Columbia General Contractor · Kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling and home additions for homeowners in Columbia, Ashland, Hallsville, Fulton and nearby towns.
One national guide puts the typical kitchen remodel cost at $14,589 to $41,538, averaging $26,974, with a Midwest range of $10,300 to $34,300 (Bob Vila, published 2025-05-16). That is not a Columbia price, because we found no local survey we could read. We found no sourced timeline either, so ask each company for dated start and finish dates in writing. Columbia General Contractor is a referral service, not the remodeler. Send the quote form. We call you back within one business day and connect you with an independent local kitchen remodeling company.
What does a full kitchen remodel include, from design to cleanup?
One Denver design-build kitchen company lists its process as a consultation, design and budget planning, construction coordination, and a final walkthrough with a warranty. It also sells turnkey kitchen remodeling (the company's page, read 2026-10-27). Use that as a checklist, and ask each company to list every stage in its quote: design, demolition, rough-in, finishes, cleanup. A written scope that names each stage keeps two bids on the same footing. Ask whether the quote includes design and permits.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Columbia?
This kitchen remodel cost guide uses national figures from Bob Vila (published 2025-05-16, read 2026-10-27). No Columbia kitchen price from a source we could check exists, so treat the numbers as a planning range. Your own written quote is the only real Columbia price.
| Scope | Typical cost | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Typical kitchen remodel, national | $14,589 to $41,538 (average $26,974) | Guide's national range |
| Midwest region, as printed by the guide | $10,300 to $34,300 | The guide's regional range, not a city survey |
| Per square foot | $75 to $250 | Guide's per-square-foot range |
| Small-scale | $10,000 to $20,000 | Guide's small-scale tier |
| Mid-scale | $20,000 to $65,000 | Guide's mid-scale tier |
| Large-scale | $65,000 to $130,000 | Guide's large-scale tier |
The same guide splits the budget by part: labor about 25 percent, cabinets about 40 percent, design about 3 percent (or $65 to $250 an hour).
| Part of the kitchen | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cabinets and hardware | $2,000 to $28,000 |
| Countertops, installed | $1,870 to $4,400 |
| Flooring | $1,000 to $4,000 |
| Lighting | $500 to $2,000 |
| Backsplash | $500 to $1,700 |
| Appliance package, basic | $1,200 to $2,100 |
| Appliance package, high-end | Up to $13,000 or more |
These parts will not add up to your total, because no kitchen needs every line at its top or bottom. They show where a quote looks high or low. A quote with no cabinet line, or one "allowance" for everything, is hard to judge.
What drives kitchen remodel cost
- Size. The guide prices a remodel at $75 to $250 per square foot, so give every company the same room measurements.
- Layout change. The guide lists new plumbing lines at $1,500 to $15,000, so ask each company to price the plan with the sink, stove and fridge where they are, and again with them moved.
- Moving plumbing or gas. Moving a gas line runs $375 to $750 in the guide.
- Wall removal. Ask how the quote handles what the company finds in the wall.
- Electrical upgrades. A panel upgrade runs $520 to $2,000 in the guide.
- Cabinet grade. Cabinets alone span $2,000 to $28,000, so this one choice can move the whole budget.
- Countertop material. The per-square-foot spread is wide. See the countertop table below.
- Permits. Columbia charges a fee by job value, and starting without a permit doubles it. See the permit section.
Kitchen design and planning: layout, traffic flow and storage
Layouts, traffic flow, structural changes, permits and code are good topics to raise at the first meeting. A builder's kitchen page lists islands, open-concept plans, wall removal and beams among its kitchen services (one Columbia-area remodeler's site, read 2026-10-27). Use these questions with a designer or kitchen remodeler:
- Can you show where a person at the sink walks without bumping into an open dishwasher or oven door, and how the path runs between the sink, the stove and the fridge?
- Can you draw a galley, an L-shape, an island and an open-concept option, and price each?
- If I want kitchen island design and installation, does the island need power or plumbing, and what does that add?
- Does an open plan mean a wall comes out, and what does that do to the price?
A layout change can add a lot, since the guide prices new plumbing lines at $1,500 to $15,000. Ask for two layouts: one that keeps the plumbing where it is, and one that changes it. The price gap tells you what the change is worth. Then count storage by what you own: pots, small appliances, pantry food. Drawers, a pantry run and a corner solution cost money, so decide which earn their place.
