Kitchen remodeling in Northern Virginia
The 2025 Cost vs. Value report put a major midrange kitchen remodel at $79,9881 in its Washington, DC market, a little under the $82,7932 national average. In Fairfax County, which stands in for Northern Virginia here, the bigger factor is the house from the suburban boom: 55%3 of homes were built from 1960 through 1989, and swapping even a stove or oven in the same spot still calls for a county permit.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Northern Virginia area answers.
Updated October 11, 2026
The Washington market's kitchen prices
Cost vs. Value doesn't price Northern Virginia separately; its Washington, DC market covers the area. These are its 2025 figures, the latest edition available, next to that year's national averages.
| Measure | Washington, DC market | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $27,3081 | $28,4582 |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $79,9881 | $82,7932 |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale, job cost | $160,1041 | $164,1042 |
Going from the major midrange row to the upscale row doubles the price, mostly through cabinetry, stone and built-in appliances. The report's upscale major kitchen job puts in custom cabinets, stone counters with a tile backsplash, a built-in refrigerator, a commercial-grade cooktop and vent hood, a wall oven, a high-end undermount sink and new task lighting.4
Kitchens from the suburban boom
Fairfax County's Census counts stand in for Northern Virginia. Most of its houses come from three decades of suburban growth that began in 1960.
| Measure | Fairfax County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built 1960–1989 | 55%3 | 39%3 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 44%3 | 45%3 |
Plenty of kitchens from those decades pair a peninsula with soffits over the wall cabinets and a breakfast nook at one end. Ask what runs inside the soffits before planning taller cabinets, and get a sink move to an island priced on its own, since it means new drain and vent piping.
Single-family houses, detached and attached
Fairfax County has a larger share of townhouses than the Washington metro as a whole, and a slightly larger share of detached houses too.
| Measure | Fairfax County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached homes | 46%5 | 44%6 |
| Townhouses and other attached single-family homes | 23%5 | 20%6 |
A townhouse kitchen sits between shared side walls, so its hood duct and any new window have to use the front or back of the house. Fairfax County treats condos and apartment buildings as commercial, so work in them needs a commercial building permit; residential permits cover detached one- and two-family homes and townhouses no more than three stories high.7
How the houses are heated
Census counts of heating fuel are the closest public measure of which houses have gas service. In Fairfax County, a larger share of homes are heated with utility gas than across the metro.
| Measure | Fairfax County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes heated with utility gas | 54%8 | 48%8 |
| Homes heated with electricity | 42%8 | 45%8 |
Fairfax County says gas appliances are not exempt from permits even as like-for-like replacements, and a project that adds new gas piping needs a residential plumbing permit instead of a household appliance permit.9 If the plan swaps an electric cooktop for gas, or the reverse, ask which permits the company will file and who signs for the gas work.
What homes here are worth
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfax County is worth well above the Washington metro median.
| Measure | Fairfax County | Washington metro |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $732,80010 | $579,90010 |
Against a county median of $732,80010, the Washington market's upscale major kitchen at $160,1041 doesn't outrun the median house. What the kitchens on your street already look like is the better guide to how far to go.
Pay for the kitchen trades
These Washington metro medians from BLS take in Northern Virginia, which has no wage series of its own, and cover the trades that build and install a kitchen.
| 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 |
| Plumbers, median hourly wage | $34.55/hr11 | $30.67/hr11 |
| Electricians, median hourly wage | $36.50/hr11 | $30.38/hr11 |
Carpenters, who set cabinets and trim, earn close to the national median here; cabinetmakers, plumbers and electricians earn noticeably more. A kitchen that keeps its plumbing and wiring in place leans mostly on the trade whose pay is nearest the national figure.
Minerals in Fairfax Water
Fairfax Water publishes a typical hardness range rather than one average. If another utility serves your house, its own water quality report has the figure to use.
| Measure | Fairfax Water |
|---|---|
| Typical water hardness, low end of range | 84 mg/L12 |
| Typical water hardness, high end of range | 170 mg/L12 |
Fairfax Water describes its water as typically moderately hard to hard, from calcium and magnesium in the Potomac River and Occoquan Reservoir, and says the minerals can leave a white residue on fixtures and dishware but are not a health risk.12 For a kitchen, that argues for a dishwasher with a rinse-aid dispenser, a filter on the refrigerator's water line, and a matte faucet finish that hides spotting.
Permits
Each Northern Virginia county and city runs its own permit office, and the rules below are Fairfax County's. A kitchen renovation needs a building permit, and new or moved sinks, disposals, range hoods, ducts and gas lines need trade permits on top. New cabinets, counters and flooring need none. Replacing a stove or oven in place still calls for a household appliance permit, and gas appliances are never exempt.
