TL;DR: A kitchen remodel in Madison, AL costs roughly $8,000-$15,000 for a cosmetic refresh, $20,000-$40,000 for a mid-range gut-and-replace, and $45,000-$80,000+ for a full high-end renovation. A standard 10x10 kitchen runs $18,000-$32,000 mid-range. These numbers reflect North Alabama labor rates and current material pricing, not national averages that often run 20-30% higher than what contractors here actually charge.
If you’re sitting on three bids for your Madison kitchen and they’re $18,000 apart, you’re not doing anything wrong. Kitchen remodel pricing is genuinely that variable, because the scope can shift dramatically based on whether you’re moving a wall, upgrading plumbing, swapping cabinet boxes, or just refacing and repainting. This post breaks down what you’ll actually pay in the Madison and Huntsville area in 2026, organized by kitchen size and project tier, so you can figure out which bids are reasonable and which ones need a harder look.
For context on whole-home project budgets, see our post on how much a home remodel costs in Alabama. This post focuses specifically on the kitchen.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost by size?
Kitchen size is the single biggest driver of total cost, because it determines how many linear feet of cabinets you need, how much countertop material you’re buying, and how much flooring gets replaced. Here are realistic installed ranges for the most common kitchen footprints in Madison-area homes:
| Kitchen Size | Cosmetic Refresh | Mid-Range Remodel | Full Gut / High-End |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 (100 sq ft) | $8,000-$14,000 | $18,000-$32,000 | $40,000-$60,000 |
| 12x12 (144 sq ft) | $10,000-$17,000 | $22,000-$38,000 | $48,000-$72,000 |
| Galley (60-90 sq ft) | $7,000-$12,000 | $15,000-$28,000 | $35,000-$55,000 |
| Open-concept (200+ sq ft) | $15,000-$25,000 | $35,000-$55,000 | $65,000-$100,000+ |
The 10x10 kitchen is the industry benchmark. The National Kitchen and Bath Association (nkba.org) uses it as the standard comparison unit because it represents a typical galley or small U-shape layout with roughly 20 linear feet of cabinetry.
Open-concept kitchens cost more not just because they’re bigger. They often require removing a wall, which means a structural assessment, a beam or header, and potentially rerouting electrical or HVAC. In Madison’s older 1970s-80s ranch homes near Old Town Madison and Bradford Creek, those walls are frequently load-bearing. Budget an extra $3,000-$8,000 if wall removal is part of the plan.
What does each remodel tier actually include?
The three tiers are not just about quality, they’re about how much of the kitchen you’re replacing.
Cosmetic refresh ($8,000-$25,000 depending on size): You’re keeping the cabinet boxes and the layout. Work typically includes cabinet refacing or repainting, new hardware, new countertops (laminate or entry-level quartz), new sink and faucet, new lighting, and fresh flooring. No plumbing moves, no electrical panel work, no structural changes. This tier works well for 2000s-era homes in Liberty Park or Blue Springs where the bones are solid but the finishes are dated.
Mid-range remodel ($18,000-$55,000 depending on size): Semi-custom or stock cabinet replacement, mid-grade quartz or granite countertops ($55-$90 per square foot installed in North Alabama), new appliances, updated plumbing fixtures, recessed lighting, and tile backsplash. May include minor layout changes that don’t require moving the sink drain stack. This is the most common tier for Madison homeowners doing a planned renovation rather than a flip.
Full gut / high-end ($40,000-$100,000+): Custom cabinetry, premium stone countertops (quartzite, marble, or high-end quartz like Cambria), professional-grade appliances, layout reconfiguration, new plumbing rough-in, panel upgrade if needed, custom tile work, and often a design-build process with drawings. Homes in newer Redstone Village subdivisions or custom builds near Research Park Boulevard often fall into this tier when owners want to match or exceed the original build quality.
What drives the cost up the most?
Four line items account for the majority of budget variance in a kitchen remodel. Understanding them helps you evaluate bids and make smarter trade-off decisions.
Cabinetry (30-40% of total budget): This is where the most money moves. Stock cabinets from a big-box store run $75-$150 per linear foot installed. Semi-custom from a cabinet dealer runs $150-$350 per linear foot. Full custom can hit $500-$1,000+ per linear foot. A 10x10 kitchen has roughly 20 linear feet of cabinetry, so the swing from stock to custom is $1,500 to $20,000 for cabinets alone.
