How Much Does Full Kitchen Remodeling Cost in Fort Lauderdale, and How Long Does It Take?
Full kitchen remodeling in Fort Lauderdale typically runs $14,000-$45,000 and takes 6 to 12 weeks from permit approval to final inspection, depending on whether you’re keeping your existing layout or moving walls, plumbing, and electrical. Most of the homes we work on in neighborhoods like Fort Lauderdale‘s Victoria Park and Poinsettia Heights were built in the 1950s-1970s with concrete block construction, original electrical panels, and layouts that no longer function for how families cook today. Call (844) 665-0162 for a free on-site estimate and timeline based on your specific home.
Last spring we were demoing a kitchen on a street off East Oakland Park Boulevard when the homeowner pulled us aside. Her 1962 CBS house had already swallowed two “renovation” budgets from previous owners who’d layered new laminate over old, swapped cabinet faces without fixing the rotting soffit above the sink, and never touched the original 100-amp panel that buzzed every time the microwave and toaster ran together. She wasn’t looking for another Band-Aid. She wanted the walls opened, the plumbing relocated from an exterior wall to an island, and a kitchen that wouldn’t need another contractor for twenty years. That’s the difference between a partial refresh and Kitchen Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale done as a full gut-and-build.
How We Approach Full Kitchen Remodeling - Start to Finish
We break every full kitchen remodel into five distinct phases. Each has a hard decision point where the homeowner needs to sign off before we move forward.
Phase 1: Demo and discovery (Days 1-4)
We strip to studs, remove flooring down to the slab, and expose every pipe, wire, and structural member. In Fort Lauderdale’s older CBS homes, this is where we find the surprises: corroded cast-iron drain lines, ungrounded outlets, termite damage in the sill plate, or previous owners’ DIY electrical that never met code. We document everything with photos and a written report. You’ll decide within 48 hours whether to address discovered issues now or defer them.
Phase 2: Rough mechanicals and structural work (Weeks 2-4)
Licensed plumbers and electricians relocate or replace systems. If you’re moving the sink to an island or adding a gas line for a pro range, this is when it happens. Any wall removal requires a structural engineer’s letter for permit compliance, which we coordinate. In Broward County’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone, any window replacement during the remodel must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance - we source these from our Andersen, Pella, and CGI product lines. You approve all fixture and appliance specs before we order; lead times on custom cabinetry currently run 8-12 weeks.
Phase 3: Drywall, flooring, and paint (Weeks 5-6)
We close walls, install moisture-resistant drywall (standard for our Kitchen Remodeling work in this climate), lay flooring, and apply primer. You select final paint colors and backsplash tile now; we schedule tile setters based on your choice’s availability.
Phase 4: Cabinetry, countertops, and fixtures (Weeks 7-10)
Cabinets go in first, followed by templating and installation of your countertop material. We work with KraftMaid and Wellborn for mid-to-premium cabinetry, and Cambria, Silestone, or Caesarstone for engineered quartz surfaces. Appliance hookups happen here. You’ll do a walkthrough with our project manager to flag any adjustments before we seal surfaces.
Phase 5: Final inspection and punch list (Weeks 11-12)
Fort Lauderdale Building Services inspects electrical, plumbing, and structural modifications. We coordinate scheduling and attend on your behalf. The punch list addresses paint touch-ups, hardware alignment, and any functional issues. Final payment is due upon certificate of completion.
The Material and Layout Choices That Drive Your Full Kitchen Remodeling Results
Every full kitchen remodel in Fort Lauderdale forces a series of trade-offs between durability, cost, and daily function. Here’s where homeowners typically land:
- Cabinet construction: Stock particleboard boxes with thermofoil doors run lowest cost but swell at seams in our humidity within 5-7 years. Plywood boxes with solid wood doors and soft-close hardware from KraftMaid or Wellborn cost 40-60% more but survive decades. We spec plywood for any kitchen within a mile of the Intracoastal, where salt air accelerates material fatigue.
- Countertop material: Laminate at $40-$80 per square foot installed scratches and burns easily; it’s rare we recommend it for full remodels. Engineered quartz ($75-$150/sq ft) resists staining and needs no sealing, but direct heat will crack it. Natural stone like granite varies more in pattern and requires annual sealing. We template every slab in-person to avoid seam placement in high-prep areas.
- Island vs. peninsula: Islands need 36 inches of clearance on all sides to meet code; in the narrower galley kitchens common in Plantation Park bungalows, a peninsula often works better. Moving plumbing to an island adds $2,500-$5,000 but transforms how the kitchen functions for entertaining.
- Flooring: Luxury vinyl plank handles moisture and installs fastest. Porcelain tile lasts longer but feels harder underfoot and raises floor height, which can affect appliance fit. We measure every opening before you decide.
- Lighting layers: Code requires task lighting at counters; we add under-cabinet LED strips, pendant placement over islands, and dimmable recessed cans. The decision point is whether to run smart switches now or standard - rewiring later means cutting finished drywall.
What Full Kitchen Remodeling Costs in Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Full kitchen remodel (total project) | $14,000-$45,000 |
| Cabinetry and hardware | $4,000-$13,000 |
| Countertop installation | $2,000-$6,500 |
| Backsplash installation | $800-$2,500 |
| Kitchen island installation | $3,000-$10,000 |
| Appliances (not always included) | $3,500-$15,000 |
| Permits and inspections (Fort Lauderdale) | $800-$2,200 |
Five variables push your project to the low or high end of that $14,000-$45,000 range:
1. Existing condition of the home: A 1960s CBS kitchen with original wiring, corroded plumbing, and a failing soffit needs far more than cosmetic work. We’ve opened walls in Las Olas-area condos and found aluminum wiring that requires full replacement - a $4,000-$8,000 add.
