San Diego, CA / Kitchen remodel
Kitchen remodel cost in San Diego, CA
Remodeled kitchen $75–$250/sf; average remodel $14,600–$41,300. A new-from-scratch kitchen around $65,000 ($35,000–$95,000) is a different scope and is not this typical. $35,000 typical is the midpoint of that remodel band, rounded. Labor is often quoted as about 25% of the project.
Labor for Kitchen remodel in San Diego, CA is indexed to the BLS construction-and-extraction occupations mean hourly wage for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA of $36.54 (May 2025), applied to the 25% labor share.
Development Services Department (DSD) is the issuing office. The typical permit fee recorded from DSD IB 103 Table 3A + IB 203 + IB 501 Table 501A, retrieved 2026-09-01, is $441. Fee model: flat.
The national typical for this job is $150. Materials stay at the national figure while labor is wage-indexed for San Diego, CA.
Room area. 150 to 250 sqft is a common mid-range kitchen.
Typical all-in
$31,671
Job cost plus the recorded local permit fee at this size.
- Low
- $15,615
- Typical
- $31,671
- High
- $58,560
Breakdown
| Labor (allocated) | $7,808 |
|---|---|
| Materials (allocated) | $23,422 |
| Job subtotal | $31,230 |
| Permit | $441 |
| All-in typical | $31,671 |
Labor is adjusted for construction wages in this metro. Materials stay at the national figure. This is an estimate, not a contractor quote.
Permit fee
- Fee model
- Flat fee
- Typical fee
- $441
- Range
- $0 – $6,510
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-01
- IB 103 Table 3A kitchen/bath remodel per dwelling unit — $441Includes no-plan plumbing/mechanical/electrical combo. Included as typical.
- Table 501A Res-SDU add/remodel first 500 sf (if framing) — $5,741PC $3,512.92 + insp $2,228.29. Included in high with GPMF and state fees.
Typical = $440.82. Low $0 = cabinets-only. High = $3,512.92+$2,228.29+$737+$12.16+$4.55+$1+$17.11=$6,510.43.
Cabinet/countertop relocation in Group R-3 is building-permit exempt. Typical no-plan combo uses only the labeled $440.82; unclear whether IB 501C $529.71 building inspection stacks. High assumes ≤500 sf with framing plus GPMF.
Citations
- Kitchen Installation Cost [2026 Data] Retrieved Aug 12, 2026. Remodel $75–$250/sf; average remodel $14,600–$41,300; new install ~$65,000 ($35k–$95k); labor ~25%.
- DSD IB 103 Table 3A + IB 203 + IB 501 Table 501A Retrieved Aug 31, 2026. Cabinet/countertop relocation in Group R-3 is building-permit exempt. Typical no-plan combo uses only the labeled $440.82; unclear whether IB 501C $529.71 building inspection stacks. High assumes ≤500 sf with framing plus GPMF.
- BLS OEWS construction wages — San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA BLS OEWS construction-and-extraction mean hourly wage / national same vintage, applied to laborShare only. Not a city-specific bid survey.