Ask three contractors what a kitchen remodel costs and you’ll get three wildly different numbers. Here’s the honest breakdown we give Vallejo homeowners.
A refresh — new counters, paint, hardware, and appliances in the existing layout — typically lands between $25,000 and $45,000 in the North Bay. A full remodel that moves plumbing or walls runs $60,000 to $120,000+, and the biggest cost drivers are cabinets (about a third of most budgets), moving gas or water lines, and structural changes like removing a wall.
Where people get burned isn’t the big-ticket items — it’s the surprises. Older Vallejo homes often hide knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, or unpermitted past work that has to be corrected before the city will sign off. That’s why we always start with an on-site walk-through and include a contingency line (we recommend 15%) right in the estimate, instead of springing change orders on you mid-project.
Our advice: decide your must-haves versus nice-to-haves before you fall in love with a design, get your permit strategy sorted early, and hire a licensed local contractor who will put the full scope in writing. Book an estimate with us and we’ll walk your kitchen together — no pressure, just real numbers.