2. Layout changes: Keeping the sink, range, and refrigerator in their existing locations saves roughly $3,000-$7,000 in plumbing and electrical relocation. Moving gas lines or adding an island with a prep sink is where costs climb.
3. Material grade: A full KraftMaid cabinet package with soft-close drawers and a Cambria quartz counter runs roughly double a stock box with laminate top. We quote three tiers so you see the exact trade-off.
4. Permit scope: Fort Lauderdale requires permits for any electrical, plumbing, or structural modification. If your home is in a historic district or on the water, additional layers - HOA architectural review, seawall setbacks, or Corps of Engineers approval - add time and professional fees.
5. Flooring and adjacent repairs: Matching new kitchen flooring to existing living areas, or discovering subfloor damage during demo, can add $2,000-$5,000.
Our written estimates itemize labor, materials, permits, and a 10% contingency line for discovered conditions. Appliances, decorative lighting, and window treatments are typically homeowner-supplied or quoted separately.
What Fort Lauderdale Homes Specifically Do to This Job
The housing stock in Fort Lauderdale shapes nearly every full kitchen remodel we bid. In Victoria Park, Poinsettia Heights, and Plantation Park, we’re working inside 1950s-1970s concrete block structures with flat or low-slope roofs, original jalousie windows, and electrical panels that predate modern appliance loads. These kitchens were built for one cook with minimal counter space, not for open-plan living with double ovens and beverage centers.
The climate adds constraints you won’t find in Orlando or Tampa. Our near-sea-level elevation means groundwater sits 12-18 inches below grade; any below-grade work during a remodel, including footer repairs for an addition or pool-adjacent kitchen expansion, requires active dewatering. Salt air within a mile of the Intracoastal corrodes standard hardware faster than inland locations, so we spec marine-grade finishes on exterior-facing elements.
Then there’s the regulatory environment. Broward County’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone designation means any window replacement during your kitchen remodel must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance. Out-of-market contractors often miss this, order standard product, and face inspection failures that delay completion by weeks. We source HVHZ-compliant windows from our Andersen, PGT, and CGI lines as standard practice.
For homes along the finger islands off Las Olas Boulevard or in The Landings, canal-setback rules can restrict any exterior wall modification. We’ve seen homeowners assume they could bump a kitchen wall outward for more space, only to learn the seawall line limits them to the existing footprint. We verify setback compliance before you commit to a design.
Many homeowners tackling full kitchen remodeling in Fort Lauderdale simultaneously address their bathrooms. If you’re considering a coordinated renovation, we also handle Full Bathroom Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale and Walk-In Showers & Shower Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale as part of the same project schedule, with one point of accountability.
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Fort Lauderdale area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked - Full Kitchen Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale
Most full kitchen remodeling projects in Fort Lauderdale take 6 to 12 weeks from permit approval to final inspection, with 8-10 weeks being typical for a layout-keeping remodel and 10-14 weeks if you’re moving walls, plumbing, or electrical. Permit processing through Fort Lauderdale Building Services currently runs 2-4 weeks for standard residential kitchen projects, longer if your property requires HOA or historic board review. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll check current permit timelines for your specific address.
Yes, Fort Lauderdale requires permits for any electrical, plumbing, or structural work, which full kitchen remodeling almost always involves. You’ll also need permits for window replacement if you’re changing sizes or locations. We handle permit drawings, submission, and inspection scheduling as part of our project management. The permit cost typically runs $800-$2,200 depending on scope.
Yes, and keeping your existing “wet wall” (where sink, dishwasher, and water lines live) and appliance locations is the single biggest way to control costs on a full kitchen remodel. You’ll still get new cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, and finishes, but you’ll save roughly $3,000-$7,000 in mechanical relocation. We always model both options so you can see the functional trade-off before deciding.
Full kitchen remodeling means gutting the space to studs, replacing or relocating all mechanical systems, and installing entirely new finishes - essentially building a new kitchen in the existing footprint. A “renovation” often implies surface-level changes: cabinet refacing, new counters over old cabinets, or paint. For Fort Lauderdale’s 1960s-era housing stock, we find full remodeling is usually the better investment because the underlying structure and systems need attention too.
Our workmanship warranty covers installation quality for one year, and the materials we install carry their own manufacturer warranties - typically limited lifetime on KraftMaid cabinetry, 10 years on Cambria quartz, and varying terms on appliances you supply. We provide all warranty documentation at project closeout and handle any manufacturer claims that arise from installation issues. For exact terms on your specific material selections, we’ll review them during your estimate walkthrough.
Get Your Free On-Site Estimate for Full Kitchen Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale
We’ll walk your kitchen, check your existing electrical and plumbing, and deliver an itemized estimate within 48 hours. No pressure, no deposit required to review the scope. Call (844) 665-0162 or request a callback through our site. Raymond Estevez and our Kitchen Remodeling crew cover all of Fort Lauderdale, from Las Olas to Plantation Park, and we’ll coordinate permits, inspections, and every trade so you deal with one contractor from demo to done.
Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Fort Lauderdale since our founding.