Kitchen remodeling in Frederick
Cost vs. Value's 2025 Washington, DC figures, from the nearest market it covers, put a minor midrange kitchen remodel at $27,3081 and a major midrange one at $79,9881, each a little under the national average. Around Frederick the bigger factor is the fuel already in the house: 51%2 of the county's homes heat with electricity and 34%2 with utility gas, so many kitchens have no gas line to tap, and switching to a gas range means new piping, a permit and an inspection.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Frederick area answers.
Updated October 11, 2026
What a kitchen costs in the Washington market
Frederick has no Cost vs. Value page of its own. The Washington, DC market is the nearest one priced, and the 2025 edition is the newest one available, so its kitchen figures appear here next to that year's national numbers.
| Measure | Washington, DC market | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $27,3081 | $28,4583 |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $79,9881 | $82,7933 |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale, job cost | $160,1041 | $164,1043 |
All three Washington figures come in slightly below the national ones. The jump from a minor refresh to a major remodel dwarfs that difference, so the scope you settle on sets your budget, not the region.
Electric, gas or propane in the house now
The Census Bureau asks how homes are heated, not how people cook, but the heating fuel shows whether a gas line already reaches the house. In Frederick County electricity leads, and utility gas reaches a much smaller share of homes than it does across the Washington metro.
| Measure | Frederick County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes heated with electricity | 51%2 | 45%4 |
| Homes heated with utility gas | 34%2 | 48%4 |
| Homes heated with bottled, tank or LP gas | 4%2 | – |
Frederick County requires a permit and inspections for any new plumbing installation and for any gas appliance.5 A first gas range in a house heated by a heat pump therefore means a new gas line or a propane tank, plus a permit and an inspection, so price an induction range alongside gas before you decide.
Kitchens from the building boom
Census counts by decade show how much of Frederick County went up from the 1990s on, set against the Washington metro around it.
| Measure | Frederick County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built in 1990 or later | 51%6 | 40%6 |
| Homes built 1990–1999 | 19%6 | 13%6 |
| Homes built 1980–1989 | 14%6 | 15%6 |
A kitchen from the 1990s is often still the original: oak or white thermofoil cabinets, laminate counters, and an island or peninsula already open to the family room. Remodeling it is mostly about cabinets, counters and appliances rather than walls.
Townhouse or single-family
Both detached houses and townhouses make up a bigger share of Frederick County's homes than of the metro's, where apartment buildings take a larger slice.
| Measure | Frederick County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| One-unit attached homes | 22%7 | 20%8 |
| Single-family detached homes | 60%7 | 44%8 |
In a townhouse the range often sits against a shared wall, so ask early where the hood will vent. 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.9
Home values next to kitchen budgets
The county's median owner-occupied home is valued below the Washington metro median, and that limits how much kitchen a typical house here can carry.
Who builds the kitchen, and what they earn
BLS's wage survey covers the whole Washington metro, not Frederick County or its metropolitan division, so these are regional medians. Cabinets come out of cabinetmakers' shops; carpenters, electricians and plumbers install and connect them.
| Measure | Washington metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenters, median hourly wage | $29.23/hr11 | $29.12/hr11 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, median hourly wage | $26.39/hr11 | $22.44/hr11 |
| Electricians, median hourly wage | $36.50/hr11 | $30.38/hr11 |
| Plumbers, median hourly wage | $34.55/hr11 | $30.67/hr11 |
Electricians show the widest gap over the national median. An induction range, a second oven or under-cabinet lighting can each add a circuit, so ask whether the panel has room before the appliances are ordered.
Permits
In most of Frederick County, the Department of Permits and Inspections issues a kitchen's building permit and, separately, its electrical and plumbing permits. New cabinets, counters and flooring need no permit, and a small interior alteration that leaves the walls and floor plan alone can use the county's expedited process. A new circuit, a moved sink or any gas appliance brings in a trade permit. Inside the City of Frederick, the city's Building/Permits office handles the work under codes it updated for permits applied for in 2026, and in the historic district a new vent or window on the outside goes to the Historic Preservation Commission before the permit.
