Kitchen Remodeling · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to kitchen remodeling
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any kitchen remodeler in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- Cabinets sound but dated, where refacing or refinishing beats replacing
- Not enough counter run either side of the range or the sink to actually work
- A layout that makes people walk through the cook while they are cooking
- Laminate lifting at the seams, or countertops with a burn or a chip you work around
- Lighting that leaves you working in your own shadow
- Preparing to sell, where kitchens carry more weight than any other room
Your options
More than one right answer.
A kitchen remodeler who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Cosmetic refresh
Paint or refinish existing cabinetry, new counters, new hardware, new lighting. The biggest visual change for the least money.
Cabinet replacement, same layout
New cabinetry and counters where the plumbing and gas stay put. A full transformation without the cost of moving services.
Full remodel
New layout, relocated services, structural changes where a wall comes out. Permitted, inspected and worth planning properly.
Open the wall
The most common request in Middle Tennessee builds of a certain age, and the one that most often needs a header and an engineer.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote kitchen remodeling over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Layout changes
Keeping plumbing and gas where they are keeps a kitchen affordable. Moving a sink or a range is what turns a refresh into a remodel.
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Cabinetry
Stock, semi-custom and custom cabinetry is usually the single largest line, and the difference between them is as much about fit as finish.
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Countertops
Laminate, butcher block, granite and quartz span a wide range, and the fabrication and edge detail cost as much as the slab on some jobs.
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Electrical and code
Modern kitchens need more circuits than older houses have, and bringing outlets and lighting current is permitted work.
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Appliance choice
Panel-ready and built-in appliances change the cabinetry, not just the appliance budget, and that needs deciding before cabinets are ordered.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Design and selections
Two to four weeks, and worth taking. Selections made under time pressure are the ones people regret.
Cabinet lead time
Anywhere from three to twelve weeks depending on stock or custom. This drives the whole schedule.
Demolition and rough-in
A week or two. Plumbing, electrical and any framing changes happen here and get inspected.
Install and finish
Cabinets, then template and fabricate the counters, then tile, then trim and punch list. Counters add a week between install and finish.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Ordering cabinets before the layout is final
Cabinet orders are effectively non-returnable. Every change after that point is expensive.
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Removing a wall without checking what it carries
Ceiling sag and cracked drywall upstairs is the cheap version of what goes wrong.
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Under-planning lighting
Task lighting under cabinets and over the work surfaces changes how a kitchen functions more than the counter material does.
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Leaving appliances until last
Panel-ready and oversized appliances dictate cabinet sizes. Choosing them after the cabinets are ordered is how filler strips happen.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any kitchen remodeler.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for kitchen remodeling and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a kitchen remodeler in Nashville
How do I choose a kitchen remodeler in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for kitchen remodeling?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on kitchen remodeling the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest kitchen remodeling quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for kitchen remodeling in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book kitchen remodeling?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a kitchen remodeler in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local kitchen remodeler. No obligation, no pressure.