What a kitchen remodel costs in the Monadnock Region

The honest answer to "what does a kitchen cost" is a range, because a kitchen is really a dozen decisions stacked together. But ranges are useful — they tell you whether your plan and your budget are in the same conversation. Here's what kitchen projects actually close at around Keene and Cheshire County in 2026.

The bands

• Refresh — $18k to $35k. Keep the layout. New counters, backsplash, sink and faucet, cabinet refinishing or new doors, lighting, paint. No walls move, no plumbing relocates.
• Mid remodel — $35k to $70k. New cabinetry in the existing footprint, new counters and appliances, flooring, some electrical, maybe a peninsula becomes an island. The most common project we do.
• Full remodel — $70k to $130k+. Walls come down, the layout changes, windows or a slider get added, custom cabinetry, high-end appliances and stone. Structural and permit work included.

These assume an average-sized Monadnock-region kitchen (about 150–220 sq ft). A large kitchen or a high-finish level moves each band up 30–55%. Run your own number with the project budget calculator.

Where the money goes

On a typical mid remodel, the split looks roughly like this:

• Cabinetry — 35 to 45%. The single biggest line. If cabinetry is more than half your total, the layout needs another look before you compromise on everything else.
• Labor & project management — 25 to 35%. Demo, carpentry, tile setting, install, and the person holding the schedule together.
• Countertops — 8 to 15%. Material tier matters here more than square footage.
• Appliances — 8 to 15%. A wide spread depending on whether you want panel-ready and pro-style.
• Everything else — flooring, lighting, plumbing fixtures, paint, permits.

The line items cheap bids leave out

When one quote is thousands under another, this is usually why:

• Subfloor and substrate prep. Old floors are rarely flat. It's either in the number or it's a change order.
• Electrical to current code. Adding circuits, GFCI, under-cabinet and can lighting adds up.
• Disposal and protection. Dumpsters, floor and dust protection, and hauling the old kitchen away.
• Realistic appliance and fixture allowances. A $3,000 appliance allowance on a project where you want a 36-inch range is a placeholder, not a plan.
• Contingency. Older homes hide things. A real bid names a contingency instead of pretending nothing will come up.

How to keep it on budget

Decide the layout first and don't relitigate it. Pick your cabinetry line early — it sets the ceiling. Make selections in person so nothing gets returned. And get a real, itemized number before demolition, so a surprise is a conversation, not a crisis.