Labor (20-35% of total budget): North Alabama labor rates for skilled finish carpenters and tile setters run $45-$85 per hour depending on the trade. General contractor markup on subcontractors typically adds 15-25% on top of sub rates. A full gut remodel on a 10x10 kitchen might carry $8,000-$14,000 in labor alone, not counting the GC’s project management fee. For more on how contractor fees work, see our post on how much a general contractor costs in Alabama.
Countertops (10-20% of total budget): Laminate runs $15-$30 per square foot installed. Entry-level granite or quartz runs $45-$70. Mid-grade quartz (Silestone, MSI) runs $65-$95. Premium stone (Cambria, quartzite, marble) runs $100-$180+. A 10x10 kitchen has roughly 30-40 square feet of countertop, so the material choice alone swings the line item from $600 to $7,000+.
Appliances (10-15% of total budget): A basic four-piece suite (range, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave) runs $2,500-$4,500 at big-box retail. Mid-grade (Samsung, LG, Bosch) runs $5,000-$9,000. Professional or semi-professional (Thermador, Cafe, KitchenAid Pro) can run $12,000-$25,000 for the suite. Appliances are often the easiest place to save without affecting the finished look of the kitchen.
Permit costs in Madison: The City of Madison requires a building permit for kitchen remodels that involve electrical, plumbing, or structural work. Permit fees in Madison typically run $150-$400 for a residential kitchen project. Your contractor should pull this permit, not skip it. Unpermitted electrical or plumbing work creates problems at resale and can void homeowner’s insurance coverage for related claims.
What should I watch out for when comparing kitchen remodel bids?
Three things commonly explain why bids are thousands of dollars apart, and not all of them mean the cheap bid is wrong.
Scope differences, not just price differences. Ask every bidder to specify exactly what’s included: cabinet brand and line, countertop material and thickness, appliance allowance (or excluded entirely), flooring type, and whether demo and haul-away are in the number. A $22,000 bid that excludes appliances and flooring may be more expensive than a $28,000 bid that includes both.
Hidden condition allowances. Older Madison ranch homes from the 1970s and 80s sometimes have galvanized supply lines, aluminum wiring, or subfloor rot under the existing vinyl. A thorough contractor will include a condition allowance ($1,500-$3,000) in the bid to cover what gets discovered during demo. A low bidder who skips this isn’t cheaper, they’re just moving the cost to a change order you’ll see mid-project.
Licensing and insurance. In Alabama, residential building and remodeling work over $10,000 requires a license from the Home Builders Licensure Board, and projects of $50,000 or more require a license from the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors (genconbd.alabama.gov). Ask for the license number and verify it. Davis Construction Contractors is licensed and insured for remodeling work across Madison and the surrounding area.
For a deeper look at how to vet contractors before you sign, see our post on how to choose a general contractor.
How do I get an accurate kitchen remodel estimate in Madison?
The most accurate estimate comes from an in-person walkthrough, not a phone quote or a per-square-foot formula. A contractor who hasn’t seen your kitchen can’t account for your ceiling height, existing plumbing locations, panel capacity, or the condition of the subfloor.
Before the walkthrough, it helps to have a rough sense of your tier (cosmetic, mid-range, or full gut) and your non-negotiables (the countertop material you want, whether you need the layout to change, your appliance budget). That gives the estimator something to price against rather than building a spec from scratch.
The NAHB (nahb.org) recommends getting at least three written bids for any remodel over $10,000, with itemized line items rather than a single lump-sum number. That’s good advice. Itemized bids let you make apples-to-apples comparisons and identify where one contractor is cutting corners or another is padding.
Davis Construction Contractors handles home remodeling projects across Madison, Huntsville, and the surrounding North Alabama area. If you’re planning a kitchen remodel and want a written estimate based on your actual kitchen, call (256) 771-0326 or request an estimate online. We schedule site visits Monday through Friday and can typically get you a written scope within a few business days of the walkthrough.
About Davis Construction Contractors
Davis Construction Contractors is a licensed and insured general contractor serving Madison, AL and the surrounding North Alabama region since 2008. The company handles home remodeling, new construction, decks, roofing, siding, and restoration work for residential clients across Madison, Huntsville, Athens, and nearby communities. Davis Construction is family-owned and has been building in the Huntsville metro long enough to know what the local housing stock actually looks like under the drywall.