Kitchen remodeling in Columbus
A minor midrange kitchen remodel in Columbus cost $25,8951 in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, under the $28,4582 national figure. The bigger local factor is age: 51%3 of Franklin County homes were built before 1980, so many kitchens sit on wiring and plumbing that a remodel will open up.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Columbus area answers.
Updated October 12, 2026
What a kitchen costs in Columbus
Cost vs. Value's 2025 Columbus page prices three standard kitchen jobs, beside its national averages.
| Measure | Columbus | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $25,8951 | $28,4582 |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $76,8461 | $82,7932 |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale, job cost | $150,4631 | $164,1042 |
Columbus comes in below the national figure on every kitchen job, and the gap widens as the job grows.
How much comes back at resale
The same report estimates what share of a job's cost shows up in the home's resale value.
What kind of homes they are
Census counts by structure type for Franklin County:
| Measure | Franklin County |
|---|---|
| Single-family detached houses | 52%4 |
| Homes in buildings with two to four units | 11%4 |
The Residential Code of Ohio, based on the 2018 International Residential Code, applies to the construction, alteration, replacement and repair of every one-, two- or three-family dwelling in the state.5 That covers the county's doubles and three-family houses as well as single-family homes.
Gas or electric
Heating fuel shows how many homes already have utility gas service.
When the kitchens were built
Census year-built counts for the city and the county around it:
Home values beside kitchen costs
Lining up a kitchen budget with home values in the area helps keep the remodel in scale.
What kitchen trades earn here
Kitchen work centers on carpenters and cabinet installers, with electricians and plumbers, and the cabinets come from cabinetmakers' shops. BLS medians:
| Measure | Columbus metro | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Carpenters, median hourly wage | $31.96/hr8 | $29.12/hr8 |
| Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, median hourly wage | $23.56/hr8 | $22.44/hr8 |
| Electricians, median hourly wage | $31.11/hr8 | $30.38/hr8 |
| Plumbers, median hourly wage | $30.41/hr8 | $30.67/hr8 |
Carpenters are the standout, earning well above the national median, yet the city's kitchen job costs still land under the national averages.
Weather a Columbus kitchen sees
The airport's normals and humidity tables:
| Measure | John Glenn Columbus Intl. |
|---|---|
| Days a year with a low at or below freezing | 103 days9 |
| Days a year with a high of 90°F or more | 21 days9 |
| July afternoon relative humidity | 55%10 |
Over a long freezing season, a sink set on an exterior wall needs its lines kept inside the insulation, and in humid summers a hood ducted outdoors carries off cooking steam.
What's in the water
Each Columbus treatment plant softens its water and posts its own average in the 2025 Water for Living report.
| Measure | Columbus water |
|---|---|
| Water hardness, yearly average | 125 mg/L11 |
| Water hardness, yearly average | 98 mg/L11 |
| Water hardness, yearly average | 123 mg/L11 |
Columbus water comes from one of three plants: Dublin Road serves the northwest and southwest from the Griggs and O'Shaughnessy reservoirs on the Scioto River, Hap Cremean serves Ohio State and the north from Hoover Reservoir, and Parsons Avenue serves the southeast from wells.11 The USGS classes water at 121 to 180 mg/L of hardness as hard.12 Dublin Road and Parsons Avenue water sits at the low edge of that band, enough to leave scale in a dishwasher or an ice maker line over time.
Permits
Columbus treats a kitchen remodel as plan-review work. Cabinets, countertops, flooring and paint on their own need no permit, but a remodel that changes walls, plumbing or wiring goes through Building and Zoning Services, and a property in a historic district or area commission area such as German Village may need other approvals first. Swapping a water heater or a furnace needs a permit without plan review. The city's guide lists no fees or review times, so ask the company to build plan review into its schedule.
- Columbus requires a building permit with plan review for planned work that alters an existing building or space, and issues permits to property owners or to contractors licensed or registered with the city.13
- Columbus's guide to typical residential projects lists a kitchen or bath remodel, replacing more than 32 square feet of drywall, and finishing a basement or attic as work that needs both a permit and plan review.14
- The same Columbus guide says installing flooring, painting, and installing cabinets or countertops don't need a permit.14
- Replacing a hot water tank, a furnace or air conditioner, or windows, or modifying an electrical box, needs a Columbus permit but no plan review.14
- In Columbus, a property in a special zoning district, area commission area or historic district, such as German Village, may need additional approvals before work begins.14
- A Columbus property owner can get structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits for work they do themselves on an existing single-family home they live in, but can't buy permits for work they'll hire a contractor to do.13
- The Residential Code of Ohio, based on the 2018 International Residential Code, applies to the construction, alteration, replacement and repair of every one-, two- or three-family dwelling in the state.5
Checked October 12, 2026
Before you hire
Ohio doesn't license residential remodelers statewide, so ask which city license or registration the company holds where you live, confirm it with that building department, and check any electrician, plumber or HVAC contractor on the state's OCILB lookup.
