Kitchen remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling Services
Kitchens are our specialty, not a sideline. We design around how you cook, price it honestly on paper before demo, and build it to a standard that still feels right in ten years.
Kitchens and baths are what this studio does. That focus is the difference between a remodeler learning the hard parts on your project, and a specialist who already knows where the budget goes, what fails in five years, and how to price it honestly before a single cabinet comes out.
Why choose us
Why choose us for your kitchen remodel
01
The number is settled before demo day
Most kitchen horror stories are budget stories, and they start on paper. We itemize the scope, put real allowances against every selection, and lock it before a cabinet comes out. That is the difference between an estimate and a guess you are asked to sign, and it is why our projects do not balloon in change orders.
02
Designed around how you actually cook
We start with your workflow and storage, not the finish catalog. Where the prep happens, where the trash and recycling go, how two people move past each other, whether an island helps or just blocks the path. Finishes are the easy part. A layout that fits your habits is what you feel every morning.
03
The quality is in the parts you will not see
Anyone can hang a nice door. We care about the plywood box behind it, the countertop seam you never notice, the hood actually sized to your range, and the circuits that carry an induction cooktop without tripping. Those are the things that decide whether the kitchen still feels right in ten years.
04
One contract, one point of contact
Design, selections, permits, demo, build, and the final punch list under one roof. Nothing falls through the gap between a designer, a GC, and five subs who have never met. You call one number, and the person who answers knows your project.
Avoid these
Common kitchen remodeling mistakes to avoid
Six failure modes we see over and over in kitchens someone else quoted. Knowing them cold is most of what you are paying a specialist for.
The bid leaves out the allowances
A low number often means countertops, tile, and fixtures were penciled in cheap or left out. When you pick what you actually want, the price jumps. We put a real allowance on every selection up front, so the estimate is the number, not the opening bid.
The electrical cannot handle a modern kitchen
Induction ranges, double ovens, and instant-hot taps draw serious power, and a lot of homes here run an undersized panel. Discovering that mid-project is expensive. We check panel capacity and wiring first and plan the circuits before we promise you an induction cooktop.
Ventilation is an afterthought
A real range needs a hood sized to it, ducted outside, sometimes with make-up air to satisfy code. A recirculating fan over a serious cooktop just moves grease around. We size and duct ventilation properly so the kitchen stays clean and passes inspection.
Lighting is one fixture in the ceiling
A single overhead light leaves you working in your own shadow. Good kitchens layer task, ambient, and accent light on sensible switching. We plan three layers of light so the counter is bright where you cut and soft where you gather.
Plumbing or gas gets moved blindly
Moving the sink, range, or adding an island can be simple or costly depending on what is under the floor and where it drains. Deciding after the design is locked is how budgets break. We settle what moves, and what it costs, before the layout is final.
Long-lead cabinets and appliances are ordered late
Custom cabinets and some appliances run weeks or months out. Order them after demo and the job sits with an open wall. We lock selections and order before demo, so the site keeps moving instead of waiting.
Quality
What quality kitchen remodeling looks like
The finishes sell the kitchen. These are the things that keep it feeling new long after the reveal.
-
Cabinet boxes, not just doors
Plywood boxes over particleboard where it matters, soft-close hardware, and full-extension slides so the back of the drawer is usable, not lost.
-
Countertop seams and support
Seams placed where they disappear, substrate that carries the weight, and undermount sinks set so water never finds the cabinet below.
-
Waterproofing at every wet point
The sink base, the dishwasher line, and any wet wall detailed to keep water out of the cabinetry and subfloor, where the slow leaks do their damage.
-
Ventilation sized to the range
A hood matched to your cooktop and ducted to the outside, not a token fan that recirculates grease back into the room.
-
Lighting in layers
Under-cabinet task light, ceiling ambient, and accent where it earns its place, on switching that actually makes sense.
