Cost report
Hamilton County kitchen remodel cost report
Prices by town, what drives them, and how old the homes are. Every number has a source.
A mid grade kitchen remodel in Hamilton County costs about $34,000 to $38,500 in 2026, with a midpoint of $36,000. That is about 180 square feet with the layout kept, priced from Cincinnati area trade wages, materials, permits and overhead.
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By town
Kitchen remodel cost by town
Oldest housing first. Kitchen price: the model range for the Cincinnati area. Homes: Census Bureau.
| Town | Typical home built | Built before 1960 | Median home value | Mid grade kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown CincinnatiZIP 45202 | before 1940 | 61% | $443,600 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Hyde ParkZIP 45208 | before 1940 | 66% | $547,200 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| NorwoodZIP 45212 | before 1940 | 79% | $257,700 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| CliftonZIP 45220 | 1941 | 60% | $402,900 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| NorthsideZIP 45223 | 1941 | 63% | $210,100 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Mount LookoutZIP 45226 | 1947 | 53% | $408,400 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| OakleyZIP 45209 | 1949 | 56% | $400,700 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| MariemontZIP 45227 | 1951 | 62% | $298,800 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| WyomingZIP 45215 | 1957 | 58% | $226,400 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| WestwoodZIP 45238 | 1962 | 45% | $183,900 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| FinneytownZIP 45231 | 1964 | 41% | $176,000 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Mount WashingtonZIP 45230 | 1967 | 39% | $262,100 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| MadeiraZIP 45243 | 1967 | 42% | $627,000 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Colerain TownshipZIP 45251 | 1972 | 18% | $185,300 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Delhi TownshipZIP 45233 | 1974 | 27% | $301,100 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Anderson TownshipZIP 45255 | 1981 | 17% | $303,800 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
| Green TownshipZIP 45247 | 1981 | 23% | $288,400 | $34,000 to $38,500 |
What drives the cost
Where the money goes in a Cincinnati kitchen
Materials are the biggest share at 52% of the contractor cost. Labor is 23%: 122 hours across 5 trades, and the carpenter alone is 52 hours. Permits are $750, and overhead is 22%. A margin of about 20 to 35% over cost brings it to the range above.
| Line | Basis | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laborer | 16 hours at $28 an hour | $645 | 2% |
| Plumber | 10 hours at $34 an hour | $836 | 3% |
| Electrician | 20 hours at $32 an hour | $1,584 | 5% |
| Carpenter | 52 hours at $30 an hour | $2,251 | 8% |
| Tile setter | 24 hours at $23 an hour | $1,352 | 5% |
| Materials | Cabinets, quartz, tile, sink, lighting | $15,138 | 52% |
| Permits | Building, electrical, plumbing | $750 | 3% |
| Overhead | Insurance, trucks, office, dumpster | $6,316 | 22% |
| Contractor cost | $28,873 | 100% | |
| Price, with margin | $34,000 to $38,500 | ||
Housing age
How old the homes are, and why it matters
The oldest housing of the 17 towns is in Downtown Cincinnati, Hyde Park and Norwood, where the typical home was built before 1940. The newest is in Anderson Township and Green Township, built in 1981. In 9 of the 17 towns the typical home went up before 1960.
Older homes add work behind the walls: plaster, light wiring, drains and floors out of level. Newer homes mostly change cabinets and counters. The town table shows where each town falls, from the Census Bureau, ACS 2024 five year.
Method
How the ranges are built
- Start with a standard job: about 180 square feet, layout kept, mid grade finishes, appliances supplied by the homeowner.
- Price the labor: hours for each trade times the mean hourly wage for the Cincinnati area, times 1.45 for payroll taxes and insurance, and times 1.7 for plumbing, electrical and tile, which a remodeler usually subcontracts.
- Add materials, permit fees and overhead. Overhead (insurance, trucks, office, dumpster) is 28% of labor, materials and permits.
- Add a normal margin of 15 to 25% of the price. That gives the low and high ends of the range.
- Town numbers come straight from the Census. The price range is the same in every town because the same wages and crews cover the whole metro; the age of the house is what changes the job.
Sources
Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, mean hourly pay for the Cincinnati area, OH.
Homes: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 five year estimates, tables B25035 (median year built), B25034 (year built), B25077 (median home value) and B25003 (owner occupied).
This is a planning range, not a quote. A licensed contractor confirms the final price after seeing the room.
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