Talk to a pro who handles kitchen remodels in Columbus
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 Columbus ranches, doubles and older houses
22%3 of Franklin County homes went up between 1950 and 1969, many of them brick ranches whose kitchens sit behind a wall from the family room. Taking that wall out opens the kitchen up, but it's structural work that needs plan review.
11%4 of the county's homes are in buildings with two to four units, such as side-by-side doubles. A Columbus property owner can get structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing permits for work they do themselves on an existing single-family home they live in, but can't buy permits for work they'll hire a contractor to do.13 A double isn't a single-family home, so check with the city before planning to pull permits yourself.
12%3 of homes in the city were built before 1940. For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.15 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.15
Gas ranges and hoods
67%6 of occupied homes in the county heat with utility gas, so gas cooking is common. 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.16 The EPA suggests turning the range hood on whenever you cook, leaving it on for 10 to 20 minutes afterward, and cooking on the back burners when you can.17
The Residential Code of Ohio, based on the 2018 International Residential Code, applies to the construction, alteration, replacement and repair of every one-, two- or three-family dwelling in the state.5 Ask the company how its inspector has been reading the hood and makeup-air rules on recent jobs.
Planning for every age
More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.18 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.19
A one-story ranch is a good house to stay in for the long run, and the kitchen is where reach, lighting and clear floor space count. Say so on the call and ask about aging-in-place experience. NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.20
What happens when you call
Calling the number on this page connects you, on a recorded line, to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Columbus area. You work out layout, appliances, schedule and price with them.
The company pays us a fee for the call. You don't pay us, and we never call or text you. How we make money
After you're connected
Check the company on your own before any contract or deposit. Columbus requires every contractor working in the city to hold the right city license or registration before applying for permits, and contractors in the five OCILB trades must hold the State of Ohio license first.21 Check an Ohio license
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Columbus?
Columbus's 2025 Cost vs. Value page put a minor midrange kitchen at $25,8951, a major midrange one at $76,8461 and a major upscale one at $150,4631. Size, cabinet grade, appliances and moved walls decide where your kitchen lands.
Do I need a permit to remodel my kitchen in Columbus?
For a remodel, yes. Columbus's guide to typical residential projects lists a kitchen or bath remodel, replacing more than 32 square feet of drywall, and finishing a basement or attic as work that needs both a permit and plan review.14 The same Columbus guide says installing flooring, painting, and installing cabinets or countertops don't need a permit.14
Will a kitchen remodel pay off when I sell?
Partly. Cost vs. Value estimated that a minor midrange kitchen in Columbus recouped 90%1 of its cost at resale in 2025, against 113%1 nationally.
Who answers the phone?
The person who picks up works for one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Columbus area. Our part ends when the call connects, so look the company up before you commit. A Columbus Home Improvement General Contractor license, which covers structural work on existing one-, two- and three-family homes, requires three years of hands-on experience, a score of at least 70% on the Ohio home improvement contractor exam, and approval by the city's board; a Home Improvement Limited license for trades such as roofing, siding, decks and fencing requires one year of experience.21
Sources
Page updated October 12, 2026. How we source our numbers
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, Columbus, OH. Released 2025. Columbus, OH (Cost vs. Value market). Industry source.
- 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 B25034. Released January 29, 2026. Franklin County, Ohio, Columbus city, Ohio.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25024. Released January 29, 2026. Franklin County, Ohio.
- Ohio Board of Building Standards, Ohio Administrative Code rule 4101:8-1-01 (Residential Code of Ohio, administration). Released July 1, 2019. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040. Released January 29, 2026. Franklin County, Ohio.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Columbus city, Ohio, Franklin County, Ohio.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Released May 15, 2026. Columbus, OH metro, Carpenters, United States, Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters, United States, Electricians, United States, Plumbers, United States.
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Released 2021. John Glenn Columbus International Airport (station USW00014821).
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Comparative Climatic Data, average relative humidity, period of record 1948–2018. Released November 2024. Columbus, OH airport (WBAN 14821).
- City of Columbus, Columbus Water & Power, 2025 Water for Living Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report. Released 2026. Columbus water, Dublin Road Water Plant.
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School: Hardness of Water. No publication date. View source.
- City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services, BZS Frequently Asked Questions. No publication date. View source.
- City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services, Typical Residential Projects. Released March 2026. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Remodeling Your Home and Indoor Air Quality. Released February 17, 2026. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sources of Combustion Products. Released December 17, 2025. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Strategies for Improving Indoor Air Quality While Cooking (infographic). Released March 10, 2026. 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.
- National Association of Home Builders, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services, Contractor Licenses. No publication date. View source.