SHORT ANSWER
Most San Antonio kitchen remodels in 2026 land between $15,000 and $150,000. A cosmetic refresh sits at the low end. A mid-range remodel with new cabinets and quartz counters usually runs $35,000 to $75,000. A full custom kitchen with layout changes can go past $100,000.
That’s a wide range, and it’s wide for a reason. “Kitchen remodel” can mean new paint and a backsplash, or it can mean tearing everything out to the studs and moving walls. This guide breaks down what each level costs, where the money actually goes, and how to keep your budget under control.
We’re a San Antonio remodeling contractor that also builds custom cabinets in our own shop, so we see both sides of the budget every day.
Kitchen Remodel Costs by Level
Most projects fall into one of three levels. Your level depends less on the size of your kitchen and more on how much you’re replacing and whether anything moves.
| Level | Typical San Antonio cost (2026) | What’s usually included |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh | $15,000 – $30,000 | Existing layout and cabinet boxes stay. New counters, backsplash, paint or refaced doors, sink, faucet, lighting. |
| Mid-range remodel | $35,000 – $75,000 | New cabinets, quartz or granite counters, tile backsplash, new flooring, new appliances. Layout mostly stays the same. |
| Full custom remodel | $75,000 – $150,000+ | Custom cabinetry, layout changes, walls moved or removed, plumbing and electrical relocated, premium appliances and finishes. |
If you’re unsure which level you’re in, ask one question: are we moving the sink, the range, or a wall? If the answer is yes, plan for the upper end of your range.
Where the Money Goes
Cabinets and labor together usually take more than half of a kitchen budget. Here’s a typical split for a mid-range remodel:
| Category | Typical share of budget |
|---|---|
| Cabinets and hardware | 25% – 40% |
| Labor and installation (all trades) | 20% – 35% |
| Countertops | 10% – 15% |
| Appliances | 10% – 15% |
| Flooring, backsplash, lighting, fixtures | 10% – 15% |
| Contingency for surprises | 10% – 15% (set aside) |
That contingency line matters. Older San Antonio homes often hide something behind the walls: outdated wiring, old galvanized plumbing, or water damage under the sink. A budget with no cushion turns a small surprise into a stressful one.
What Drives the Price Up (or Down)
- Moving things. Relocating a sink, gas line, or range means new plumbing, electrical, and often patching floors and walls. This is the single fastest way to add thousands to a project.
- Removing walls. Opening a kitchen to the living room is popular, but a load-bearing wall needs a beam, engineering, and permits.
- Cabinet choice. Stock, semi-custom, and custom cabinets can differ by tens of thousands of dollars on the same kitchen (more on this below).
- Countertop material. Laminate, quartz, granite, and quartzite all sit at different price points, and large islands with waterfall edges add up quickly.
- Appliances. A standard appliance package and a professional-grade range with a built-in fridge can be a $15,000+ difference on their own.
- The age of the house. Older homes are more likely to need electrical upgrades, subfloor repair, or plumbing replacement once demo starts.
- Size. A bigger kitchen means more cabinets, more counter, and more flooring, but size matters less than most people expect compared to the items above.
Cabinets: The Biggest Line Item
Because cabinets eat the largest share of the budget, the type you pick shapes the whole project.
- Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and a few finishes. They’re the cheapest option, but filler strips fill the gaps where standard sizes don’t fit your walls.
- Semi-custom cabinets offer more sizes, finishes, and options. This is where many mid-range kitchens land.
- Custom cabinets are built to your exact measurements. Every inch of wall gets used, and you choose the materials, construction, and finish.
Here’s something most homeowners don’t know: custom doesn’t always cost as much as you’d think. A big part of custom cabinet pricing is the markup and coordination between a cabinet shop and a separate remodeling contractor.
Scout builds cabinets in its own CNC shop, so the same company that designs your kitchen also builds the boxes, doors, and drawers. That cuts out a layer of markup, avoids the “cabinet guy blamed the contractor” problem, and gives you cabinets sized to your actual walls instead of the nearest standard box.
— BUILT IN OUR OWN SHOP
Custom cabinets without the middleman
We design and build cabinets, millwork, and closets on our own CNC, sized to your actual walls.
How to Keep Your Kitchen Budget Under Control
- Keep the layout if it works. Leaving the sink, range, and fridge where they are is the biggest money saver available.
- Spend on what you touch every day. Drawers, hardware, and counters get used constantly. Spend there, and save on things like decorative lighting that are easy to upgrade later.
- Make your selections before demo. Changing tile or fixtures mid-project causes delays and change orders. Decide early and stick with it.
- Build in a 10–15% contingency. If you don’t need it, great. If you do, you won’t be scrambling.
- Get detailed quotes, not just a total. A bid that lists cabinets, counters, labor, and allowances separately is easier to compare and less likely to hide surprises.
- Be careful with the lowest bid. A price that’s far below the others usually means something was left out, and it shows up later as a change order.
How Long It Takes, and Whether You Need a Permit
A mid-range kitchen remodel usually takes 4 to 8 weeks of construction once work starts. Design, selections, and cabinet building happen before that, so plan on a few extra weeks from first meeting to demo day. Full custom remodels with layout changes take longer.
On permits: replacing counters, cabinets, or appliances in the same spots generally doesn’t need one. Adding electrical circuits, upgrading a panel, moving plumbing, or removing a wall does, through the City of San Antonio’s Development Services Department. Surrounding cities like New Braunfels, Schertz, and Cibolo have their own permit offices and rules. Your contractor should handle permits and inspections as part of the job.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the average cost of a kitchen remodel in San Antonio?
Most mid-range kitchen remodels in San Antonio run $35,000 to $75,000 in 2026. Cosmetic refreshes can come in under $30,000, and full custom remodels often exceed $100,000.
Can I replace my cabinets without replacing the countertops?
Usually not. Counters are cut and installed to fit the cabinets below them, so they rarely survive a cabinet removal intact. Plan on replacing both.
Is a kitchen remodel worth it if I plan to sell?
A kitchen is one of the rooms buyers notice most. A well-done mid-range remodel tends to recover more of its cost at resale than a high-end one, so match your finishes to your neighborhood.
Do I have to move out during a kitchen remodel?
Most families stay. Setting up a temporary kitchen with a microwave, coffee maker, and fridge in another room makes the weeks without a kitchen much easier.
What areas do you serve?
We work in San Antonio, New Braunfels, Schertz, Selma, Universal City, Converse, Cibolo, Hollywood Park, Pleasanton, and Floresville.
Get a Real Number for Your Kitchen
Cost guides give you a ballpark. A walkthrough gives you a real number. Scout is owner-led, so the person you meet at your house is the person accountable for the finished kitchen, from design through the cabinets built in our shop to the final install.
Call (210) 972-0887 or email sales@scoutbuildingservices.com to set up a visit. Learn more about our kitchen and bath remodeling.