When a company calls it custom kitchen remodeling, ask what is custom: the cabinets, the layout, or only the finishes. The quote should name which.
Cabinets: stock, semi-custom or custom, and refacing or replacing
Cabinets are the largest single cost, about 40 percent of the budget in the guide's split. We found no manufacturer or trade source that defines the grades, so the table gives questions, not definitions.
| Option | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Stock | Which sizes are offered, and do filler strips cover the gaps in my room? |
| Semi-custom | Which sizes, finishes and options can change, and what does each change cost? |
| Custom kitchen cabinets | Who builds them, and what is the order date? |
| Door style: inset, overlay or frameless | Which door style does the quote assume, and how does it change the price and the look? |
| Cabinet refacing | Are my boxes sound enough to keep, does my layout stay, and what is the price? |
| Cabinet replacement | Does the quote include removal and kitchen cabinet installation? |
We found no sourced price for refacing and no source on when each option fits. Ask each company to price both refacing and replacement on the same kitchen, and to say what each cannot change.
Also ask whether the boxes are solid wood, plywood or particle board, and what the drawer slides and hinges are. A written spec beats a catalog photo.
Countertops: quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, laminate, butcher block, solid surface, concrete; cost per square foot
For kitchen countertop replacement, these per-square-foot ranges are material only, from the same Bob Vila guide (2025-05-16). Installed totals are in the part table above. The cost per square foot below is what the guide printed.
| Countertop material | Material cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Laminate | $8 to $35 |
| Wood | $18 to $38 |
| Quartz countertops | $15 to $70 |
| Granite countertops | $10 to $140 |
| Marble | $15 to $190 |
| Stainless steel | $60 to $100 |
Granite and marble have the widest ranges, so pick the slab in person and get a price for your actual layout. For countertop installation, ask when the counter is measured, how long it takes to arrive after that, and whether the cabinet order date or the counter date sets the finish date.
One Columbia-area remodeler's site also lists butcher block and solid surface among its countertop surfaces (read 2026-10-27). The guide we read prints no price for them, so ask for a per-square-foot price on your layout before you compare. For quartzite, butcher block, solid surface and concrete we have no sourced cost per square foot: ask each company to quote it in writing.
Flooring, backsplash tile, lighting and range hood ventilation
Backsplash. Backsplash installation runs $500 to $1,700 in the guide. Ask whether the tile is priced separately from the labor, and when in the schedule it goes in.
Flooring. Kitchen flooring installation totals $1,000 to $4,000. Per square foot: luxury vinyl plank $3 to $7, laminate $3 to $10, ceramic tile $4 to $40, hardwood $6 to $22. Ask whether the new floor runs under the cabinets or stops at them, and how that changes the cost.
Lighting and ventilation. Kitchen lighting upgrades total $500 to $2,000, with under-cabinet lights at $230 to $300. Ask which lights are in the quote (recessed, pendant, under-cabinet), where the range hood vents, and whether any of it needs new wiring and a permit.
Appliances, sinks, plumbing and electrical circuits
The guide lists basic appliance packages at $1,200 to $2,100 and high-end ones up to $13,000 or more. Installing an appliance adds $123 to $299 each. Ask who orders the appliances, and whether the cabinet maker has their exact sizes before cabinets are ordered.
Ask which plumbing connections the quote covers (sink, faucet, dishwasher, disposal, any fridge water line) and whether the electrical line includes new outlets or a dedicated circuit for a range or microwave. Ask who does the electrical work and whether that person holds a City of Columbia electrical certificate or is covered by an exception in the ordinance. See the permit section for the city's rule.
Remodel steps and the order of work, from demo to finish
Ask each company for its kitchen remodel process as a written step order, with dates. Questions that bring out the order:
- When are the cabinets and appliances ordered, and when do they arrive?
- When does demo start, and what is done to protect the rest of the house?
- When is the plumbing, wiring and vent work done, and which of it needs a permit and an inspection?
- What is the order for drywall, paint, floor, cabinets and counters?
- When are the backsplash, fixtures and appliances set?
- When is the final walkthrough, the punch list and the cleanup?
