What you actually get
Most Baltimore kitchens we do land between $19K and $35K. That covers cabinets, counters, floor, electrical, plumbing, drywall, paint, and trim. Mid-level finishes. Real materials. Nothing flashy that falls apart in three years.
We self-perform almost everything. The crew that demos the room is the crew that hangs the cabinets. You’re not stuck waiting two weeks because a sub didn’t show.
Quartz or granite on the counters, eased edge by default. LVP on the floor unless you want tile. Soft-close cabinets. Recessed lights and under-cabinet LEDs. If you want appliances included we can do that, but most clients buy their own and we install.
A quick note on why the number holds. We quote off a walkthrough, not a phone call. When the price is set after someone has actually looked at your panel and what’s behind the cabinets, there’s a lot less to discover mid-job. That’s why our estimates don’t drift the way a national-chain bid does.
The Baltimore rowhome kitchen
Most kitchens we touch sit in the back of a city rowhome, narrow, galley-shaped, often running against the rear wall with the basement stair eating into one corner. These rooms have their own rules.
The exterior wall is usually solid brick, so adding a window or a vent run isn’t a drywall job, it’s masonry. The plumbing stack tends to run down the back of the house, which is good news if you’re keeping the sink where it is and a cost driver if you want to move it. Older rowhomes still have the original chimney chase boxed into a wall, and you’d be surprised how often it’s hiding right where someone wants their range.
We’ve opened enough of these walls to know where the surprises live. If your rowhome was cut up into apartments at some point, common in Hampden, Pigtown, and parts of East Baltimore, there may be a second gas line or a capped drain we’ll find on demo day. We flag the likely ones on the first visit so the change order, if there is one, isn’t a shock.
Keep the layout or open it up
Two real choices, and they price very differently.
Keep the footprint. Cabinets and counters go back roughly where they were, plumbing and gas stay put, and the job moves fast. This is the $19K to $28K lane for most rowhomes and it’s where the value is. You get a brand-new kitchen without paying to relocate mechanicals.
Open the wall. Taking down the wall between a galley kitchen and the back parlor changes the whole floor. It also usually means a structural beam, a permit, and an inspection, which adds roughly a week and a few thousand dollars depending on the span. Worth it when the wall is killing the room. Not worth it just because open-concept is trendy. We’ll tell you which side of that line you’re on.
Cost breakdown
| Scope | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Refresh (cabinets stay, counters + floor + paint) | $8K–$14K |
| Full mid-level (full remodel, semi-custom cabs) | $19K–$28K |
| Full high-end (custom cabs, stone, premium fixtures) | $30K–$50K |
| Appliance suite (optional add-on, sourced by us) | $2,700–$3,500 |
Materials
Countertops. Granite and quartz are the standard. Both hold up. The choice is aesthetic, we have fabricators we use regularly and the cost is built into the estimate. Quartzite, butcher block, and other materials are available on request.
Cabinets. Semi-custom for most jobs: plywood box, dovetail drawer box, soft-close hinges and glides. Not pressed-wood boxes that delaminate in three years.
Flooring. LVP is our standard recommendation, MSI specifically. It installs fast, handles kitchen traffic, and tolerates the occasional water event. Tile is available if you want it.
Appliances. We don’t include them by default, but we do install. Most clients buy direct from a big-box store (better prices, especially around holidays). If you want us to source a suite, budget $2,700–$3,500.
Baltimore neighborhoods we work in
We do most of our kitchen work in Baltimore City rowhomes and the surrounding suburban market: Canton, Hampden, Fells Point, Federal Hill, Roland Park, Waverly, Towson, Lutherville, Catonsville, Ellicott City, and Annapolis.
The Baltimore rowhome kitchen is its own category, tight footprint, often galley-style, sometimes running against the back wall of the house. We’ve done enough of them to know where the pipes and headers hide, and how to keep the job on schedule when something unexpected turns up.
How the process works
Week 0, Site visit. We walk the room together, check the panel and plumbing stack, and look behind the walls where we can. You get a written estimate within 48 hours. No ballparks.
Week 0, Contract and permits. You sign, we pull permits. Baltimore City and County require permits for electrical and plumbing rough-ins. We handle everything.
Week 1, Demo and rough-in. Demo down to scope. Plumbing and electrical rough-ins go in. City inspection on the rough-ins before drywall closes.
Week 2, Drywall, cabinets, countertop template. Drywall hung and painted. Cabinets hung by our crew. Countertops templated and sent to the fabricator, typically a 5–7 day turn.
Week 3, Finish. Counters install, plumbing fixtures, backsplash, flooring (if not done earlier), trim, hardware, under-cabinet lighting. Final city inspection. Done.
Permits and inspections in Baltimore
Cosmetic kitchens, same layout, new cabinets and counters, usually don’t need a permit. The moment you move plumbing, add a gas line, or run new circuits, Baltimore City (and the county) want a permit and a rough-in inspection before the walls close.
We pull it under our MHIC license, schedule the inspector, and meet them on site. You don’t call the city, you don’t sit on hold, you don’t lose a week because the inspection slot got missed. If the job touches gas, expect a separate mechanical sign-off. We build that into the schedule up front so it never stalls the finish.
How we quote it
Site visit first, we look at the actual room before any number goes on paper. If we hit something behind the drywall mid-job, you get a change order with a price before we touch it. No surprises at invoice time.
Kitchen remodel FAQ
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Baltimore? Mid-level kitchens run $19K to $35K with us. A lighter refresh that keeps the cabinets can land at $8K to $14K. Full high-end with custom boxes and premium fixtures runs $30K to $50K.
How long does it take? Three to five weeks of on-site work for most kitchens. Cabinet lead time is the long pole, so we order early and give you a calendar before demo starts.
Do you move plumbing and gas? Yes, when the layout calls for it. Moving the sink or range means new rough-ins, a permit, and an inspection, and it adds cost, we price it separately so you can decide.
Can you open the wall to the dining room? Usually, yes. If it’s load-bearing we install a beam, pull the permit, and pass inspection. Budget about a week and a few thousand dollars on top of the kitchen.
Do you include appliances? Not by default. Most clients buy their own and we install. If you want us to source a suite, budget $2,700 to $3,500.
Where we work
We do kitchens across Baltimore City and the suburbs, kitchen remodeling in Canton, Federal Hill, Hampden, Fells Point, and out to Towson, Catonsville, and Pikesville. If you’re weighing a bigger project, our bathroom remodeling and full gut rehab pages cover those, and the pricing page lays out where every number comes from.
What we don’t do
We don’t sell you a $60K kitchen when $25K does the job. We don’t push appliances you don’t need. We don’t sub the whole job to a crew you’ve never met. If the scope doesn’t make sense for your house or your budget, we say that on the first visit.