Counting the Cost Before You Cook Up Your Dream
Ever caught yourself daydreaming about a new kitchen and wondered what the price tag would really look like? Or felt stuck between a quick refresh and going all-in on a full renovation?
In this guide, you’ll learn what a kitchen remodel actually costs at each tier, where your kitchen remodel budget goes, and what makes the final price move up or down.
By the end, you’ll know how to plan a realistic budget for your dream kitchen without getting blindsided by hidden costs.
How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost?
A kitchen remodel typically costs between $10,000 for a cabinet refacing project and $85,000 or more for a premium full remodel with major structural changes.
Most full kitchen remodels in the Quad Cities fall between $35,000 and $85,000, with the average kitchen remodel landing around $65,000.
Riverbend Kitchens prices its remodels in three clear tiers:
- Standard remodel: starting at $35,000, with 10 to 13 cabinets, low-level quartz or granite, and the same existing layout.
- Deluxe remodel: starting at $55,000, with 14 to 20 cabinets, a backsplash, and minor reconfiguration.
- Premium remodel: starting at $85,000 or more, with 20-plus cabinets and full reconfiguration, like moving a wall or adding a kitchen island.
Cabinet refacing starts at $10,000 when your existing cabinet boxes are solid and you just want a fresh look.
All Riverbend remodel tiers exclude appliances, so you control that spend directly.
What’s Included at Each Riverbend Remodel Tier
Once you know the tier ranges, the next question is what you actually get at each price point.
The biggest factors that move a project from one tier to the next are cabinet count, the level of countertop materials, and the extent of changes to the existing layout.
Standard Remodel — Starting at $35,000
The Standard tier is built for homeowners who love their layout and just want to refresh the look without major structural changes.
You keep your kitchen size and footprint, and Riverbend focuses on swapping in new cabinets, fresh countertops, and updated fixtures.
This is the most cost-effective full remodel option, especially for homes around Bettendorf and Davenport, where the bones are good but the finishes are dated.
- A simple cabinet layout with 10 to 13 cabinets total.
- New cabinets and low-level quartz or granite countertops.
- A small flooring area, plus a new sink and faucet.
- Homeowners often handle demo and painting cabinets to save money.
- Excludes appliances and any major reconfiguration.
- Typical timeline: 8 weeks.
Deluxe Remodel — Starting at $55,000
The Deluxe tier is where most mid-range renovations land, and it covers the upgrades that make a kitchen feel completely new.
You’re getting more cabinets, a real backsplash, and the ability to make small layout changes like moving a dishwasher or repositioning the sink.
This tier is the sweet spot for homeowners in Moline and surrounding Quad Cities neighborhoods who want quality upgrades without crossing into full renovation territory.
- 14 to 20 cabinets total with semi-custom features.
- Quartz countertops or granite countertops.
- A full tile backsplash and small flooring area.
- A new sink and faucet.
- Minor reconfiguration, such as moving a dishwasher.
- Excludes appliances. Timeline: 8 to 10 weeks.
Premium Remodel — Starting at $85,000
The Premium tier is for homeowners ready to reimagine the whole space, not just refresh it.
This is where structural changes come into play, including removing walls, adding a kitchen island, or opening the kitchen to a dining or living room.
If your goal is a true dream kitchen with a custom layout and premium materials, this is the tier built for that vision.
- 20 or more cabinets, often with custom cabinetry sections.
- New cabinets across the full layout.
- Quartz or granite countertops with upgraded edge profiles.
- A small flooring area, full backsplash, and a new sink and faucet.
- Major space reconfiguration, like removing walls or adding an island.
- Excludes appliances. Timeline: 10 to 12 weeks.
Riverbend Kitchens delivers a turnkey kitchen remodel in which one team handles every part of the renovation, including design, materials, contractors, management, punch list, and warranty. We focus solely on kitchen remodels, which makes our process consistent from project to project.
Where Your Kitchen Remodel Budget Actually Goes
Knowing the tier price is one thing, but understanding where your kitchen remodel budget actually goes helps you make smarter decisions about where to invest.
Every full remodel has the same general cost categories, but the split shifts based on cabinet selection, countertop materials, and the amount of electrical or plumbing work needed.
Cabinets Are the Biggest Line Item
Kitchen cabinets are the single largest line item in almost any remodel, usually 30 to 40 percent of the total project cost.
That percentage holds whether you’re buying stock, semi-custom, or custom cabinetry.
Riverbend sells cabinetry as a standalone product through three lines, which helps if you’re shopping for cabinets separately from a full remodel:
- Baileytown (budget line): starting at $6,000, with stock items in about one week.
- Cabnova (mid-line): starting at $12,000, with a six to eight week lead time.
- Showplace (premium line): starting at $20,000, with an eight-week lead time and a lifetime warranty.
Riverbend Kitchens offers good, better, and best cabinet lines so we can match cabinet quality to your budget. Our best lines come with a lifetime warranty, an uncommon feature in this market.
Countertops, Labor, and the Rest of the Budget
Countertops generally account for 10 to 15 percent of total cost, and Riverbend installs quartz or granite countertops across all three remodel tiers.
Labor and installation costs typically account for 25 to 30 percent of the total project cost, covering plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and tile installers.
Appliance costs run another 10 to 15 percent across the industry, but since Riverbend excludes appliances from every quoted tier, that line item is fully yours to manage.
The remaining 10 to 20 percent covers new flooring, backsplash, lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware, and cabinet pulls.
