A Cost Breakdown of My $120K Kitchen Renovation in Houston, TX

Considering a room revamp, but not sure where to begin—or how much to invest? In our latest series, One-Room Renos, we explore renovation projects big and small, from soft-good upgrades you can accomplish in a weekend to total overhauls that cost a small fortune and take months (or longer). 

Today, a civil engineer in Houston shares how his 12-week kitchen remodel ended up taking 12 months—and what he learned in the process.

Tell us a bit more about your kitchen renovation.

We moved to Houston from Philadelphia for my wife’s job. We had just one weekend to buy a home and found this one, built in 2001. The house and the layout were great. The only thing was that my wife didn’t like the kitchen, so we agreed we’d renovate.

What didn’t you like about the kitchen?

The entire layout of the kitchen was strange. The range took up the entire kitchen island, so there was no room to put anything off to the side when you were cooking. Functionally, it didn’t work. 

Did your renovation focus on one particular area?

The focus was the island. We made it larger, and centered it with the sink. We also raised the upper cabinets, put on new cabinet doors, removed the built-in wine rack, and replaced that with more storage.

How did you get started?

We kind of did it all backwards. Because we had just moved, we really didn’t know anyone, including contractors. I saw an ad for a contractor in a local magazine and called him.

What happened then?

He gave us a bid and asked if we had materials—countertops, tile, cabinet-paint colors—picked out. We didn’t. He recommended the design team at Coton House. We liked them and hired them right away.

How did their design process work?

We told them that we didn’t know what we wanted, but we knew what we liked, so Laurie Coton and her team tasked us with Googling kitchen renovations and sending pictures of things we liked. When we met at their office, they had put together three different boards with different style options. We made a couple changes to one and then chose it.

How did you choose your materials?

When we went to the designer’s office, they had all the materials there to choose from. They have a whole wall of tiles and fabrics. That was really cool. We just sat and chatted and went through what we liked and didn’t like.

What was the style you chose?

My wife wanted white cabinets, so that was the starting point. We also wanted blue-green tones and a backsplash tile that had a little pattern or a little more character.

How long did the renovation take?

Too long. We ended up having a lot of issues with the contractor. They said it would take 12 weeks, and it ended up taking 12 months—and it’s still not completely finished. They’re supposed to finish the butler’s pantry and some cabinet lighting.

What took so long?

There was a lot of inaction. It wasn’t like there were people working the whole time. They would work two days a week, then come back the following week. We also had a hurricane hit, and our power was out for a week. 

What was it like to live in your home during a kitchen renovation?

We asked the contractor to leave the fridge and sink in as long as possible. We had a toaster oven and used the outdoor grill a lot. Luckily in Texas, the weather is nice, even in the winter. If it rained, we would get takeout. Still, with the kids, it was hard. We relied on a lot of instant rice and pasta.

Were there any especially tough days?

We moved the gas range a few feet to be centered on the new island. Our contractor realized our existing gas line wasn’t long enough to reach the new location, so they had to jackhammer and break a section of slab and trench for the line extension. I typically work from home and could handle most of the noise, but this I just couldn’t take. I had to take my dog and leave for the two days they jackhammered.

What were you most excited about?

We went so long without a functioning kitchen so when the day came to install the new appliances, we were very excited. Install day came, and nothing fit! We didn’t do a full reno, so the appliances had to simply fit in the existing spaces. But our contractor never looked over the appliance spec sheets, and the new microwave, oven, and refrigerator were slightly bigger than the old ones. Here we were with brand-new appliances ready to go, but we couldn’t use them until the carpenters came back to cut into the cabinetry to make more room. 

Did you ever think about firing your contractor?

Many times. We threatened several times to end the contract, but then they would get their act together for a few days. Their contract had a stipulation that if there was no work done for 15 days in a row without unforeseen circumstances, that we could end the contract. They violated their 15-day stipulation many times, but it just seemed impossible to get out of the contract.

Where did the money for the renovations come from?

Savings. We had lived in the house a couple years before we started this project.

Did you end up staying on budget?

We had estimated the project would cost $80,000 to $100,000. We had no idea what the design fee would be as we’d never worked with a design firm on a home renovation before. 

What was the biggest expense?

Easily the quartzite counters.

Did you have any unanticipated expenses?

We did have one change order to have the contractors repaint the island, so we paid an extra $2,900. The outer cabinets are white, and initially the island was navy blue. We didn’t love it, and we paid to have it repainted a blue-green.

What do you wish you would have known before starting?

That’s tough. We did a lot of things right. We got two other contractor estimates. They were all in the same ballpark, so we chose this guy because we had a good rapport. I suppose we could have done more research. It was hard because we didn’t have a network for contractors. In Philadelphia, we found contractors after they had done work for neighbors.

Has this renovation scared you off of ever doing another renovation?

No, not at all. We’re already talking to Laurie and her team about redoing the master bath. They were great. This time though, we are going to get Laurie’s contractor list, get her advice on who to hire, and make sure we are really comfortable with who we choose.

Are you happy with the end result?

We love the kitchen now. It’s what we wanted. All the subcontractors were great. Just the management of the subcontractors was poor.

What do you love most about it?

The functionality. Before the renovation, it was an awkward space. We couldn’t easily use the kitchen. Now, the layout is great, and it’s become a space that the whole family can use and enjoy.