Kitchen remodeling in Chesterfield County
Cost vs. Value covers the Richmond market rather than Chesterfield, and its 2024 figures put a minor midrange kitchen at $25,9441 and a major midrange remodel at $76,6181. In Chesterfield the fuel in the house shapes the plan most: 66%2 of occupied homes heat with electricity and only 28%2 with utility gas, so a gas range can mean bringing in a gas line first, while an electric kitchen mainly needs the right circuits.
Calls are recorded. One independent company that handles kitchen remodels in the Chesterfield County area answers.
Updated October 11, 2026
Kitchen prices for the Richmond market
These Cost vs. Value prices are for the Richmond market as a whole; there's no Chesterfield-only figure. They come from the 2024 edition, the newest with Richmond, and the national column is from the same report.
| Measure | Richmond market | U.S. average |
|---|---|---|
| Minor kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $25,9441 | $27,4923 |
| Major kitchen remodel, midrange, job cost | $76,6181 | $79,9823 |
| Major kitchen remodel, upscale, job cost | $151,8901 | $158,5303 |
A Chesterfield kitchen that keeps its footprint and its fuel tends to land near the minor or major midrange price; adding gas, moving the sink to an island or taking out a wall moves it toward the top row.
How new Chesterfield's kitchens are
Census decade-built counts show most of Chesterfield's housing went up after 1980, with relatively little from before then.
| Measure | Chesterfield County | Richmond metro |
|---|---|---|
| Homes built 1980–1999 | 36%4 | – |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 35%4 | – |
| Homes built before 1980 | 29%4 | 44%4 |
Kitchens from these years were often built open to a family room, so a remodel here is usually about replacing cabinets, counters and appliances inside the existing layout rather than tearing out walls.
Kitchen spending against home values
A kitchen budget makes the most sense next to what the house is worth. Chesterfield's median home value is higher than the metro's.
Mostly electric houses
Census counts of heating fuel hint at which houses have gas service. Chesterfield leans further toward electricity than Henrico, and more of its homes use propane.
| Measure | Chesterfield County | Henrico County |
|---|---|---|
| Occupied homes heated with electricity | 66%2 | 60%2 |
| Occupied homes heated with utility gas | 28%2 | 34%2 |
| Occupied homes heated with propane or other tank gas | 3%2 | 1%2 |
In a house heated by electricity there may be no gas service at all, so ask early what it would take to bring a line in, or whether induction would get you the cooking you want without one.
Soft water at the kitchen tap
Chesterfield Utilities describes county water as naturally soft and publishes this hardness range.
| Measure | Chesterfield County water |
|---|---|
| Water hardness, low end of published range | 40 mg/L6 |
| Water hardness, high end of published range | 70 mg/L6 |
The USGS classes water at 0 to 60 mg/L of hardness as soft.7 Water in that range is easy on dishwashers, icemakers and faucet aerators. Chesterfield has completed an inventory of its water service lines, approved on October 22, 2024, which residents can look up at Chesterfield.gov/ServiceLineInventory.8
Chesterfield's kitchen permit fees
Chesterfield charges flat fees by permit type under its residential fee schedule for July 2026 through June 2027.
| Measure | Chesterfield County |
|---|---|
| Building permit, alteration with no change to square footage | $1149 |
| Electrical permit, renovation where new rough-in is required | $1149 |
| Plumbing permit, renovation where rough-in is pre-existing | $579 |
| Gas permit, gas piping to appliances only | $579 |
| Gas permit, repair or replacement with a like appliance | $579 |
| State levy added to the base permit fee | 2%9 |
Most kitchen jobs combine two or three of these. A new circuit for an induction cooktop is an electrical permit; a new gas line to a range is a gas piping permit.
Permits
Chesterfield County's Building Inspection department handles kitchen permits for single-family homes. New or refurbished cabinets, new flooring and a replacement sink or faucet need no permit, and neither does swapping a cooktop, stove or range, gas or electric. New gas piping, new wiring and new plumbing lines each take their own trade permit, and structural changes such as removing a bearing wall take a building permit. If an appliance fails and has to be replaced in a hurry, the county asks for the permit the next working day.
- Chesterfield's permit requirements exclude cosmetic changes such as painting and replacing carpet, and ordinary repairs such as replacing cabinetry, kitchen appliances other than gas equipment, electrical switches and electric water heaters.10
- Chesterfield requires a gas permit to remove, replace or install gas appliances or equipment, including piping, gas logs, water heaters and furnaces, or a new propane tank, but lists cooktops, stoves, ranges and dryers as appliances that don't need a permit for replacement.11
- Chesterfield requires an electrical permit to provide new electrical service or wiring, upgrade service, or install or replace wiring, a panel board, service equipment or a disconnect; replacing switches, receptacles and electric cooktops, stoves and ranges needs none.11
- Chesterfield requires a building permit for renovation, repair and alteration projects, says any work that is structural in nature requires a permit, and asks for a plot plan except for exclusively interior work.10
- Depending on scope, a Chesterfield renovation may also need electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing permits, and the county asks applicants not to submit mechanical, electrical, plumbing or cabinetry drawings for residential plan review.10
- Chesterfield requires a permit before work starts whenever a structure is built, altered or demolished, and asks for a permit the next working day after emergency repairs or equipment replacement.11
- Chesterfield takes residential permit applications online through its Community Development ELM portal, in person at Building Inspection, 9800 Government Center Parkway, or by mail.10
Checked October 11, 2026
Talk to a pro who handles kitchen remodels in Chesterfield County
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Kitchens in Chesterfield's 1980s to 2000s houses
36%4 of Chesterfield's homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s, and 35%4 since 2000. Kitchens from those years often have oak or thermofoil cabinets, laminate or tile counters and an eat-in area facing the family room, which makes them good candidates for a remodel that keeps the plumbing where it is.
