How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Holladay?

Kitchen remodel cost ranges for Holladay and the Mountain region

The most useful public benchmark for kitchen remodel cost is the Cost vs. Value report published by Zonda with the Journal of Light Construction. The 2025 edition, released in September 2025, covers 28 projects in 119 U.S. markets and draws on cost data from Verisk's XactRemodel plus surveys of real-estate professionals. Utah falls in its Mountain region, which is the closest published comparison for a Holladay kitchen.

Source: Zonda, 38th annual Cost vs. Value report announcement, September 2025.

Two things stand out. First, Mountain region costs track the national average closely, within a few percent on every kitchen project. Second, the minor kitchen remodel is the only project of the three that returns more than it costs at resale. Nationally it ranks fifth of all 28 projects and is the only interior project in the top five.

Source: Zonda, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report.

What homeowners actually spend: the two Houzz 2026 studies

Cost vs. Value models a defined project in each market. Houzz surveys real homeowners about what they spent, which gives a second view of kitchen remodel cost. Houzz published two studies in 2026 that both include kitchen spending, and they use different definitions of a "large" kitchen. Read them side by side, not as one set of numbers.

The Kitchen Trends Study surveyed 1,780 Houzz users in July 2025 about projects completed by mid-2025, and its figures are not adjusted for inflation. It defines a major remodel as one that replaces at least all the cabinets and appliances. The Houzz & Home study, fielded in early 2026, covers 2025 projects and reports high-end kitchen spending of $100,000, with some projects reaching $400,000 or more.

Sources: Houzz 2026 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study; Houzz & Home 2026.

Why are the Houzz medians lower than Cost vs. Value? They measure different things. Houzz asks its users what they spent on their own projects, whatever the scope. Cost vs. Value estimates the cost of one defined project in each market using professional cost data. Both are useful, as long as you know which one you're looking at.

What moves the cost of a kitchen remodel

Two kitchens of the same size can differ by tens of thousands of dollars. The difference is almost always scope: how much of the room changes behind the walls, under the floor and in the layout itself. These are the drivers to discuss with your remodeler early.

• Layout changes. Keeping the sink, range and refrigerator where they are is the single biggest way to protect a budget. Reconfiguring the layout pays off when the current plan doesn't work, but it pulls in plumbing, electrical and flooring.
• Walls. Opening a wall adds framing, drywall, flooring patches and sometimes an engineered beam if the wall is load-bearing.
• Cabinets. Houzz found 68% of renovating homeowners replace all their cabinets and 27% replace some. Whether yours are stock, semi-custom or custom is one of the largest line items.
• Plumbing and gas. Moving a sink or adding a gas line means permitted work in Holladay, and older supply lines often get replaced while the walls are open.
• Electrical. New circuits, a panel upgrade and layered lighting are common in older homes. See kitchen plumbing and electrical.
• Surfaces and appliances. Countertop material, slab count and appliance class can each swing the total, but they're the easiest to adjust after the layout is set.

Source: Houzz 2026 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study.

Professional help is part of the price too. In the Kitchen Trends Study, 87% of kitchen renovators hired at least one professional, and among those spending $50,000 or more, 98% did. A single remodeler who plans the layout and manages every trade as one complete kitchen is often simpler than hiring five specialists separately.

Source: Houzz 2026 U.S. Kitchen Trends Study.

Older Holladay homes: costs to plan for before demo

The median home in Holladay was built in 1969, and about 68.8% of the city's housing units date from before 1980. Kitchens in those houses tend to hide a few predictable costs, and they're worth naming before you settle on a number.

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 5-year, tables B25034 and B25035, Holladay.

• Asbestos inspection. Utah generally requires a hired contractor to have a state-certified asbestos inspection before renovating an older home, and materials that will be disturbed must be removed by a certified abatement company first. Old vinyl flooring, mastic and textured ceilings are common suspects.
• Lead-safe work. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule applies to homes built before 1978 and requires certified firms and containment practices.
• Electrical capacity. InterNACHI notes that 60-amp services "may be inadequate" for modern appliances, and today's code calls for at least two 20-amp small-appliance circuits in the kitchen.
• Old pipes. InterNACHI puts the useful life of galvanized pipe at roughly 20 to 30 years, and the corrosion inside isn't visible until the wall is open.

Sources: Utah DEQ, asbestos in the home; EPA RRP Program Rules; InterNACHI, electrical service; 2021 IRC E3703.2 (Utah); InterNACHI, old plumbing.

How much to hold back? Consumer Reports recommends at least a 10 percent cushion for surprises. For homes 30 years or older, HUD's 203(k) renovation loan program requires a contingency reserve of 10% to 20%, which is a useful yardstick for most Holladay kitchens. The budget planning guide covers contingency in detail, and remodeling older Holladay kitchens goes deeper on what's behind the walls.

Sources: Consumer Reports, "Home Renovation Without Aggravation"; HUD 203(k) contingency reserve guidance.

How to turn ranges into a real number

Published averages tell you which tier you're in. Only a written scope for your own kitchen tells you the price. To get a quote you can compare, settle these questions first:

1. Decide what isn't workingTraffic, storage, counter space, light or connection to the rest of the house. The problem defines the scope.
2. Fix the layoutDecide whether the sink, range, refrigerator and walls stay or move. That one decision sets the tier.
3. Write the scopeList every trade involved, plus permits, so estimates cover the same work.
4. Choose selection allowancesCabinet line, countertop material and appliance package, with real numbers attached.
5. Add contingency and permitsHold back a reserve, and confirm what the Holladay permit process will require.

Then compare more than one written estimate. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection recommends getting estimates from several contractors and a written agreement that covers price, scope, materials, dates, cleanup and warranty. Changes after work starts are where budgets slip, which is why the change orders guide is worth reading before you sign.

Source: Utah Division of Consumer Protection, home improvement guidance.

Does a kitchen remodel pay off at resale?

Partly, and it depends on scope. In the Mountain region, the 2025 Cost vs. Value report estimates a midrange minor kitchen remodel recoups 110.3% of its cost at sale, while a midrange major remodel recoups 49.3% and an upscale major remodel 34.9%. In other words, the bigger the project, the more of it you're paying for your own use rather than a buyer's.

Source: Zonda / JLC Cost vs. Value 2025, Mountain region.

That isn't an argument against a major remodel. If the layout itself is the problem, new finishes on a bad plan won't fix it, and a buyer will notice the cramped aisle too. It is an argument for spending on the changes that make the kitchen work, and for treating resale as a bonus instead of the reason.