Table of Contents
- Typical 2026 NYC planning ranges are roughly $25,000 to $85,000+ for a kitchen and $30,000 to $60,000+ for a full bathroom.
- Moving plumbing, gas or walls, premium cabinetry and natural stone are the biggest price multipliers.
- Bathrooms typically take three to six weeks and kitchens six to twelve, longer when board approval or permits are needed.
- Budget separately for design, filings and building fees, which often add 15 to 25 percent on larger scopes.
- Keep a contingency of roughly 10 to 15 percent in older buildings for what is found behind walls.
Our earlier edition of this guide was written in 2023 and tried to describe the cost of kitchens and baths through borough-by-borough poetry. It was colorful, and it is now out of date. Material prices, labor rates and building rules have all moved, and homeowners deserve a plain answer. This 2026 edition keeps the borough perspective but replaces the metaphors with ranges, drivers and examples you can use to build a real budget.
All figures are typical 2026 planning ranges as of October 2026, not quotes. Building rules, access, hazmat findings, finishes and scope move prices, and a written, itemized quote after a site visit governs.
1. The 2026 Price Picture at a Glance
For planning, treat NYC kitchens and bathrooms as projects with wide but explainable ranges.
| Room | Typical planning range | What pushes it up |
|---|---|---|
| Full bathroom renovation | $30,000 to $60,000+ | Moving plumbing, curbless showers, natural stone, custom glass, freestanding tubs |
| Full kitchen renovation | $25,000 to $85,000+ | Custom cabinetry, layout changes, gas and ventilation work, premium appliances, stone counters |
| Tile installed (floors) | $20 to $45 per sq ft | Large format, patterns, uneven substrates |
| Bathroom wall or shower tile | $30 to $80 per sq ft | Mosaic, natural stone, niches, complex cuts |
| Backsplash tile | $30 to $90 per sq ft | Small formats, custom layouts |
| Waterproofing membrane | $3 to $10 per sq ft | Curbless showers, large wet areas |
These ranges include labor and standard materials. Design, engineering, expediting and permit fees often add roughly 15 to 25 percent when plans must be filed.
2. Square Footage and Why It Misleads
Size matters, but not in the way most people expect. A 70-square-foot bathroom and a 120-square-foot bathroom both have one toilet, one vanity and one tub or shower, so the fixed costs are similar. Small rooms often cost more per square foot than large ones because fixtures, waterproofing and labor setup do not scale down.
Kitchens work differently. Cabinet runs, counters and appliances scale with room size, so a larger kitchen usually costs more in a more linear way. A 100-to-200-square-foot Brooklyn brownstone kitchen can land anywhere from the low end of the range to well above it, depending on cabinet quality and layout. A kitchen above 200 square feet, particularly in a house with an island and a pantry, often pushes toward or beyond the upper range.
Compare apples to apples
When you collect bids, ask each contractor to price the same drawings and the same allowances. A quote that includes $4,000 of tile allowance and one that includes $9,000 are not the same quote.
3. Where the Money Goes in a Kitchen
Most kitchen budgets break down into five groups.
- Cabinetry and hardware. Stock, semi-custom and fully custom cabinets differ enormously in price. Cabinetry is usually the single largest line.
- Countertops and backsplash. Quartz, granite, marble and porcelain slab all price differently, and fabrication and installation in a walk-up can add logistics cost.
- Appliances. Ranges from standard to professional-grade; gas lines and ventilation drive extra work.
- Mechanical work. Plumbing, electrical, gas and venting, including panel upgrades and dedicated circuits.
- Construction and finishes. Demolition, framing, drywall, flooring, paint and lighting.
Our guide to the 11 kitchen design mistakes is a useful read before you finalize a layout, since layout errors are the most expensive to fix later.
4. Where the Money Goes in a Bathroom
Bathrooms concentrate cost in a small space.
- Demolition and carting. Tile removal runs roughly $4 to $12 per square foot and debris must be carried out through your building.
- Plumbing. Replacing supply lines, drains and shut-offs, plus moving fixtures.
- Waterproofing and tile. The membrane and the tile setting are the work that prevents leaks to the unit below.
- Fixtures. Vanities, toilets, faucets, showers and tubs.
- Ventilation and electrical. Exhaust fans, GFCI outlets and lighting.
- Glass and finishing. Shower enclosures, mirrors and paint.
Waterproofing is where cheap bids cut corners. A failed membrane can leak into a neighbor's ceiling and generate a claim far larger than the savings. Our bathroom remodeling page outlines how we sequence these steps.
5. Luxury Layers: When Upgrades Double the Budget
It is easy to move a bathroom from the lower to the upper end of the range with a handful of choices.
- Natural stone on floors and walls, with sealing and special installation.
- Curbless showers that require recessed floors and careful waterproofing.
- Radiant floor heating under tile.
- Custom glass and millwork.
- Freestanding tubs that need reinforced floors or plumbing relocations.
- Smart fixtures and integrated lighting.
In kitchens, the same dynamic applies: professional ranges, integrated panel appliances, large-format porcelain slab counters and custom cabinetry with specialty storage. None of these is wrong. The point is to choose consciously, and to decide which ones will give you daily value rather than only a showroom impression. You can compare options in our overview of latest kitchen and bathroom trends and learn about greener choices in our guide to sustainable renovation in the Big Apple.
6. Permits, Filings and Building Approvals
Permits are a cost and a timeline issue, and they depend on scope.
