Kitchen Remodel Cost Without Appliances in Wisconsin: Minor vs Full Remodel
A minor kitchen remodel that keeps your appliances and your layout typically costs $7,000 to $20,000, according to This Old House's 2026 small kitchen guide. For a bigger project, appliances and ventilation make up about 14% of a typical kitchen budget. Taken off the guide's $26,214 median full remodel, that share is about $3,670, which leaves roughly $22,500 for everything else. What you actually save depends on the appliances you would have bought: This Old House puts new appliances for a small kitchen at about $1,000 to $15,000 installed.
Published 2026-10-20 · 5 min read · 1,125 words
Kitchen project - T&JThis guide explains what a minor remodel includes, what a full remodel costs with and without new appliances, and where the money goes when the appliances stay.
Kitchen Remodel Cost With and Without Appliances
| Project | Published cost | Appliance and ventilation share (about 14%) | Without appliances (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen remodel, average | $16,000 | About $2,240 | About $13,760 |
| Full kitchen remodel, median | $26,214 | About $3,670 | About $22,540 |
A minor remodel, at $7,000 to $20,000, is a cosmetic update that keeps the layout. The "without appliances" column above is an estimate: the published figure minus the guide's 14% budget share for appliances and ventilation. Your own number moves with the appliances you skip, because This Old House puts a single appliance anywhere from $200 to $10,000.
In This Old House's budget breakdown, cabinets and hardware take about 29% of a kitchen remodel, more than twice the 14% that goes to appliances and ventilation.
What Counts as a Minor Kitchen Remodel
This Old House describes a minor remodel as the route when you are happy with your kitchen's layout: new countertops, repainted cabinets and new hardware along with other cosmetic updates, for about $7,000 to $20,000. A major remodel changes the layout, plumbing or electrical system and often adds custom cabinets or an island, and can run from $17,500 to over $50,000 even in a small kitchen.
| Minor remodel | Major remodel | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Stays the same | Changes |
| Cabinets | Repainted, new hardware | New, often custom |
| Countertops | Often replaced | Replaced |
| Plumbing and electrical | Stay where they are | Moved or added |
| Published cost | $7,000-$20,000 | $17,500 to over $50,000 |
Kitchen - T&JIf you are deciding what to do with the cabinets, our guide to refinishing, refacing or replacing kitchen cabinets walks through the options.
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Where the Money Goes When the Appliances Stay
Without appliances in the budget, cabinets and countertops carry most of the cost. This Old House's installed prices for a small kitchen of about 70 square feet:
| Item | Materials plus installation |
|---|---|
| New cabinets | $4,875-$10,000 |
| Refinished cabinets | $900-$5,625 |
| Countertops | $1,485-$4,200 |
| Lighting | $1,500-$4,500 |
| Sink and faucet | $680-$1,800 |
| Flooring | $280-$1,200 |
| Backsplash | $440-$800 |
| Paint | $250-$500 |
Added together with new cabinets, those installed ranges come to roughly $9,500 to $23,000, before permits, demolition and the contractor's management of the job. Choosing refinished cabinets instead of new ones brings the low end down by about $4,000.
Keeping Your Appliances: What to Check First
- Fit. Measure every appliance you are keeping before cabinets and countertops are ordered, so the new openings fit them.
- Locations. Keeping the range, sink and dishwasher where they are saves money; This Old House's example is the existing 220-volt line already in place for the range.
- Ventilation. A new hood is often part of a remodel even when the range stays; see our guide to range hood venting in Wisconsin.
- Wiring. New outlets, an island outlet or a dishwasher circuit follow Wisconsin's electrical rules; see kitchen remodel electrical in Wisconsin.
- Age. If an appliance is near the end of its life, replacing it during the remodel avoids refitting the opening later. This Old House suggests thinking long-term and choosing energy-efficient appliances where you can.
Ways to Keep the Cost Down
This Old House's suggestions for a smaller kitchen budget:
Choose a cosmetic renovation over a complete gut, and replace only what needs replacing.
Consider stock or semi-custom cabinets if you need new ones.
Do the non-specialty work yourself, such as tear-out, painting and changing hardware.
Remodel in stages.
Kitchen - T&JFor the bigger picture, see our guides to the average kitchen remodel cost in Wisconsin, a realistic kitchen remodel budget and kitchen remodel financing in Wisconsin. Our kitchen cabinet replacement cost guide covers the single biggest line.
Getting a Number for Your Kitchen
A free in-home consultation can separate what has to change from what can stay, including the appliances, and turn it into a written price.
T&J is a father-and-son team that has worked in Wisconsin since 1989. John is your single point of contact from the first call through the final walkthrough, Telli is on site running the work, and T&J gives a written 2-year warranty. Homeowners from Brookfield to Pewaukee and across Waukesha County can see our kitchen remodeling services or request a free in-home estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen remodel cost without appliances?
A minor remodel that keeps the appliances typically costs $7,000 to $20,000. For a full remodel, taking out the roughly 14% appliance and ventilation share leaves about $22,500 from This Old House's $26,214 median.
What is considered a minor kitchen remodel?
One that keeps the layout and updates surfaces, such as new countertops, repainted cabinets and new hardware, which This Old House prices at $7,000 to $20,000.
How much of a kitchen budget goes to appliances?
About 14% for appliances and ventilation, according to This Old House's budget breakdown.
How much do new kitchen appliances cost?
For a small kitchen, about $1,000 to $15,000 installed for the set; a single appliance can run from $200 to $10,000.
How much does a small kitchen remodel cost without appliances?
This Old House puts the average small kitchen remodel at $16,000. Taking out a 14% appliance and ventilation share leaves roughly $13,800.
Is it cheaper to keep the same kitchen layout?
Yes. Keeping appliance and sink locations can lead to significant savings, for example by reusing the existing range wiring.
What costs the most in a kitchen remodel if appliances stay?
Cabinets and hardware, at about 29% of a typical budget, followed by labor at about 17% and countertops at about 10%.
Pricing is based on our own recent projects. Written by John (PM, 14 yrs) and reviewed by Telli, who has been remodeling in Wisconsin since 1989. Published 2026-10-20.
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