Keeping the layout saves on permits as well as labor. Chesterfield's permit requirements exclude cosmetic changes such as painting and replacing carpet, and ordinary repairs such as replacing cabinetry, kitchen appliances other than gas equipment, electrical switches and electric water heaters.10 Once the sink moves to an island or a new circuit goes in, trade permits and their fees follow.
The county's older homes, the 29%4 built before 1980, bring lead paint into the picture when cabinets and trim come off. EPA's lead renovation rule requires anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 to be lead-safe certified, and the EPA says about three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint.12
Gas or electric in a Chesterfield kitchen
Because so many Chesterfield houses heat with electricity, a gas range is often a new service rather than a swap. Chesterfield requires a gas permit to remove, replace or install gas appliances or equipment, including piping, gas logs, water heaters and furnaces, or a new propane tank, but lists cooktops, stoves, ranges and dryers as appliances that don't need a permit for replacement.11 Ask whether gas is available on your street, or whether the house would need a propane tank.
Staying electric, or moving to induction, usually means new circuits instead. 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.13 Chesterfield requires an electrical permit to provide new electrical service or wiring, upgrade service, or install or replace wiring, a panel board, service equipment or a disconnect; replacing switches, receptacles and electric cooktops, stoves and ranges needs none.11
Whichever fuel you choose, plan where the range 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.14
A kitchen for the long run
More than one in four adults 65 and older fall each year.15 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.16 In a two-story Chesterfield house the kitchen is already on the main floor, so deep drawers instead of base cabinets and a lower counter you can sit at help it keep working as you age.
Chesterfield County's housing assistance page points residents who need a wheelchair ramp or critical home repair to project:HOMES as an eligibility-based program that may help.17 NAHB's Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) credential trains remodelers in home modifications for aging in place.18
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 Chesterfield County area. You talk with them directly about the project, the schedule and the 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
Before you sign or pay a deposit, look the company up yourself. 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.19 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.20 Check a Virginia license
Questions people ask
How much does a kitchen remodel cost in Chesterfield County?
There's no Chesterfield line in Cost vs. Value. Its Richmond-market prices for 2024 are $25,9441 for a minor midrange kitchen, $76,6181 for a major midrange remodel and $151,8901 for an upscale one. County permit fees are flat and listed by permit type.
Do I need a permit to replace a range in Chesterfield?
Not for a straight swap. Chesterfield requires a gas permit to remove, replace or install gas appliances or equipment, including piping, gas logs, water heaters and furnaces, or a new propane tank, but lists cooktops, stoves, ranges and dryers as appliances that don't need a permit for replacement.11 New gas piping or a new circuit for the range is another matter and needs a trade permit.
What do Chesterfield kitchen permits cost?
The county's fee schedule lists $1149 for an alteration that adds no square footage, $1149 for electrical work that needs new rough-in and $579 for gas piping to appliances only, plus a state levy of 2%9 on the base fee.
Who can apply for a kitchen permit in Chesterfield?
The homeowner or the contractor. Chesterfield's residential permit application lets an owner or lessee working on no more than one residential building for his or her own use in any 24-month period claim exemption from contractor licensing under Code of Virginia § 54.1-1101.21 Chesterfield takes residential permit applications online through its Community Development ELM portal, in person at Building Inspection, 9800 Government Center Parkway, or by mail.10
Sources
Page updated October 11, 2026. How we source our numbers
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2024, Richmond. Released 2024. Richmond. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25040. Released January 29, 2026. Chesterfield County, Virginia.
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, Cost vs. Value 2024, national. Released 2024. United States. Industry source.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25034. Released January 29, 2026. Chesterfield County, Virginia, Richmond, VA metro.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year, table B25077. Released January 29, 2026. Chesterfield County, Virginia, Richmond, VA metro.
- Chesterfield County Utilities, Drinking Water and Water Resources. No publication date. Chesterfield County public water.
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School: Hardness of Water. No publication date. View source.
- Chesterfield County Utilities, Water Quality Report (testing January 1 through December 31, 2025). Released 2026. View source.
- Chesterfield County Building Inspection, Residential Fee Schedule, effective 7/1/2026 through 6/30/2027 (PDF). Released July 1, 2026. Chesterfield County, Virginia.
- Chesterfield County Building Inspection, Residential Project Requirements and Application Submittal. No publication date. View source.
- Chesterfield County Building Inspection, Residential Permits and Inspections Processes. No publication date. View source.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program. Released June 17, 2026. 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 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.
- Chesterfield County Community Enhancement, Housing Assistance. No publication date. 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, DPOR Consumer Guide: Hiring a Contractor. No publication date. View source.
- Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors. No publication date. View source.
- Chesterfield County Building Inspection, Residential Building Permit Application (PDF). No publication date. View source.