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
We found no sourced Columbia timeline, so we give no number. We also found no sourced cabinet or counter lead times. Ask each company for a start date, an expected finish date, and the dates cabinets and counters are ordered, in writing. Ask what happens to the finish date if an order is late, an inspection fails or something unexpected turns up behind a wall.
Living at home without a kitchen: dust, noise and a temporary setup
Can you stay home during a kitchen remodel? We found no source on this, so ask each company. Ask whether it plans a temporary kitchen for you and where it goes, how it will contain dust and protect floors on the way out, what hours the noise runs, whether it cleans each day, and when water and power will be off.
Why do some remodelers charge for design before an estimate?
The guide puts design at about 3 percent of the budget, or $65 to $250 an hour. Ask whether a company charges for design before it gives a price, what the fee covers, whether it is credited toward the job if you hire that company, and whether you may take the plans to another company.
Design-build vs a separate designer vs contractor-only
One Columbia-area remodeler's site describes a design-build approach (read 2026-10-27). Ask whether the designer and builder work under one contract, whether you hire a designer first and bring the plan to a builder, or whether you bring the plan and the company only builds. Ask who answers for the drawings and the price in each case, and how many contracts you would sign. Our general contractor guide covers how to choose between company types.
A kitchen remodeling consultation is the first meeting where a company sees the room. Bring photos, measurements if you have them, a budget range and a list of what annoys you about the current kitchen. Ask whether the consultation costs anything before you book it.
Does a kitchen remodel increase home value? Small and phased jobs
We could not read a source for the Cost vs Value recoup figures, so we state none for kitchens, and we have no Columbia resale figure either. For scale, Census Reporter's 2024 profile shows a median owner-occupied home value of $311,700 in Columbia (margin $23,756). Ask a local real estate agent what buyers in your neighborhood expect from a kitchen.
A small kitchen can be remodeled, and the guide's small-scale tier is $10,000 to $20,000. If you want to phase the work, ask each company what must be done first, what can wait, and whether waiting means opening finished walls again.
If you also want a new bath, ask for kitchen and bath remodeling to be bid together only if the quote lists each room on its own line. Read about bathroom remodeling before deciding.
How to compare kitchen remodeling contractors' bids and what the contract should say
The Missouri Attorney General (published 2025-06-17) says to get a written contract that details all the work, get at least two or three bids, never prepay and never pay in cash, and check a contractor's complaint history with the Attorney General's office and the Better Business Bureau. In practice:
- Give every kitchen remodeling contractor the same plan, cabinet line and countertop material, so the totals compare.
- Compare line items, not totals: demolition, cabinets, counters, flooring, electrical, plumbing, permits, cleanup.
- Check that payments follow finished stages, not a date.
- Look for the start date, finish date, who pulls permits, and how changes are priced.
Missouri law adds two points. Under RSMo 429.012, before taking any payment, an original contractor on a residential job must give you a written NOTICE TO OWNER in 10-point bold type. It warns that unpaid suppliers or workers can lead to a lien, and that missing lien waivers "may result in your paying for labor and material twice". Ask for lien waivers as the job is paid. Under RSMo 407.710, if the sale was solicited at your home, the contract must carry a NOTICE OF CANCELLATION and you may cancel within 3 business days. The 3-day right applies to sales solicited at your home, with an exception where you request urgent emergency work.
Who handles permits and inspections for kitchen work in Columbia?
Here is what the City of Columbia's code says (Municode, read 2026-10-27), and what we could not confirm.
- Who pulls the permit. Permits for alterations to one- and two-family homes may be issued to the general contractor on behalf of the master electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors.
- Who does the trade work. All electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fuel gas work must be done by trade contractors licensed by the City of Columbia for that trade, or as the ordinance allows. The city issues contractor, journeyman and apprentice electrical certificates. Plumbing must be under a licensed master or journeyman plumber.
- The fee. The building permit fee is $2.25 per $1,000 of value, with a $35.00 minimum. For remodeling, the value used is 50 percent of the new-construction value, unless the applicant's detailed estimate is accepted in special circumstances. When plans are required, plan review is 50 percent of the permit fee. A failed inspection costs $35.00 and a failed re-inspection $75.00. As an illustration only: if the city valued a job at $20,000, the permit fee would be $45.00 and the plan review $22.50.
- Starting without a permit. Work begun before the permit is pulled costs double the permit fees; a second offense costs three times.
