What a complete kitchen quote includes

A kitchen renovation is six trades in one room, and most of what separates a good outcome from an expensive one is the order they arrive in.

Prices on kitchen quotes vary enormously, and it is rarely the cabinets. Here is what belongs in the document and what each line is actually for. Read it with your quote next to you.

The plan before the demolition

The single most useful thing a kitchen quote can tell you is that somebody has thought about order.

A stated sequence

Look for The order of cabinets, counters, plumbing, electrical, tile and flooring.

These only go well in one order. We plan that order first so nothing lands early, sits in the way, or has to come back out. A quote with no sequence in it usually means the sequence gets worked out on your kitchen floor.

Structural work, if a wall is moving

Look for How the load is carried, and to what.

Moving a wall or opening the kitchen to the living space is built to drawings, with any load carried down to a proper bearing point. "Remove wall" on its own is not a plan.

Cabinets and counters

Where two quotes most often name the same thing and mean different work.

Cabinets set level and fixed to solid backing

Look for Installation described, not just the cabinet supply.

Cabinets are shimmed dead level and secured to solid backing. Everything above them inherits that plane, so a cabinet run that is out is visible in every counter, door and drawer for the life of the kitchen.

Counters templated after the cabinets are in

Look for Templating listed as its own step, after installation.

Countertops are measured off the cabinets once they are installed and level, not off the plan. That is the difference between a seam that disappears and one you catch with a fingernail.

The countertop material, named

Look for The actual material and grade.

Laminate, butcher block, quartz and granite are different products at very different prices. "Countertops included" tells you nothing about which conversation you are in.

Behind the walls

The parts you cannot get back to once the drywall is on.

Licensed rough-in, inspected before close-up

Look for Named licensed trades and an inspection step.

Rough-in plumbing and electrical are done by licensed trades and inspected before anything closes up.

New circuits, itemised

Look for Specific circuits for the range, dishwasher and small appliances.

A modern kitchen draws far more than an old one. Circuits get planned into the design rather than discovered when the range will not run.

Lighting roughed in before the drywall

Look for Pot lights, under-cabinet lighting and switching, with rough-in scheduled before board goes back on.

Lighting and its switching are planned at design so the wiring is roughed in before the drywall. Adding it afterward means opening a wall you just finished.

Surfaces

Subfloor checked and levelled first

Look for Subfloor preparation as its own line, before flooring.

The subfloor is checked and flattened before flooring goes down, so the finished floor stays flat and the transitions sit clean.

Tile substrate and a planned layout

Look for What the tile is set over, and where the cuts land.

Backsplash and feature tile are set over proper substrate, with the layout planned so cut tiles land where they are least seen rather than beside the range hood.

Paint and finish carpentry over proper prep

Look for Trim, casing and paint with the preparation described.

Trim, casing and a paint finish over proper prep is the finish work that separates a renovation that looks custom from one that looks close.

The job around the job

Permits where the work needs them

Look for Who prepares the package and whether the cost is included.

We support the permit package where the work needs one, and build to code on the structural, electrical and plumbing so it passes inspection and holds up at resale.

Definition →

One point of contact

Look for A single company named as accountable for scheduling.

You are not the general contractor. We schedule the trades, sequence the work and answer for the result, from demolition to the final fixture.

Not sure what you are looking at?

Send us the quote and we will walk you through it.

Bring us the written estimate you already have and we will go through it line by line so you understand what is in it, what is not, and what the words mean. No obligation and no pressure. If it covers everything above, we will tell you that too.

Send us your quote Call (587) 447-9009

Common questions

Why are countertops measured after the cabinets go in?

Because the counter has to match the cabinets as installed, not as drawn. Cabinets are shimmed level on a floor that is never perfectly flat, so templating off the real installation is what makes seams and overhangs land correctly.

Does a kitchen renovation need a permit?

It depends on the work. Straight replacement of finishes often does not; moving walls, plumbing or electrical usually does. We prepare the package where one is needed and build to code either way.

Why does the order of trades matter so much?

Cabinets, counters, plumbing, electrical, tile and flooring only go well in one sequence. Out of order, something lands early and sits in the way, gets damaged, or has to come back out and go in twice. The sequence is most of the difference between a smooth job and an expensive one.

Should the floor be levelled before new flooring?

Yes. The subfloor is checked and flattened first. A finished floor laid over an uneven subfloor telegraphs every dip, and the transitions at doorways are where it shows first.

Do I need new electrical circuits for a kitchen?

Usually. A modern kitchen draws considerably more than one built decades ago, particularly the range, dishwasher and small appliance circuits. It gets planned into the design and roughed in by a licensed electrician.