- Fairfax County requires a permit for interior alterations and renovations, including bathroom remodels, kitchen renovations, and removing or building walls.13
- Fairfax County lists new, repaired or relocated mechanical or gas fixtures, such as duct work and range hoods, and plumbing or gas fixtures, such as disposals, sinks, stoves and ranges, among residential work that needs a permit.13
- Fairfax County requires no permit for kitchen cabinets or countertops, replacement tile or flooring, or painting and wallpaper.13
- Fairfax County's permit guide lists the direct replacement of household appliances, including stoves and ovens, among residential work that needs a permit.13
- In Fairfax County, a Household Appliance permit covers replacing or installing an appliance for the first time, needs one inspection, and is issued automatically once the application is complete and fees are paid, with no county review.9
- Fairfax County says gas appliances are not exempt from permits even as like-for-like replacements, and a project that adds new gas piping needs a residential plumbing permit instead of a household appliance permit.9
- Residential alteration permits are applied for online in the county's PLUS system, and electrical and plumbing permits for the same project are issued after the building permit and linked to it.7
Checked October 11, 2026
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Kitchens in Fairfax County's colonials, split-levels and townhouses
Many of the county's kitchens are on their second set of cabinets by now, but the footprint often dates to the original house: a closed room, or a peninsula facing the family room with a breakfast area in a bay. Keeping that footprint and replacing everything inside it is the midrange job Cost vs. Value prices; moving walls is a larger one.
For homes built before 1978, the EPA advises hiring contractors who use only lead-safe certified renovators.14 With 44%3 of the county's homes built before 1980, ask in many houses here whether the crew's renovator is lead-safe certified before cabinets and trim come off painted walls.
Townhouse kitchens add neighbors to the plan. A new duct or window can only go out the front or back, and work hours and material deliveries may fall under an association's rules.
Virginia's code and the kitchen
The 2021 edition of Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code took effect on January 18, 2024.15 The 2021 Virginia Residential Code is the 2021 International Residential Code as amended by Virginia.16 The national kitchen rules are a fair guide here, with Virginia's amendments on top, so ask the company which of those amendments touch 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.17 The EPA notes that ASHRAE and the Home Ventilation Institute recommend a range hood of 100 cubic feet per minute for a typical range, and that larger fans may need makeup air so the house isn't depressurized enough to make combustion equipment backdraft.14 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.18 If a large hood is planned over a gas range in a tightly sealed house, ask how makeup air will be handled.
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.19 The same code requires ground-fault (GFCI) protection on receptacles that serve kitchen countertop surfaces.20 In Fairfax County, new circuits and moved outlets are trade-permit work, issued after the building permit and linked to it.
Kitchens for aging in place
More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.21 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.22 In a two-story colonial with the kitchen on the main floor, a seated prep counter and deep drawers in place of low cabinets are the easiest changes to fold into a remodel.
NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.23 In a townhouse, where the kitchen may share its level with only a powder room, ask whether the plan leaves room to add a full bath on that floor later.
What happens when you call
Your call to the number on this page is recorded and connected to one independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Northern Virginia area. From there, design, schedule and cost are yours to settle with that company.
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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.24 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.25 Check a Virginia license
Settle early who will apply for the permits. Owners may get Fairfax County permits in their own name, but the county strongly recommends that a properly licensed contractor pull them as the responsible party.7
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Northern Virginia?
For the Washington, DC market, which covers Northern Virginia, the 2025 Cost vs. Value report listed $27,3081 for a minor midrange kitchen, $79,9881 for a major midrange one and $160,1041 for an upscale one. An island with a sink, or a range on a new wall, adds plumbing, gas or electrical permits to the price.
Do I need a permit just to replace my stove?
In Fairfax County, generally yes. Fairfax County's permit guide lists the direct replacement of household appliances, including stoves and ovens, among residential work that needs a permit.13 In Fairfax County, a Household Appliance permit covers replacing or installing an appliance for the first time, needs one inspection, and is issued automatically once the application is complete and fees are paid, with no county review.9
Does a new gas line need a different permit?
Fairfax County says gas appliances are not exempt from permits even as like-for-like replacements, and a project that adds new gas piping needs a residential plumbing permit instead of a household appliance permit.9 Owners may get Fairfax County permits in their own name, but the county strongly recommends that a properly licensed contractor pull them as the responsible party.7
I live in Arlington, Alexandria or Loudoun. Do these rules apply?
Not directly. The permit rules on this page are Fairfax County's; Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church each run their own permit office. Inside Fairfax County, the towns add a step. Projects in the towns of Clifton and Vienna also need separate approval from the town.7
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.
- 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. Fairfax County, VA, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value project description: Major Kitchen Remodel | Upscale. Released September 18, 2025. View source. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25024. Released January 29, 2026. Fairfax County, VA.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, Table B25024 (Units in Structure). Released January 29, 2026. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro.
- Fairfax County Land Development Services, Permit Library: Addition/Alteration (ALTR), Residential. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, Table B25040 (House Heating Fuel). Released January 29, 2026. Fairfax County, VA.
- Fairfax County Land Development Services, Permit Library: Household Appliance (HAPL) - Residential. Released October 5, 2026. View source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Fairfax County, VA, 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, Plumbers, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Plumbers, United States, Electricians, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro, Electricians, United States.
- Fairfax Water, FAQ: How "hard" is our water?. No publication date. Fairfax Water service area.
- Fairfax County Land Development Services, Does My Project Require a Permit?. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Remodeling Your Home and Indoor Air Quality. Released February 17, 2026. View source.
- Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, Codes. No publication date. View source.
- International Code Council, Virginia code library. No publication date. View source. Industry source.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.3. Released 2021. View source. Industry source.
- International Code Council, 2021 International Residential Code, Section M1503.6. 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.
- 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.
- 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.