FAQs - Kitchen Cost Guide

Cabinet tier is the single largest cost variable. Stock cabinetry runs $4,000–$10,000 installed. Semi-custom cabinetry — the most popular choice for standard GTA kitchens — runs $8,000–$20,000. Full custom cabinetry built to exact dimensions runs $15,000–$40,000+. Choosing the right tier for your kitchen's size and configuration is the most impactful budget decision you will make before any work begins. We advise on the right tier for your specific space during the consultation.

Semi-custom cabinetry for a standard GTA kitchen typically runs $8,000–$20,000 supply and install, with 4–10 week lead times. Full custom cabinetry — built to the exact dimensions of your specific kitchen — runs $15,000–$40,000+, with 8–16 week lead times. Semi-custom is the right choice for most standard GTA kitchens. Full custom is appropriate for non-standard footprints, architecturally complex spaces, or where specific storage configurations are required that standard sizing cannot achieve.

Quartz countertops run $80–$150 per square foot installed, including fabrication and installation. Natural stone countertops — marble, quartzite, granite, travertine — run $100–$200 per square foot installed. Custom edge profiles add $15–$40 per linear foot. Porcelain slab countertops, which are increasingly popular for their maintenance-free surface and continuous run from countertop to backsplash, are priced similarly to quartz. All countertop costs are fabricated-to-template and include undermount sink cutout where specified.

Building permits for structural modifications run $200–$500. ESA electrical permits run $100–$300. Plumbing permits run $150–$250. These figures represent the permit fees themselves. The associated design costs — BCIN-qualified drawings, structural engineering where load-bearing walls are involved, and permit management — are included in our project scope, not added separately. In total, permit-related costs represent a small fraction of the project budget but protect your insurance, resale value, and legal standing.

Load-bearing wall removal with engineering drawings, beam installation, temporary shoring, structural inspection, building permit, and drywall patching typically adds $10,000–$30,000 to a kitchen renovation, depending on the beam span required. A non-load-bearing partition removal with permit and finishing costs $3,000–$8,000. Every wall proposed for removal is assessed before any design is committed — the structural determination must be made before any cost is quoted or committed for that element.

A complete three-layer kitchen lighting design — ambient pot lights, under-cabinet LED task lighting, and island pendant lighting — runs $2,500–$6,000 supply and install, all ESA permitted. Pot lights cost $150–$300 each installed. Under-cabinet LED strip lighting for a standard kitchen runs $800–$2,000. Three island pendants on an independent dimmer circuit run $1,500–$3,500 including fixtures. All three layers must be planned before electrical rough-in — retrofitting any zone in a finished kitchen requires opening walls or ceilings.

LVP or engineered hardwood kitchen flooring — the two most popular choices — typically runs $5,000–$12,000 supply and install for a standard GTA kitchen, depending on the floor area and material selection. LVP is 100% waterproof and the preferred choice for kitchens with any moisture history or seasonal humidity variation. Large-format porcelain tile, the most durable kitchen flooring option, runs $10–$18 per square foot installed. Flooring selection should be coordinated with cabinetry and countertop tones during the design phase.

Wide quote variation almost always reflects what lower quotes exclude rather than genuine scope differences. Common exclusions in low quotes: permits and permit management; licensed electrician and plumber labour; structural assessment for wall removal; design and drawings; warranty; and proper waterproofing in adjacent bathroom scopes. Our estimates are fully itemized — every line item priced and documented before you commit. Compare line items, not totals, when evaluating any two renovation quotes in the GTA market.

A cosmetic kitchen update with no structural, plumbing, or electrical scope changes takes 1–3 weeks. A mid-range full kitchen renovation with permits takes 4–8 weeks total including permit approval. A full renovation with structural wall removal takes 10–14 weeks, including engineering, permit approval, and construction. Custom cabinetry lead times of 4–16 weeks are factored into the schedule and procurement begins during the permit approval period so construction starts immediately once permits are in hand.