The Cheaper Alternative — Cabinet Refacing
If your existing cabinets are structurally solid and you just want an updated look, cabinet refacing vs. a kitchen remodel is a serious cost decision worth weighing.
Riverbend treats refacing as the right answer for a specific type of client, not a downgrade from a full kitchen remodel.
It’s also one of the most cost-effective ways to refresh a kitchen if you’re trying to sell your home or simply can’t justify a full remodel right now.
- Refacing Standard: starting at $10,000 for a small kitchen, completed in 3 to 4 days.
- Refacing Deluxe: starting at $15,000 for a moderate-sized kitchen, completed in 4 to 5 days.
- The number of cabinet doors and drawers is the biggest price influencer.
A refacing package costs about 70 percent of what the cabinets alone would cost in a full remodel, but the real savings come from labor.
There’s no plumber, electrician, plasterer, or flooring crew involved, which is why a reface takes a few days instead of 8 to 12 weeks.
Refacing fits best when you have a solid existing layout, want an updated look without disruption, or need a fast turnaround before listing your home.
Riverbend Kitchens replaces cabinet doors and drawer fronts, applies an adhered veneer to the face frame and sides of your existing cabinets, and installs new moldings. Refacing is uncommon in our area, and most companies will only try to sell you new cabinets instead.
Hidden Costs and Budget Surprises
Every kitchen remodel guide talks about hidden costs because unexpected costs are real, especially in older homes throughout the Quad Cities, like those in Coal Valley.
The difference lies in how a contractor handles them, and that’s where pre-construction planning has the biggest impact on your final costs.
Common Hidden Cost Categories
- Electrical panel upgrades in older homes: $1,800 to $3,200.
- Floor leveling on uneven subfloors: $1,200 to $2,400.
- Building permits for a kitchen remodel: $500 to $2,000, plus added weeks to the timeline.
- Plumbing relocation when moving a sink: $2,000 to $4,000.
- Moving gas lines for a relocated range: $500 to $1,500.
- Wall removal for a load-bearing wall: $5,000 to $15,000.
The industry-standard recommendation is to budget a 10 to 15 percent contingency above your planned total cost.
How Riverbend Approaches Surprises Differently
Riverbend’s stated approach is to prevent most surprises before they happen, not just plan for them.
Every project is fully planned before construction begins, with materials ordered, schedules locked, and subcontractors brought out for on-site visits on more complex projects.
This pre-construction discipline keeps the typical 8 to 12 week timeline reliable and prevents the change orders that send other remodels over budget.
Riverbend Kitchens runs remodels like a well-oiled machine, with crews on time and materials in before we even start. We never cut corners, we’re up front and direct with clients, and any issues that come up get handled immediately.
Why Riverbend’s Pricing Compares Favorably to “Cheaper” Bids
If you’re comparing multiple contractors, you’ll see a wide range of bids, and the cheapest one usually isn’t the best deal.
Riverbend doesn’t aim to be the cheapest, and it isn’t trying to undercut other kitchen remodeling services in the area.
The goal is to deliver a kitchen that fits beautifully, functions flawlessly, and stands the test of time.
- The same trusted team of subcontractors on every project.
- Quality materials Riverbend would want in its own homes, including semi-custom wood cabinets with factory-installed organizers.
- A lifetime warranty on the better and best cabinet lines.
- Pre-construction planning that locks in designs, materials, and schedules before demo starts.
- A transparent quote that’s line-itemed by trade.
The risk of choosing the lowest bid is that important things get cut from the scope, including proper electrical work or experienced contractor labor.
Those costly mistakes show up later, either as repairs or as a kitchen that doesn’t deliver long-term value.
Riverbend Kitchens uses only contractors and product lines with a track record of being reliable, and all of our subcontractors are experienced and skilled. Carpenter-led oversight on every project helps us avoid the common pitfalls that average kitchen designers fall into.
What Drives Your Final Kitchen Remodel Cost
Once you understand the tiers, the components, and the alternatives, the last piece is knowing what moves your final price up or down.
These factors are what an experienced contractor will walk through during a discovery call.
- The number of cabinets in your layout, which is exactly how Riverbend’s tiers are organized.
- The cabinet line you select, with a $6,000 to $20,000-plus swing across Baileytown, Cabnova, and Showplace.
- How much you’re changing the existing layout, from same-footprint refreshes to major structural changes.
- Your countertop selection is between quartz and granite.
- Whether you handle demo and painting yourself or hire a professional, which is included in the Standard tier to save money.
- Whether you’re keeping existing appliances or upgrading to new or energy-efficient appliances.
The biggest mistake homeowners make is shopping for kitchen size or square footage alone.
A 150-square-foot kitchen with 22 cabinets and a moved wall will cost far more than a 200-square-foot kitchen that keeps its existing layout.
Cost per square foot is a useful average, but it can’t replace a real quote based on your actual scope and the quality upgrades you want.
Cook Up a Smarter Kitchen Investment With Riverbend Kitchens
Whether you’re eyeing a Standard refresh, a Deluxe mid-range renovation, or a Premium reconfiguration, Riverbend Kitchens delivers a turn-key remodel with transparent tiered pricing, trusted subcontractors, and pre-construction planning that keeps your budget stable from day one.
Our good, better, and best cabinet lines, paired with quartz or granite countertops and a lifetime warranty on premium cabinets, mean you get a kitchen built for long-term value, not just curb appeal.
Ready to lock in a realistic budget and a reliable timeline for your kitchen remodel? Fill out our contact form today or give us a call.
