Kitchen remodeling in Alexandria
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, the Washington, DC market that covers Alexandria put a minor midrange kitchen at $27,3081 and a major midrange one at $79,9881. In a city where 21%2 of homes are townhouses or rowhouses, the hard part is often getting a range hood duct out through a front or back wall, which brings in the city's exhaust spacing rules and, in the historic districts, design review.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Alexandria area answers.
Updated October 11, 2026
What the Washington market charges for kitchens
Cost vs. Value doesn't price Alexandria separately. These 2025 Washington, DC figures are the region's, set beside the national averages.
| 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 |
Cost vs. Value's major midrange kitchen job updates an outdated 200-square-foot kitchen that keeps a functional layout, with 30 linear feet of semi-custom wood cabinets, a 3-by-5-foot island, laminate counters, a vented range hood, built-in microwave, dishwasher, disposal, custom lighting and new resilient flooring.4 A rowhouse rear wing rarely has room for an island, so the money there tends to go into tall cabinets, better ventilation and a layout that keeps the back door clear.
The age of Alexandria's kitchens
Close to a third of Alexandria's homes date from the 1960s and 1970s, a bigger share than in Arlington, on top of a historic core older than either.
| Measure | Alexandria | Arlington County |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1940 | 9%5 | 8%5 |
| Homes built 1960–1979 | 31%5 | 20%5 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 60%5 | 53%5 |
A 1960s or 1970s condo or townhouse kitchen often has its original soffits, a narrow pass-through and older wiring behind the range. Ask what the soffits hold before planning cabinets to the ceiling.
Townhouses and apartment buildings
About one Alexandria home in five is a townhouse or rowhouse, and more than a third are in buildings of fifty or more units.
| Measure | Alexandria | Arlington County |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached homes | 14%2 | 25%2 |
| Townhouses, rowhouses and other attached single-family homes | 21%2 | 9%2 |
| Homes in buildings with 2 to 19 units | 23%2 | 16%2 |
| Homes in buildings with 50 or more units | 36%2 | 46%2 |
Alexandria's kitchen checklist says exhaust ducts must end at least 3 feet from the property line and must not be directed onto walkways.6 On a narrow lot between party walls, that can rule out a side-wall hood duct and push it to the rear wall or the roof.
Which homes have gas
Census heating-fuel counts are the closest public measure of gas service. Alexandria's homes split almost evenly between utility gas and electricity.
| Measure | Alexandria | Arlington County |
|---|---|---|
| Homes heated with utility gas | 47%7 | 45%7 |
| Homes heated with electricity | 50%7 | 51%7 |
In Alexandria, changes to the gas supply or exhaust systems require a permit, and installing or relocating a gas appliance calls for a gas riser diagram with pipe sizes, lengths and appliance BTU ratings.6 Ask the company who draws that diagram and holds the gas permit.
Home values in the city
By the Census median, Alexandria's typical owner-occupied home sits above the Washington metro figure but below Arlington's.
Minerals in Alexandria's water
Virginia American Water reports the span of hardness it measured across Alexandria's distribution system, not a single average.
| Measure | Virginia American Water, Alexandria |
|---|---|
| Water hardness, lowest result in 2025 | 78 mg/L10 |
| Water hardness, highest result in 2025 | 191 mg/L10 |
The USGS classes water at 121 to 180 mg/L of hardness as hard.11 When results reach that band, a filter on the refrigerator line, rinse aid in the dishwasher and a matte faucet finish keep spotting under control.
Permits
Alexandria's Department of Code Administration takes kitchen permits through its APEX system. Moving plumbing, changing gas or exhaust lines and adding or moving wiring each need a permit, and any new opening in an outside wall, such as a hood vent, adds a house location plat and the city's duct spacing rule. In the Old and Historic Alexandria and Parker-Gray districts, a visible exterior change also needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
- Alexandria's Department of Code Administration requires a permit for changes to the water supply distribution system or the drainage and vent system.6
- In Alexandria, changes to the gas supply or exhaust systems require a permit, and installing or relocating a gas appliance calls for a gas riser diagram with pipe sizes, lengths and appliance BTU ratings.6
- Alexandria requires a permit to install or relocate any electrical systems, equipment or components, including fixtures, appliances and devices.6
- Alexandria's kitchen renovation checklist requires a house location plat if any change is made at an exterior wall, such as new ventilation openings.6
- Alexandria's kitchen checklist says exhaust ducts must end at least 3 feet from the property line and must not be directed onto walkways.6
- The City of Alexandria takes permit applications online through APEX, its permitting and land use system.12
- In Alexandria's two local historic districts, Old and Historic Alexandria and Parker-Gray, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review or preservation staff is required for new construction and exterior alterations, generally when the work is visible from a public right of way.13
Checked October 11, 2026
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Kitchens in rowhouse wings, bungalows and midcentury complexes
In Old Town and Parker-Gray, the kitchen often sits in a narrow rear wing behind the main block, with brick party walls on one side and a slim side yard on the other. Light and air come from that side, so a new window or hood vent there is the usual plan, and an exterior change in a historic district.
