- Total project: $24,000 for a full East Austin kitchen gut remodel
- Scope: new cabinets, quartz counters, LVP flooring, painted walls, all new fixtures
- Timeline: 5 weeks (including permit approval)
- Property value increase: estimated $30,000–$35,000 based on comparable sales
- The homeowner's #1 regret: not doing it sooner
The Starting Point
The home was a 1,450 sqft bungalow built in 1972 in the 78721 zip code — a couple blocks east of Airport Boulevard. The homeowner had lived there since 2014 and the kitchen hadn't been touched since at least 1995. Original laminate countertops, honey oak cabinets, worn linoleum flooring, and a fluorescent tube light fixture that flickered.
The layout was functional — a galley-style kitchen with an opening to the dining room — but the finishes made the whole house feel dated. The homeowner had received a cash offer below ask and the buyer's agent specifically mentioned the kitchen. That was the tipping point.
Before we broke ground, the homeowner spent $0 on the kitchen in the previous 10 years. The estimate we provided: $24,000 for a full gut remodel.
Scope of Work and Cost Breakdown
The full cost breakdown for this East Austin kitchen remodel:
- **Cabinet removal and disposal:** $600 - **New semi-custom cabinets (Shaker style, white):** $7,200 (22 linear feet) - **Quartz countertops (Calacatta-style, 3cm):** $3,800 - **LVP flooring (kitchen + adjacent dining area, 280 sqft):** $3,100 - **Backsplash tile (subway tile, full wall behind stove):** $1,200 - **New sink, faucet, and plumbing connections:** $850 - **Pendant lighting (3 over island) + under-cabinet LED:** $680 - **Paint (walls and ceiling):** $450 - **Electrical (new circuits, updated outlets, GFCI):** $1,400 - **Permit fee:** $320 - **Labor (installation, project management):** $4,400
**Total: $24,000**
Week-by-Week Timeline
**Week 1:** Permit application submitted. Materials ordered — cabinets have a 10-day lead time.
**Week 2:** Permit approved (fast turnaround — Austin was running about 8 business days at the time). Demo day: old cabinets, countertops, and flooring out in one day. Electrical rough-in completed.
**Week 3:** Cabinet installation (2 days). Countertop template measured and sent to fabricator — 5-day lead time for quartz fabrication.
**Week 4:** Countertops installed. Backsplash tile set and grouted. Sink and plumbing connected. LVP flooring installed throughout kitchen and dining room.
**Week 5:** Lighting installed. Paint applied. Final electrical connections. Final city inspection passed. Punch list completed.
The Result and What the Homeowner Said
The finished kitchen was unrecognizable from what we started with. White Shaker cabinets, quartz counters, subway tile backsplash, warm LVP flooring, and pendant lighting over the peninsula created a kitchen that looked like it belonged in a much newer home.
Comparable renovated homes in 78721 at the time were selling $30,000–$35,000 above the unrenovated comps. The homeowner took the home off the market, relisted 6 weeks after completion, received three offers, and accepted $28,000 over the original ask.
The homeowner's feedback: 'I wish I had done this two years ago. The kitchen was embarrassing. Now it's the best room in the house. And the whole thing cost less than I spent on my car.'
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you handle the East Austin permit?
We submitted the permit application on day one of the project. Austin's Development Services was running about 8 business days at the time — faster than our cabinet lead time, so it didn't delay the project at all. We pulled permits for the electrical work and general remodeling scope.
What caused the most delays on this project?
Quartz countertop fabrication — 5 days from template to delivery. This is typical. We schedule around it by completing other work (flooring, tile, lighting rough-in) while the countertops are being fabricated. The only thing that would have caused a real delay is a permit hold-up, which we didn't experience on this project.
Would you recommend this level of scope for all East Austin kitchens?
Not always. This homeowner had a kitchen that genuinely hadn't been touched in 30 years — the condition justified a full gut. For kitchens with solid cabinets in reasonable shape, a cabinet repaint, new countertops, and updated fixtures ($7,000–$12,000) often delivers 80% of the visual result at 40% of the cost.
What would you do differently on this project?
We would have ordered the countertops on day one (before demo) instead of waiting until cabinets were installed to template. Templating off installed cabinets is the standard approach, but on this project with a tight timeline, we could have templated from the CAD drawings and cut 2 days. Minor — the project came in on time — but worth noting for future projects.
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