- Drawings. Applications need two sets of drawings to scale. One- and two-family homes are exempt from the rule that plans be sealed by a registered design professional.
- Codes in force. The city's codified text lists the 2018 International Residential Code and the 2017 National Electric Code. A city page says the city is reviewing the 2024 codes, with no date given.
We did not find a rule on whether a kitchen update with no wall or plumbing change needs a permit, and we did not read the city's residential alteration permit form. The city's Building and Site Development page lists a Residential Alteration Building Permit, a Trade Permit Application and an online building fee calculator. Ask the company whether your scope needs a permit, who will apply, and where inspection dates fall in the schedule. If your home is outside Columbia city limits, ask which office covers your address before assuming the city's rules apply.
The city code we read has no general contractor license, and Columbia runs annual business licenses through its Finance Department. Ask each company whether it holds the city licenses its work needs. If a wall removal grows into a bigger project, see our guide to home additions.
Pre-1978 homes: lead-safe work and old wiring or plumbing behind walls
In a home built before 1978, EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies. Anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in such a home must work for a certified firm, even a one-person business. Owners working on their own home are generally not covered, but EPA still recommends a certified contractor (EPA, read 2026-10-27). Ask to see the company's lead-safe certification before demolition.
If old wiring or plumbing is found behind a wall, who pays and at what rate? Ask how that surprise is priced before you sign. A good contract has a change-order process and says whether the quote carries a contingency line, so you are not negotiating after the wall is open.
Kitchen remodeling questions
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
Nationally, $14,589 to $41,538, with a Midwest range of $10,300 to $34,300 (Bob Vila, 2025-05-16). We found no Columbia survey we could read, so use these as a range and get written quotes.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
We found no sourced Columbia timeline. Ask each company for a start date, a finish date and the cabinet and counter order dates in writing.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel?
We did not find a rule for a kitchen with no wall or plumbing change. Columbia charges $2.25 per $1,000 of value, with remodel value counted at 50 percent, and doubles the fee if work starts first. Ask the company whether your scope needs a permit.
Who pulls the permit?
Columbia's code allows the permit for an alteration to be issued to the general contractor on behalf of the master electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors. Trade work must be done by city-licensed trades, or as the ordinance allows.
Can I stay home during a kitchen remodel?
We found no source on this. Ask how the company will seal the work area, where you will cook, and when water and power will be off.
Should I reface my cabinets or replace them?
We found no sourced price or rule. Ask each company to price both on the same kitchen, and to say whether your boxes and layout suit refacing.
Which countertop is best?
It depends on budget and use. Laminate runs $8 to $35 per square foot for the material, quartz $15 to $70, and granite $10 to $140. Compare installed prices for your layout.
Why do some remodelers charge for design?
The guide puts design at about 3 percent of the budget, or $65 to $250 an hour. Ask what the fee covers, whether it is credited, and whether you keep the plans.
What does a kitchen remodel quote include?
It should list demolition, cabinets, counters, flooring, lighting, plumbing, electrical, permits and cleanup, with allowances named. A single lump sum is hard to compare.
Is lead-safe work needed in an older house?
For a home built before 1978, a paid contractor disturbing painted surfaces must be an EPA-certified firm. Ask to see the certification.
Does a kitchen remodel increase home value?
We found no verified Columbia figure. Ask a local real estate agent what buyers in your neighborhood expect, and compare that with the cost range above.
Get a kitchen remodel quote
Send the quote form. We call you back within one business day and connect you with a local kitchen remodeling company. If you have a question first, see Contact.
Sources
- Bob Vila, kitchen remodel cost (published 2025-05-16; read 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia code of ordinances, Chapter 6, Buildings and Building Regulations (read 2026-10-27)
- EPA, Renovation, Repair and Painting program (read 2026-10-27)
- Missouri Attorney General, scam warnings (published 2025-06-17; read 2026-10-27)
- RSMo 429.012 and RSMo 407.710 (read 2026-10-27)
- Census Reporter, Columbia city profile (ACS 2024) (read 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia, Building Code Adoption Project (capture 2025-12-16; read 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia, Building and Site Development (capture 2026-04-28; read 2026-10-27)
- City of Columbia, Business Licenses (capture 2026-02-10; read 2026-10-27)
- Denver kitchen remodeler website, company page and Columbia-area remodeler website, company page (read 2026-10-27)