Alexandria's Historic Preservation office states that interior work does not require Board of Architectural Review approval.13 Under the Board of Architectural Review's administrative approval policies for the Old and Historic Alexandria District, staff may approve vents measuring less than one cubic foot, provided the color matches the adjacent surface.14 A large range hood duct is bigger than that, so expect a review of how it looks from the street or alley.
Del Ray's bungalows and foursquares tend to have a small kitchen at the back of a center or side hall; the city's midcentury garden apartments and towers have galleys. For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.15 With 60%5 of the city's homes built before then, that question applies to most kitchens here.
Alexandria's Code Administration tells condo owners to carry out alterations in accordance with the association's governing documents and to obtain all required permits before any work begins.16 Alexandria requires that every new penetration through an existing floor or wall assembly in a condominium unit be protected by a listed fire-stop system.16
Getting the hood outside
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.17 Alexandria's kitchen renovation checklist requires a house location plat if any change is made at an exterior wall, such as new ventilation openings.6 Alexandria's kitchen checklist says exhaust ducts must end at least 3 feet from the property line and must not be directed onto walkways.6
In a rowhouse that leaves the back wall or the roof, and in a high-rise condo it may leave only a listed recirculating hood. Settle the vent route before choosing the range, since a powerful burner with nowhere to send its exhaust is a poor fit for a tight rowhouse.
Kitchens for aging in place
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 In a rowhouse wing, a door to the patio without a step and pull-out shelves in the base cabinets are changes that fit even a narrow room.
Alexandria's Home Rehabilitation Loan Program lends income-eligible owner-occupants in the city money at 0% interest with no monthly payments for repairs needed for health or safety, including accessibility improvements for mobility-impaired people; the loan is due in 99 years or when the home is sold, transferred or no longer owner-occupied.20 NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.21
What happens when you call
You call the number on this page. The call is recorded, and we connect you to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Alexandria area. You talk with them directly about your project, timing and price.
That company pays us for the call. You don't pay us anything, and we never call or text you. How we make money
After you're connected
Check the company in Virginia's license records before you sign. Virginia's Board for Contractors licenses contracting businesses as Class A, B or C; the class sets the dollar value of jobs a firm may take on, and its classification or specialty sets the type of work it may do.22 Virginia's Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation advises hiring only licensed contractors, and its License Lookup shows a license's status and any past disciplinary actions.23 Check a Virginia license
Agree up front who will apply in APEX, who will draw the gas riser diagram, and who will handle any Board of Architectural Review filing.
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Alexandria?
Cost vs. Value's 2025 Washington, DC market figures, which include Alexandria, were $27,3081 for a minor midrange kitchen, $79,9881 for a major midrange one and $160,1041 for an upscale one. A new hood vent through a historic wall, or gas work, can add time and permits to any of them.
Where can a range hood vent in an Alexandria townhouse?
Alexandria's kitchen checklist says exhaust ducts must end at least 3 feet from the property line and must not be directed onto walkways.6 Alexandria's kitchen renovation checklist requires a house location plat if any change is made at an exterior wall, such as new ventilation openings.6 In practice that usually means the rear wall or the roof.
Do I need a permit to move a gas range?
Yes. In Alexandria, changes to the gas supply or exhaust systems require a permit, and installing or relocating a gas appliance calls for a gas riser diagram with pipe sizes, lengths and appliance BTU ratings.6 Alexandria's Department of Code Administration requires a permit for changes to the water supply distribution system or the drainage and vent system.6
Will the Board of Architectural Review look at my kitchen?
Only at what changes outside. Alexandria's Historic Preservation office states that interior work does not require Board of Architectural Review approval.13 In Alexandria's two local historic districts, Old and Historic Alexandria and Parker-Gray, a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Board of Architectural Review or preservation staff is required for new construction and exterior alterations, generally when the work is visible from a public right of way.13
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 B25024 (Units in Structure). Released January 29, 2026. Alexandria (independent city), VA, Arlington County, VA.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2025, national. Released 2025. United States. Industry source.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value project description: Major Kitchen Remodel | Midrange. Released September 18, 2025. View source. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25034 (Year Structure Built). Released January 29, 2026. Alexandria (independent city), VA, Arlington County, VA.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, Plan Submission Checklist: Kitchen Renovation. Released February 2012. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). Released January 29, 2026. Alexandria (independent city), VA, Arlington County, VA.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077 (Median Value, owner-occupied). Released January 29, 2026. Alexandria (independent city), VA.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- Virginia American Water, 2025 Annual Water Quality Report, Alexandria District. Released 2026. Virginia American Water, Alexandria District. Industry source.
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School: Hardness of Water. No publication date. View source.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, Permit Requirements. Released April 3, 2026. View source.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, Historic Preservation. Released October 7, 2026. View source.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, BAR Policies for Administrative Approval. Released October 15, 2024. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Remodeling Your Home and Indoor Air Quality. Released February 17, 2026. View source.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, Memorandum: Alterations Within Condominium Units. Released June 23, 2022. View source.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.3. 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.
- City of Alexandria, Virginia, Home Rehabilitation Loan Program brochure (Office of Housing). Released May 2024. View source.
- National Association of Home Builders, Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors. No publication date. View source.
- Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, DPOR Consumer Guide: Hiring a Contractor. No publication date. View source.