000 for big-box stock or semi-custom and $18,000 to $30,000 for custom, with installation adding $1,500 to $6,000. The number of cases, drawer banks, tall units and finished panels moves the price more than the size of the room.
As our FAQ explains, box material, door style and finish, drawers versus doors, hinges and slides, interior fittings and crown moulding all change the number. That’s why we don’t quote by the linear foot: a per-foot figure can be misleading.
The four lines we carry cover that spread:
- Access: an imported, ready-to-assemble line with 19 mm (3/4 in) white melamine boxes, soft-close hardware and a 5-year warranty, ready in 1 to 3 weeks.
- Lectus: a mid-range line from the Merit family with similar construction and a 5-year warranty.
- Merit Kitchens: built in the Lower Mainland since 1971, with 16 mm (5/8 in) birch plywood boxes, dovetail drawers and a limited lifetime warranty.
- FDC Signature: our fully custom line, made in the Lower Mainland in birch plywood or white melamine, with Blum Movento slides and a limited lifetime warranty.
If any part of your order is imported, read what the new cabinet tariff means for BC and Alberta renovations before you sign.
Is it cheaper to refresh cabinets or replace them?
A refresh costs less when the existing boxes are square, dry, solid and laid out well. New fronts or paint, hardware and a new counter sit in the $15,000 to $25,000 band.
It stops paying off when the boxes have water damage, the hinges won’t hold, or the layout itself is the problem. New doors can’t move a sink or add storage where there’s no cabinet. If more than a few boxes need repair, or the kitchen needs a different workflow, replacement is usually the better spend over the life of the kitchen.
We supply full cabinet cases with doors and don’t reface, so for a fair comparison of both routes see refacing vs replacing kitchen cabinets.
What makes a kitchen renovation cost more?
Layout changes, site conditions and finish complexity move a kitchen from one band to the next. Room size plays a part, but it’s rarely the deciding factor.
Moving the sink, range or gas line
Keeping the sink, dishwasher, range and fridge near their existing services is the single best way to control cost. Moving them brings in permits and licensed trades. In Calgary, all plumbing and gas installations need permits, renovation work included, and only a certified gasfitter can take out a gas permit. Burnaby needs a permit to install or change any part of a plumbing or gas system in a house or duplex, and Vancouver requires a gas permit for all new gas installations and alterations.
Drawers and accessories
Drawer banks, pull-out pantries, waste sorting and corner hardware make a kitchen easier to use, and each adds hardware and installation time. Put them where they fix a daily annoyance and skip them where they don’t.
What’s behind the old cabinets
Water damage under the sink, uneven subfloors, old wiring and materials that need testing before demolition tend to show up once the old kitchen comes out. We suggest holding 10% to 15% of the construction budget as contingency, and more in older homes or where walls are opened to the studs.
How much do countertops add?
RenoQuotes’ 2026 guide prices installed laminate at $380 to $750 per m² ($35 to $70 per sq ft), about a third of quartz or granite. For the 2.8 to 3.7 m² (30 to 40 sq ft) of counter in a typical kitchen, the same guide puts quartz at about $3,300 to $7,200 installed, and porcelain, natural stone slabs, thick edges, waterfall ends and complex seams push it higher.
Slab yield matters as much as counter length. A large island may need a second slab if the pattern or veining won’t lay out on one, so every sink and cooktop cut-out, edge profile and backsplash height should be written on the quote.
Counters also set the end of the schedule. With the fabricators we work with, laminate tops take up to 10 days and stone 2 to 3 weeks before installation, and we book the template as close to the start of cabinet installation as possible.
Does the province change the price?
Yes, mostly through tax, permits and access. The same cabinets can take longer to install in a downtown condo with booked elevator time than in a house with a driveway, and older housing stock brings more surprises.
| Cost factor | British Columbia | Alberta |
|---|---|---|
| GST | 5% | 5% |
| Provincial sales tax | 7% PST on most goods and services | None |
| Gas permits | Issued by the city in Vancouver and Burnaby | City of Calgary, to certified gasfitters only |
| Contractor coverage check | WorkSafeBC clearance letter | WCB Alberta clearance letter |
How PST lands on cabinets in BC depends on who installs them. Our FAQ notes we’d have to charge 7% PST if you or someone else installed the cabinets, and the cabinets must be installed by our installers for the Merit Kitchens warranty to be valid.
For local numbers and local quirks, see our Vancouver kitchen renovation cost guide, Burnaby kitchen renovation costs and Calgary kitchen renovation budget ranges.
How long does a kitchen renovation take?
Our cabinets are made to order, and lead times are generally 6 to 8 weeks once the order is placed. A typical 3.7 x 3.7 m (12 x 12 ft) kitchen of about 20 cases takes 3 to 4 days to install, and depending on size and complexity an install can run from 1 day to 4 weeks. Counters follow the template by up to 10 days for laminate or 2 to 3 weeks for stone.
- Design, site measure and selections.
