Method
How We Price Remodel Costs
This page explains how we price remodel costs: which sources we use, how we turn them into the low, midpoint and high figures you see, and what we will not do with them.
Where the Numbers Come From
We use published cost guides and studies that name their figures and show a date. Each cost page lists its own sources at the bottom. The calculator’s published reference ranges come from:
- Fixr, Kitchen Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27)
- HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Kitchen? (Updated 2026-06-17)
- This Old House, Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026) (2026-07-02)
How Our Calculator Works
No published source prices kitchens or bathrooms by size and finish level together, so we built our own model (version v1) from the figures they do publish:
Estimate = base cost x finish factor x size factor.
- Base cost is the average of the national all-project figures each source names for the room.
- Finish factor is each source’s basic, mid-range or high-end figure divided by that source’s all-project figure, averaged across sources.
- Size factor is each source’s small, medium or large figure divided by its all-project figure, averaged across sources.
- Low and high apply the average spread of the sources’ own finish ranges. Figures are rounded to the nearest $100.
| Room | Base cost | Finish factors | Size factors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchens | $26,994 | basic 0.60; mid-range 1.57; high-end 3.57 | small 0.60; medium 0.90; large 1.20 |
| Bathrooms | $13,246 | basic 0.57; mid-range 1.19; high-end 1.83 | small 0.83; medium 1.03; large 1.63 |
We use only ratios from these sources, never a copy of their tables: Fixr, Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27); Fixr, Kitchen Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27); HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-06-17); HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Kitchen? (Updated 2026-06-17); This Old House, Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026) (2026-07-02).
How well it matches independent figures
We checked the model against published figures it does not use. Every check landed within 15%:
| Published figure | Published | Our model | Difference | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small kitchen, budget remodel | $10,000 | $9,800 | -2% | Consumer Reports, Budget Kitchen Remodel for $5K to $15K (2016-08 (August 2016 issue)) |
| Mid-range kitchen makeover | $40,000 | $38,400 | -4% | Consumer Reports, A Mid-Range Kitchen Makeover for $25K to $50K (2016-08 (August 2016 issue)) |
| High-end kitchen | $100,000 | $86,900 | -13% | Consumer Reports, A High-End Kitchen Transformation for $75K to $125K (2016-06-30) |
| Major kitchen remodel under 200 sq ft (median) | $35,000 | $38,400 | +10% | Houzz Inc., 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends (covers renovations done in 2025) (2026 (survey fielded January to March 2026; report covered by the Composite Panel Association on 2026-05-14)) |
| Major kitchen remodel 200 sq ft or more (median) | $55,000 | $51,200 | -7% | Houzz Inc., 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends (covers renovations done in 2025) (2026 (survey fielded January to March 2026; report covered by the Composite Panel Association on 2026-05-14)) |
| Small bathroom, cosmetic refresh | $5,500 | $6,300 | +15% | This Old House, Small Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026-06-08) |
| Small bathroom, mid-range update | $13,000 | $13,100 | +1% | This Old House, Small Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026-06-08) |
| Major primary bath under 100 sq ft (median) | $18,000 | $16,300 | -9% | Houzz Inc., 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends (covers renovations done in 2025) (2026 (survey fielded January to March 2026; report covered by the Composite Panel Association on 2026-05-14)) |
The calculator also shows the published ranges by finish level and by size under the estimate, so you can see what it is built from.
Why There Are No Regional Figures
We did not find a source that publishes kitchen and bath costs by Census region. The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report covers regions and cities, but its terms do not allow its data in a calculator or database without a licence, so the calculator uses national figures only. Our city pages quote Cost vs. Value in prose for three projects, with the attribution its terms require.
When Sources Disagree
We show both numbers instead of picking the one we like:
- Walk-in showers: HomeAdvisor’s shower page says $1,200 to $8,000, while its bathroom page cites an average of $14,300 for a new installation (HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), How Much Does Shower Installation Cost? (Updated 2026-06-17); HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-06-17)).
- Bathroom labor share: about 20% in the NKBA breakdown, 40 to 65% at HomeAdvisor and about 50% at Fixr (Consumer Reports, Bathroom remodeling guide: trends and costs (2012-03); HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-06-17); Fixr, Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27)).
- Bathroom cost recovered at resale: 50% (NAR) and 70% (HomeAdvisor) (National Association of REALTORS (with NARI cost survey), 2025 Remodeling Impact Report (April 2025 (released 2025-04-09)); HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-06-17)).
Budget Shares in the Planner
The budget planner splits your range by category using one complete breakdown per room, so the shares add up to 100: bathrooms from the NKBA figures published by Consumer Reports, Bathroom remodeling guide: trends and costs (2012-03), kitchens from Welling Kitchens (reposting remodelingcosts.org, November 2018), Kitchen Remodel Cost Breakdown, Recommended Budgets and More (2019-06 (original article 2018-11)). Both are older than our cost figures, so use them as a planning guide, not a rule.
What We Will Not Do
- Publish a single average without a range.
- Fill a gap with our own estimate. If no source covers it, the page says so.
- Let an advertiser or listing change a number.
More About How We Work
Browse every remodel cost guide, read our editorial standards, or learn who we are and how the site makes money.
Updates and Corrections
Every source was last checked on October 19, 2026. When a publisher updates a figure, we update the page and its date. Found a figure that is out of date? Use our report a correction form.
Sources
- Consumer Reports, Bathroom remodeling guide: trends and costs (2012-03)
- Consumer Reports, Budget Kitchen Remodel for $5K to $15K (2016-08 (August 2016 issue))
- Consumer Reports, A High-End Kitchen Transformation for $75K to $125K (2016-06-30)
- Consumer Reports, A Mid-Range Kitchen Makeover for $25K to $50K (2016-08 (August 2016 issue))
- Fixr, Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27)
- Fixr, Kitchen Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-01-27)
- HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), Bathroom Remodel Cost (Updated 2026-06-17)
- HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Kitchen? (Updated 2026-06-17)
- HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.), How Much Does Shower Installation Cost? (Updated 2026-06-17)
- Houzz Inc., 2026 U.S. Houzz & Home Study: Renovation Trends (covers renovations done in 2025) (2026 (survey fielded January to March 2026; report covered by the Composite Panel Association on 2026-05-14))
- National Association of REALTORS (with NARI cost survey), 2025 Remodeling Impact Report (April 2025 (released 2025-04-09))
- This Old House, Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026) (2026-07-02)
- This Old House, Small Bathroom Remodel Cost (2026-06-08)
- Welling Kitchens (reposting remodelingcosts.org, November 2018), Kitchen Remodel Cost Breakdown, Recommended Budgets and More (2019-06 (original article 2018-11))