Kitchen remodeling in Baltimore

50%³ of homes in Baltimore city are one-unit attached houses, the Census category that takes in rowhouses. A rowhouse kitchen has to fit the width of the house, and with neighbors on both sides, a new duct, window or pipe run may have to go out the back, down through the floor or up through the roof.

If the house is in a city historic district, the outside of the house counts. In a Baltimore City local historic district, CHAP reviews all exterior changes to buildings, and work not visible from the street still needs an Authorization to Proceed.¹⁵ A hood duct through the rear wall or a bigger window over the sink is an exterior change. CHAP says most work not visible from the street is reviewed by staff without a full Commission hearing, and a complete application can often get an Authorization to Proceed within 48 hours.¹⁵

Across the wider metro, 22%⁴ of homes were built 1950–1969. A kitchen from those decades may still have its original floor under a newer one. The EPA lists vinyl floor tile, vinyl sheet backing and flooring adhesives among products that may contain asbestos, which is released mainly when the material is disturbed.¹⁷ The EPA advises having an accredited asbestos professional inspect before a remodel that could disturb suspect materials, and not sanding or power-stripping suspect flooring yourself.¹⁸

For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.¹⁹ The EPA notes that lead can collect inside galvanized pipe and later reach drinking water, and that solder made before 1986 contained high levels of lead.²⁰ In an older city house, ask whether the supply lines to the sink will be replaced while that wall is open.

Maryland's Building Performance Standards, in COMAR 09.12.51, incorporate the 2021 International Residential Code by reference.²¹ Maryland requires every jurisdiction in the state to use the same edition of the same building codes, and each local jurisdiction may modify them to suit local conditions.²² The national rules for kitchen circuits and range hoods are a starting point, so ask the company which edition and local changes Baltimore City or Baltimore County applies to your job.

The 2021 International Residential Code says a kitchen range exhaust must discharge outdoors through its own airtight duct with a backdraft damper, never into an attic, crawl space or other indoor area; listed ductless hoods are the exception.²³ In a rowhouse, ask whether the duct will run through the rear wall or the roof; in a historic district, either one is an exterior change that needs review.

In a narrow galley, reaching and bending are hard to avoid, which makes storage height worth planning. More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.²⁴ The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping frequently used pots, pans and utensils where they are easy to reach, and preparing food while seated to prevent fatigue or loss of balance.²⁵

If you plan to stay in the house for the long run, say so on the call and ask whether the company has done aging-in-place work. NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.²⁶

When you call the number on this page, the call is recorded and goes to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Baltimore area. Layout, appliances, schedule and price are all things you settle with them directly.

The kitchen company on the other end pays us a fee for the connection. Nothing is charged to you by us, and we never follow up with calls or texts. How we make money

Do your own check on the company before any contract is signed or deposit paid. Maryland's Home Improvement Commission licenses home improvement contractors and salespersons, and its License Search shows whether a license is current.²⁷ Check a Maryland license