- Frederick County's Department of Permits and Inspections issues zoning certificates and building, electrical and plumbing permits across the county, except in the City of Frederick and Mt. Airy.12
- In Frederick County, redecorating and minor repair jobs such as painting, wallpaper, flooring, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work do not require a permit.13
- Frederick County's expedited permit process for residential uses covers a minor interior alteration that doesn't involve a load-bearing wall or a change to the floor plan.14
- Frederick County requires an electrical permit for any new wiring, and for replacing an appliance or fixture with one that isn't of the same rating.13
- Frederick County requires a permit and inspections for any new plumbing installation and for any gas appliance.5
- The City of Frederick has its own residential electrical permit application and its own residential plumbing and gas permit application.15
- In the City of Frederick, a permit application that also needs Historic Preservation Commission approval must include the HPC Certificate of Approval, with any conditions of approval met before the application is submitted.16
Checked October 12, 2026
Before you hire
Ask for the company's Maryland Home Improvement Commission (MHIC) license number and look it up yourself, because Maryland's Guaranty Fund only steps in for work done by MHIC-licensed contractors.
Talk to a pro who handles kitchen remodels in Frederick
Calls are recorded. You'll be connected to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in your area. We never call or text you. Privacy Policy ·Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
From builder kitchens to old-town kitchens
51%6 of the county's homes date from 1990 or later, so the kitchen most people here want to redo is the one the builder installed. Those rooms often have a workable footprint already; the job is new cabinet boxes or doors, stone or quartz in place of laminate, and appliances that fit the way the household cooks now.
Older houses are another matter. 35%6 of the county's homes were built before 1980, from in-town rowhouses to farmhouses with the kitchen in a rear wing, and in those the plan may start with what's inside the walls. For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.17
Where the City of Frederick has applied a Historic Preservation Overlay, it regulates the exterior of the designated building, and the Historic Preservation Commission must approve all exterior work there except minor rehabilitation.18 That review is about the outside of the house, so a new duct through a front or side wall, or a bigger window over the sink, counts. The City of Frederick's Historic Preservation Commission has authorized its staff to review and approve some rehabilitation work, as long as it complies with the guidelines.18
Circuits, hoods and gas lines
For permits applied for after December 31, 2025, the City of Frederick applies the 2021 International Residential Code in place of the 2015 edition, along with the 2023 National Electrical Code.19 The 2021 International Residential Code calls for at least two 20-ampere branch circuits for kitchen and dining-area receptacle outlets, and allows an outlet for a specific appliance to have its own circuit.20 The same code requires ground-fault (GFCI) protection on receptacles that serve kitchen countertop surfaces.21 Frederick County requires an electrical permit for any new wiring, and for replacing an appliance or fixture with one that isn't of the same rating.13
The EPA says a stove hood with a fan vented to the outdoors greatly reduces exposure to pollutants during cooking, and advises installing and using exhaust fans over gas stoves and ranges.22 In a townhouse with the range on a party wall, ask whether the duct will rise through the roof or cross the ceiling to an outside wall.
In an owner-occupied Frederick County home, a dishwasher, garbage disposal, washing machine, toilet or water heater may be replaced with a like-kind unit without a plumbing permit, by the homeowner or a county-licensed plumber, but a water heater must be installed by a plumber.5 A dishwasher or disposal swap is one of the few kitchen jobs that list covers; a new gas range is not. In Frederick County, an electrical or plumbing permit is applied for by the licensed person, or by a property owner who passes the county's Homeowner Electrical or Plumbing Exam, and that person must be the one doing the work.23
Planning a kitchen for later years
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 In a two-story house where the kitchen, family room and a powder room share the main floor, a lowered stretch of counter and a wall oven at waist height are far easier to add during a remodel than after it.
Frederick County's Senior Rehab Grant Program provides grants of up to $15,000 for emergency repairs and accessibility modifications to very low income senior homeowners.26 NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.27
What happens when you call
The number on this page connects you, on a recorded line, with one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Frederick area. Cabinets, appliances, timing and cost are for you and that company to work out.