-
Electrical to current code
Dedicated circuits, GFCI and AFCI protection, and capacity planned for how kitchens are powered now, not how they were in 1995.
Options
Types of kitchen remodels
Most kitchens land in one of these. Knowing which you are after is the fastest way to a realistic number.
Level 01
Refresh
Same footprint, new look. The fastest path when the layout already works.
- Cabinet refacing or paint
- New countertops and backsplash
- Fixtures, hardware, and lighting
- Nothing structural, nothing moved
What moves the price: the countertop material and how much cabinetry is replaced versus refaced.
Level 02
Mid remodel
New cabinets and a smarter layout, without gutting the whole room.
- All-new cabinetry
- Targeted layout changes
- Some plumbing or electrical moves
- New flooring and appliances
What moves the price: whether services have to move, and the cabinet and appliance tier you choose.
Level 03
Full gut
Down to the studs and rebuilt around how you cook. Often opened to the next room.
- Walls opened, layout reworked
- Plumbing, gas, and electrical relocated
- Structural work and permits
- New everything, planned as one
What moves the price: structural changes, relocated services, and permit scope. Planning earns its keep here.
Permits & code
Kitchen remodeling permits and code in Washington
A kitchen here is not a kitchen anywhere. The code, the housing stock, and the permit counter all shape what is possible and what it costs.
-
Washington energy code and electrification
The state code keeps tightening around insulation, ventilation, and electric appliances. If you want an induction range or a heat-pump-era kitchen, the panel and circuits have to be planned for it. We build to current code, not the version from a decade ago.
-
Older homes and undersized panels
A lot of the housing we work in predates modern kitchen loads, with older wiring and small panels. We check what is behind the walls before promising an appliance the house cannot yet power.
-
Permits and inspections
A kitchen that moves plumbing, gas, or electrical, or opens a wall, needs a permit and inspections. We pull it and manage the process. When and how vary by city, so your city page has the specifics.
-
Opening the kitchen to a great room
Taking down the wall between the kitchen and living space usually means a structural header, engineering, and the seismic detailing this region requires. We plan that in, rather than discovering it after demo.
Service areas
Kitchen remodeling by city
Permit offices, timelines, and local pricing change by city. Pick yours for the details that apply to your kitchen.
FAQ
Kitchen remodeling FAQs
How do you keep the price from creeping once we start?
By doing the hard part first. We itemize scope, put a real allowance on every selection, and lock choices before demo. Change orders happen when someone finds a rotted subfloor, not because the estimate was optimistic. That discipline up front is the whole point of how we work.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
A refresh is quick; a full gut with relocated plumbing and a permit takes longer. We put a timeline in writing with your estimate and flag the real risks, usually permit review and long-lead cabinets or appliances, which is exactly why we order them before demo. TKTK typical ranges by level.
Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen?
If you move plumbing, gas, or electrical, or change anything structural, yes. A cosmetic refresh often does not. We pull the permit on any scope that needs one and manage inspections. Requirements and timelines vary by city, so check your city page.
Can you move the sink, add an island, or open a wall?
Yes to all three, and each one moves the budget. Moving the sink or range relocates plumbing or gas; an island needs power and sometimes water; opening a wall may mean a header and a permit. We price each honestly and settle the layout before demo, not during it.
New cabinets or refacing?
If your boxes are sound and the layout works, refacing saves real money. If the boxes are failing or you are changing the layout, new cabinetry is the smarter spend. We will tell you which your kitchen actually calls for, even when it is the cheaper answer.
What does a kitchen remodel cost?
It depends on the level and your city, so we price against your real scope and local conditions rather than a national average. See your city page for local ranges, or send the form for a free written estimate on your specific kitchen. TKTK local cost bands by city.
Ready when you are
Get a free kitchen remodel estimate
Tell us what you are planning and we will call within one business day, walk the space, and put a written estimate together, itemized, with allowances, and no pressure to sign.