Kitchen remodeling in Salisbury
A minor midrange kitchen remodel in Salisbury cost $26,2851 in the 2024 Cost vs. Value report, a little under the $27,4922 national figure. The local question to settle early is fuel: 62%3 of Wicomico County homes heat with electricity and 11%3 with propane, so a gas range here often means a propane line, and an induction or electric one a new circuit.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Salisbury area answers.
Updated October 12, 2026
What a kitchen costs in Salisbury
Cost vs. Value priced three kitchen jobs in the Salisbury market in its 2024 edition, the last one that included the city. National figures from the same year are alongside.
| Measure | Salisbury | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $26,2851 | $27,4922 |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $75,6021 | $79,9822 |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale, job cost | $151,8941 | $158,5302 |
Cost vs. Value's minor midrange kitchen job keeps the cabinet boxes in a dated 200-square-foot kitchen and replaces the cabinet fronts and hardware, the range and refrigerator, the laminate counters, the sink and faucet, and the flooring, then repaints.4 That refresh is the job to compare first, because it leaves the layout and the cabinet boxes where they are.
What the houses run on
The Census Bureau asks what fuel heats each home. It's the closest public measure of whether a house is piped for gas at all.
| Measure | Wicomico County | City of Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Homes heated with electricity | 62%3 | 68%3 |
| Homes heated with utility gas | 17%3 | 24%3 |
| Homes heated with propane or other tank gas | 11%3 | 4%3 |
| Homes heated with fuel oil or kerosene | 7%3 | 3%3 |
Electricity heats most homes on both sides of the city line, and propane covers much of the rest in the county. Tell the company early whether you want a propane, natural gas, electric or induction range, since each needs different piping or wiring.
How old the kitchens may be
How many of today's homes went up in each era, from the Census Bureau's housing survey, with the county set beside the city.
| Measure | Wicomico County | City of Salisbury |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1980 | 44%5 | 46%5 |
| Homes built 1950–1969 | 17%5 | 17%5 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 28%5 | 33%5 |
More than two in five homes on each side of the city line predate 1980. A kitchen that old may have flooring laid over flooring and circuits added one at a time, which is worth asking about before the old cabinets come off the wall.
Home values next to kitchen costs
Setting a kitchen budget against what homes here are worth keeps the plan in proportion to the house.
| Measure | Wicomico County | Salisbury metro |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $254,7006 | $241,2006 |
An upscale major kitchen in Salisbury cost $151,8941 in the 2024 report, while the median owner-occupied home in the city was valued at $227,3006. For most houses here, a refresh or a midrange remodel is the better match.
What kitchen trades earn here
Kitchen work leans on carpenters for cabinets and trim, an electrician for new circuits, a plumber for the sink and dishwasher, and sometimes an HVAC mechanic for a hood or a heat pump. Median hourly wages in the Salisbury metro and nationally:
| Measure | Salisbury metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenters, median hourly wage | $24.23/hr7 | $29.12/hr7 |
| Electricians, median hourly wage | $28.34/hr7 | $30.38/hr7 |
| Plumbers, median hourly wage | $29.78/hr7 | $30.67/hr7 |
| Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, median hourly wage | $29.43/hr7 | $29.33/hr7 |
Carpenters, who handle most of a kitchen install, earn well under the national median here. Electricians and plumbers earn a little less than nationally, and HVAC mechanics about the same.
Weather a Salisbury kitchen sees
On freezing nights, supply lines to a sink set against an exterior wall can split unless they're insulated or rerouted. On the hot days, cooking heat and steam need a hood that sends them outdoors rather than back into the room.
Well water and old service lines
City water here starts in wells, and the treatment plants filter out iron before it reaches the tap. The annual report publishes no hardness reading, so if a dishwasher or ice maker scales up, a test at your own tap is the way to know.
| Measure | City of Salisbury water |
|---|---|
| Water hardness | No published estimate9 |
| Service lines of unknown material | 7,5289 |
| Galvanized service lines found | 159 |
| Lead service lines found | 19 |
Salisbury's water comes from eleven wells at two treatment plants drawing on a shallow Coastal Plain aquifer, and treatment includes aeration, filtration, iron removal, corrosion control and fluoride.9 The City of Salisbury plans to identify and replace any lead or galvanized service lines over the next ten years, and it notified residents with lead, galvanized or unknown lines by mail in November 2024.9 Ask the plumber whether the kitchen's shutoff and supply lines should be replaced while the sink wall is open.
Permits
Which office you deal with depends on whether the house is inside Salisbury's city limits. The city issues its own building, plumbing, gas and mechanical permits; in unincorporated Wicomico County, the county's planning department handles building and plumbing. A new circuit for a range or cooktop goes through the county either way, because the county issues electrical permits countywide. Neither office lists exempt kitchen work on its pages, so ask the company to name each permit and who pulls it.
- Salisbury enforces the 2021 International Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas codes under the Maryland Building Performance Standards, and its electrical code runs through Wicomico County.10
- The City of Salisbury posts its own building, plumbing, gas and mechanical permit applications, which can be mailed, dropped off at its permit office in the Government Office Building or emailed.11
- For a renovation or addition in Salisbury, the permit application needs a copy of the contractor's active Maryland Home Improvement license, or the owner can elect to do the work as owner.12
- Wicomico County issues electrical permits for all electrical work in the county and its towns, to licensed electricians and to homeowners doing their own work in the house they live in.13
- Wicomico County's plumbing application counts each toilet, tub, shower, sink, dishwasher and water heater, has a category for alterations and renovations, and asks for the plumbing contractor's Maryland license number.14
- The county's residential application routes a job through sign-offs such as zoning, floodplain, Critical Area, historic review, plumbing and the health department where they apply.15
- Wicomico County takes residential building permit applications by email or at its Permits and Inspections office in the Government Office Building in Salisbury.13
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 Salisbury
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
Kitchens in Newtown, Camden and the county's ranchers
Salisbury has three historic districts, Newtown, Camden and Downtown, and proposed changes to the exterior of a building in one of them must first be reviewed by the Historic District Commission; replacing an item with the exact same item does not need approval.16 A kitchen is an inside room, but a hood duct through a side wall, a bigger window over the sink or a new back door all show from outside, so in a historic district they go to the commission before work starts.
