Kitchen remodeling in Atlanta, from a refresh to a new layout

Cabinet replacement

When boxes are water-damaged, sagging or the layout no longer works, new cabinets are the honest answer. We remove the old run, check walls and floor for level, and set new boxes with doors adjusted so the gaps are even. Soft-close hinges and slides from makers like Blum are standard on most lines and worth asking for. If only the doors are tired, we'll say so and price paint or new doors instead. Replacement is the most expensive way to change how a kitchen looks.

Market planning range, not our quote: large kitchens $8,000 to $12,000; painting saves 50 to 70 percent versus replacement at $15,000 to $50,000.

Countertop installation

Counters get replaced for three reasons: laminate chipped or lifting at the seams, tile with grout that never comes clean, or new cabinets that need a new top anyway. Quartz and granite are templated after cabinets are set and level, then fabricated and installed, which is why there are usually days between the two steps. Sink, faucet and cooktop cutouts are planned in the template so plumbing reconnects cleanly. Backsplash tile goes on after the counter, so its bottom edge sits tight to the new top.

Kitchen layout update

Moving a sink, adding an island or opening a wall reaches past cabinets into plumbing, circuits and sometimes a header, and those carry permits and inspections here. We map the new layout, confirm what moves behind the walls and set the inspection schedule before demolition, so the kitchen doesn't sit open waiting on a sign-off. It is the longest option, worth choosing only when the current layout genuinely fails you. Everything that stays in place is protected while walls are open.

Kitchen refresh package

The option most homeowners end up choosing. Cabinets are cleaned, sanded and sprayed in a hard enamel, hardware is swapped, a tile backsplash goes in, and walls and ceiling are repainted. A new Moen or Delta faucet and updated lighting finish it. Layout, plumbing and counters stay unless they're failing, so the kitchen looks new at a fraction of replacement cost and is out of use for far less time. It suits kitchens where the bones are good and only the surfaces feel dated.

Market planning range, not our quote: around $1,000 on average for Atlanta cabinet painting; labor about $70 to $120 depending on cabinet design, size and material.