- Permits, where plumbing, gas, electrical or structure changes.
- Cabinet production: 6 to 8 weeks for made-to-order lines, 1 to 3 weeks for Access.
- Demolition and rough-ins by your contractor (we generally don’t tear out old cabinets).
- Cabinet installation, base cabinets first.
- Countertop template, fabrication and installation.
- Backsplash, finishing trades and deficiencies.
Have your appliances on site when the cabinets arrive, stored outside the kitchen where the installers can reach them to check measurements. Have sinks and faucets ready for the countertop template too, since a missing sink delays the counters. Our guide to how long custom cabinets take breaks down each stage.
How do you hire the right people for a kitchen renovation?
Who does the work matters as much as what goes in. Most kitchens need a general contractor or renovator, a licensed electrician and plumber, and a gasfitter if there’s a gas range. We design, supply, deliver and install the cabinets and manage that part of the project. We don’t do electrical, plumbing, ventilation or appliance installation, and we can refer you to contractors we work with.
- In BC, if you’re acting as prime contractor on your own home, WorkSafeBC says to get a clearance letter for each contractor. Without one you could be held jointly liable for their unpaid premiums.
- In Alberta, WCB Alberta says to get a clearance before you hire and before you release payment.
- In Alberta, a business that sells home renovation work away from its own premises and takes money before the work is done needs a prepaid contracting business licence. You can ask to see it.
- Ask for references you can call, and for a written quote and schedule that name every trade and every exclusion.
How can you keep a kitchen renovation on budget?
The most reliable savings come from avoiding site work. Cheaper cabinet parts save less than you’d think and cost more later.
- Leave plumbing, gas and the range in their current spots.
- Choose appliances by model number before the drawings are approved.
- Approve drawings before anything is ordered, since changes after production cost the most.
- Spend on boxes, drawer hardware and installation; save on specialty accessories and complex island shapes.
- Keep electrical and ventilation allowances in the budget even if they look high early on.
- If you’re borrowing, compare options first with our guide to kitchen renovation financing in BC and Alberta.
If you’re starting from scratch, here’s how our kitchen design process works, and whether design is free.
Frequently asked questions
Is $20,000 enough for a kitchen renovation in Canada?
It can cover a cabinet refresh, modest stock cabinets or a small kitchen with little trade work. It usually won’t cover new cabinets, counters, electrical, plumbing, demolition, installation and finishing together, and appliances and tax may sit outside that number.
Are kitchen renovation costs tax deductible in Canada?
Most aren’t. The federal home accessibility expenses credit covers up to $20,000 a year of eligible costs for someone 65 or older or eligible for the disability tax credit, but appliances and work done mainly to add value to the home don’t qualify. Check with a tax professional before counting on it.
Does a kitchen renovation add value to a home?
It can help a home sell and make it easier to live in, but the return isn’t guaranteed and rarely matches every dollar spent. Workmanship, the local market and how well the design suits the house all affect it.
What’s the most expensive part of a kitchen renovation?
Cabinetry is usually the largest single category, especially with custom sizing, lots of drawers and specialty finishes. Structural changes, moved services or premium appliances can outweigh it.
How much contingency should I keep for a kitchen remodel?
We suggest 10% to 15% of the construction budget for a typical kitchen and more for an older home. Keep it separate from cabinet and appliance allowances so it’s there for whatever turns up behind the walls.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Building construction price indexes, second quarter 2026 (July 24, 2026)
- RenoQuotes: Kitchen Renovation Cost in Canada in 2026: Budget, Prices, and Tips (updated September 4, 2026)
- RenoQuotes: IKEA vs. Home Depot vs. Custom Cabinets: A 2025 Cost & Quality Comparison (updated September 10, 2026)
- Green Building Canada: Here’s What a Home Renovation Costs in Vancouver (updated September 18, 2026)
- Final Draft Cabinetry: Frequently Asked Questions (accessed November 2026)
- Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST calculator (and rates) (accessed November 2026)
- Province of British Columbia: B.C. provincial sales tax (PST) (updated September 21, 2026)
- Canada Revenue Agency: Home accessibility expenses, line 31285 (modified July 24, 2026)
- City of Calgary: Plumbing and gas permits (accessed November 2026)
- City of Burnaby: Residential Trade Permits (accessed November 2026)
- City of Vancouver: Gas permit (accessed November 2026)
- WorkSafeBC: Homeowners (accessed November 2026)
- WCB Alberta: Clearance letters (accessed November 2026)
- Government of Alberta: Prepaid contracting business licence (accessed November 2026)
Last reviewed November 2026.
Get a number for your own kitchen
Planning ranges only go so far. See how we handle a kitchen renovation and request a free estimate, which includes a design drawn for your room.
Final Draft Cabinetry is a kitchen and bath design studio in Burnaby, BC, serving Greater Vancouver and Calgary. We design, order, deliver and install cabinetry from Merit Kitchens, Lectus, Access and our own FDC Signature line, which is built in the Lower Mainland.