46%5 of the city's homes were built before 1980. For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.17 The EPA notes that painted window sashes and frames in homes built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, which opening and closing the window can release as dust, and that a kitchen remodel may be a good time to replace old windows.17
Out in the county, 70%18 of homes are detached houses, which usually leaves a side or back wall free for a hood duct. 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.19
Fuel, circuits and venting
Salisbury enforces the 2021 International Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas codes under the Maryland Building Performance Standards, and its electrical code runs through Wicomico County.10 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
In a house that burns propane or oil for heat, a powerful new range hood can pull air the furnace or water heater needs. Where a home has a fuel-burning appliance that is neither direct-vent nor mechanically vented, the 2021 International Residential Code requires makeup air for any exhaust system able to move more than 400 cubic feet per minute.22 Ask the company how the hood will be sized against the rest of the house.
If you're thinking of moving off propane or oil while the kitchen is torn up, Cost vs. Value priced a switch to an electric heat pump at $19,1341 in Salisbury in 2024, against $18,8002 nationally.
A kitchen that works at any age
More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.23 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.24 Counters at more than one height and drawers in place of low cabinets are worth pricing while the room is open.
The program makes zero-interest loans deferred for 30 years, or grants of up to $25,000 for applicants who don't qualify for a loan, for changes such as widening doorways, accessible showers, ramps, grab bars and lever handles; applications are available from local county housing offices and Maryland Access Point agencies.25 The Maryland Department of Aging lists MAC, Inc. in Salisbury as the Area Agency on Aging for Wicomico County, one of the local agencies that offer programs supporting community living for older adults.26 NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.27 Planning to age in this house? Tell the company that when you call.
What happens when you call
When you call the number on this page, the call is recorded and goes to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Salisbury 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
After you're connected
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.28 Check a Maryland license
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Salisbury?
Salisbury's 2024 Cost vs. Value figures were $26,2851 for a minor midrange refresh, $75,6021 for a major midrange remodel and $151,8941 for a major upscale one. Cabinets, appliances and whether the sink or range moves decide where your job lands.
Can I have a gas range if the house has no gas line?
Check first: only 17%3 of Wicomico County homes heat with utility gas, and 11%3 use propane. Without a gas main, a gas range means a line from a propane tank, so ask the company to price that next to an electric or induction range.
Does a kitchen remodel pay off at resale here?
A small one comes closest. The 2024 report expected a minor midrange kitchen in Salisbury to recoup 89%1 of its cost at resale, against 96%1 nationally.
Who answers when I call the number on this page?
Not us. The number rings through to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Salisbury area, and the job is between you and them. Maryland's Home Improvement Commission licenses home improvement contractors and salespersons, and its License Search shows whether a license is current.28 Use it before a contract or deposit.
Sources
Page updated October 12, 2026. How we source our numbers
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value Report 2024, Salisbury, MD. Released 2024. Salisbury, MD (Cost vs. Value market). Industry source.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2024, national. Released 2024. Minor kitchen remodel, United States, HVAC conversion to electric heat pump, United States. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040. Released January 29, 2026. Wicomico County, Maryland, Salisbury city, Maryland.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value project description: Minor Kitchen Remodel | Midrange. Released September 18, 2025. View source. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25034. Released January 29, 2026. Wicomico County, Maryland, Salisbury city, Maryland.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Wicomico County, Maryland, Salisbury, MD metro (Somerset and Wicomico counties), Salisbury city, Maryland.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. Carpenters, Salisbury, MD metro (Somerset and Wicomico counties), Carpenters, United States, Electricians, Salisbury, MD metro (Somerset and Wicomico counties), Electricians, United States, Plumbers, Salisbury, MD metro (Somerset and Wicomico counties), Plumbers, United States, Heating, Salisbury, MD metro (Somerset and Wicomico counties), Heating, United States.
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Released 2021. Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport (station USW00093720), BWI Airport (station USW00093721), BWI Airport, Anne Arundel County (station USW00093721).
- City of Salisbury Water Works, 2025 Water Quality Report (PWSID 0220004). Released June 2026. City of Salisbury public water.
- City of Salisbury Department of Infrastructure and Development, Current Codes. No publication date. View source.
- City of Salisbury Department of Infrastructure and Development, Applications. No publication date. View source.
- City of Salisbury Department of Infrastructure and Development, Building Permit Guidelines and Procedures. No publication date. View source.
- Wicomico County Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, Permits, Inspections, Licenses and Fire Protection. No publication date. View source.
- Wicomico County Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, Application for Plumbing Work. No publication date. View source.
- Wicomico County Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development, Application for Residential Building Plan Review (Rev. 12/09/25). Released December 9, 2025. View source.
- City of Salisbury Historic District Commission, Frequently Asked Questions. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Remodeling Your Home and Indoor Air Quality. Released February 17, 2026. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25024. Released January 29, 2026. Wicomico County, Maryland.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.3. Released 2021. View source. Industry 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.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.6. Released 2021. View source. Industry 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.
- Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Accessible Homes for Seniors. No publication date. View source.
- Maryland Department of Aging, Area Agencies on Aging. 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.