We're paid by that company for the call, not by you, and we don't phone or text you afterward. How we make money
After you're connected
Before you sign or hand over a deposit, check the company yourself. Maryland's Home Improvement Commission licenses home improvement contractors and salespersons, and its License Search shows whether a license is current.28 Check a Maryland license
The City of Frederick doesn't license home improvement contractors; they must be licensed by the State of Maryland.29 Settle in writing who will apply for each permit. Frederick County requires approval for modifications or alterations to any building, and applications are made through the county's online Application Portal.30 The City of Frederick's Building/Permits department, part of its Department of Public Works, takes residential permit applications, plans and fees online through its OpenGov permit portal, where applicants also check permit status and request inspections.31
Questions people ask
What does a kitchen remodel cost around Frederick?
Cost vs. Value covers the Washington, DC market rather than Frederick. In its 2025 report a minor midrange kitchen remodel cost $27,3081, a major midrange one $79,9881 and a major upscale one $160,1041; adding gas, moving the sink or opening a wall raises any of them.
Do new cabinets and countertops need a permit?
Not in the county, on their own. In Frederick County, redecorating and minor repair jobs such as painting, wallpaper, flooring, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work do not require a permit.13 Wiring or plumbing that comes with them is different. Frederick County requires an electrical permit for any new wiring, and for replacing an appliance or fixture with one that isn't of the same rating.13
My house has no gas service. Can I put in a gas range?
Only with a permit. Frederick County requires a permit and inspections for any new plumbing installation and for any gas appliance.5 4%2 of county homes heat with bottled or tank gas, and a propane range can run from the same kind of tank.
Does the downtown historic district limit a kitchen remodel?
Where the City of Frederick has applied a Historic Preservation Overlay, it regulates the exterior of the designated building, and the Historic Preservation Commission must approve all exterior work there except minor rehabilitation.18 New cabinets and appliances aren't exterior work, but a new vent or window is. In the City of Frederick, a permit application that also needs Historic Preservation Commission approval must include the HPC Certificate of Approval, with any conditions of approval met before the application is submitted.16
Sources
Page updated October 11, 2026. How we source our numbers
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, Washington, DC. Released 2025. Washington, DC. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040. Released January 29, 2026. Frederick County, MD.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, national. Released 2025. United States. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, Table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). Released January 29, 2026. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Important Notice on replacement of plumbing appliances and fixtures. Released 2023. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25034. Released January 29, 2026. Frederick County, MD, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25024. Released January 29, 2026. Frederick County, MD.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, Table B25024 (Units in Structure). Released January 29, 2026. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.3. Released 2021. View source. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Frederick County, MD, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. Carpenters, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Carpenters, United States, Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, United States, Electricians, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Electricians, United States, Plumbers, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Plumbers, United States.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Permits and Inspections. No publication date. View source.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Permits & Inspections frequently asked questions. No publication date. View source.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Expedited Permit Process – Residential Uses. Released July 1, 2025. View source.
- City of Frederick, Residential Applications. No publication date. View source.
- City of Frederick, One-Stop Shop. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Remodeling Your Home and Indoor Air Quality. Released February 17, 2026. View source.
- City of Frederick, Historic Preservation. No publication date. View source.
- City of Frederick, Building Codes. No publication date. View source.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section E3703.2. Released 2021. View source. Industry source.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section E3902.6. Released 2021. View source. Industry source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sources of Combustion Products. Released December 17, 2025. View source.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Residential Building Permit Information: Addition, Alteration & Accessory. Released September 2025. View source.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facts About Older Adult Falls. Released September 4, 2026. View source.
- National Institute on Aging, Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room. Released September 12, 2022. View source.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Housing, Housing Rehabilitation Programs. No publication date. View source.
- National Association of Home Builders, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- Maryland Department of Labor, Maryland Home Improvement Commission. No publication date. View source.
- City of Frederick, Licensed Contractors. No publication date. View source.
- Frederick County Government, Division of Planning and Permitting, Building Permits and Zoning Certificates. No publication date. View source.
- City of Frederick, Building / Permits. No publication date. View source.