In New York City, most construction work requires a Department of Buildings permit, and alteration filings go through DOB NOW: Build with a New York State registered architect or licensed professional engineer as Applicant of Record. Swapping a faucet, repainting cabinets or replacing a vanity in the same location is usually cosmetic. Moving plumbing, adding or relocating gas lines, changing electrical systems or altering walls typically requires a filing. The DOB's guide to obtaining a permit explains the process.
Co-ops and condos add a second layer. You usually need board approval and an alteration agreement before work starts, and industry reports state that DOB reinstated, effective January 26, 2026, a board attestation inside DOB NOW: Build confirming approved alterations. Confirm with the DOB and your managing agent. Landmarked buildings and historic districts also need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval for exterior changes and some interior work.
Two rule changes to keep in mind: Local Law 33 of 2026 enacts a new Existing Building Code that DOB says takes effect July 17, 2027, and until then current rules apply. Local Law 102 of 2025 requires residential gas detectors near gas-fed appliances from January 1, 2027, which matters if your kitchen has a gas range. Our permit guide helps you figure out whether your project needs a filing.
7. Hidden Costs That Surprise Homeowners
The ranges above assume a normal building. These items turn up often enough that you should plan for them.
- Asbestos and lead testing. Older buildings commonly need a survey before demolition, and lead-safe practices apply in pre-1978 homes.
- Debris carting and building fees. Elevator reservations, deposits and insurance certificates.
- Subfloor repair. Rot or unevenness under old tile, with leveling at roughly $2 to $8 per square foot.
- Old risers and shut-offs. Replacing corroded valves and supply lines.
- Electrical capacity. Panels that cannot handle a modern kitchen.
- Pipe protection. In winter, exposed pipes in exterior walls can freeze, which is why our guide to conquering frozen pipes is worth keeping in mind during demolition seasons.
- Living costs. Takeout, storage and temporary housing during construction.
A contingency of roughly 10 to 15 percent of construction cost, held separately from allowances, is a sensible cushion for older buildings.
8. Brooklyn Neighborhoods and ZIP Codes We Serve
Prices and constraints differ even within a borough. Here are six Brooklyn areas we serve and what tends to shape kitchen and bath budgets there.
- Bushwick (ZIPs 11206, 11221, 11237): brick row houses, converted lofts and two-to-four-family buildings. Multifamily layouts often allow plumbing stacking across floors, which can lower cost.
- Midwood (ZIP 11230): detached and semi-detached homes and pre-war co-ops, where larger kitchens and full basements expand scope.
- Sunset Park (ZIPs 11220, 11232): brick row houses and multifamily buildings near the industrial waterfront, with older plumbing and shared walls.
- Prospect Heights (ZIP 11238): brownstones in an LPC district and pre-war co-ops, where interior work is common but exterior changes need approval.
- Cobble Hill (ZIPs 11201, 11231): brownstones in the LPC Cobble Hill Historic District, with original plaster and narrow stairs that affect material delivery.
- Marine Park (ZIP 11234): detached homes on large lots with basements, which opens options for second kitchens and baths.
To see how we approach a nearby neighborhood in more detail, read about Sunset Park co-op and condo gut renovations or visit our Brooklyn renovation services page.
Beyond Brooklyn
The same drivers apply elsewhere, with local twists. Coastal Staten Island, southern Queens and south-shore Long Island sit in many FEMA flood zones, where elevation and flood-resistant materials rules may apply. Verify specifics with the DOB or your municipality. Long Island towns and villages issue their own permits, and New Jersey permits come from the local municipal construction office.
9. How Long a Remodel Takes
Timeline affects cost because it affects how long you live disrupted and how long crews are on site.
| Project | Typical duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom | 3 to 6 weeks | Includes waterproofing cure and tile |
| Kitchen | 6 to 12 weeks | Cabinets may have long lead times |
| Both rooms | Often overlapping | Shared demolition and permits |
| Full apartment gut | 4 to 9 months | Includes approvals |
Approvals and board review happen before demolition, and long-lead items such as custom cabinets, stone slabs and glass should be ordered early. Our renovation timeline planner helps you map the sequence, and the complete guide to gut renovation in NYC shows how kitchens and baths fit in a whole-home project.
10. Why Choose a Design-Build Team for Kitchens and Baths
Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms where cost control and craftsmanship matter most, because the trades are tightly packed: plumber, electrician, tile setter, cabinet installer, countertop fabricator and painter, all in a small space with a fixed schedule. N.Y. Renovation Services runs design and build in-house, from blueprints to the final coat of paint, so those trades work to one plan and one schedule.
We are fully licensed and insured, and you can review what the city expects from remodelers in the DCWP's home improvement contractor license checklist. We also handle permitting and co-op or condo board paperwork so filings and alteration agreements are sequenced with your construction schedule instead of tacked on at the end. Our proposals are itemized with named allowances, detailed contracts and no hidden fees. If scope changes, the revised price is written before work proceeds. We also donate 5 percent of total project cost to a nonprofit of the client's choice.
What does that mean for your budget? A few specifics. Waterproofing and tile are our core trades, so membranes, slopes and cure times are handled by people who do them daily. Our crews coordinate elevator reservations, protect hallways and keep debris moving within your building's rules. And because one company owns the schedule, we can tell you honestly when a design choice, such as a curbless shower or an imported stone, will cost more than it appears to.
Quality shows in leaks you do not have. A poorly installed shower pan can damage the ceiling below and cost far more than the savings from a cheap bid. The same goes for kitchen electrical work done without proper circuits. If you are comparing proposals, request an itemized estimate and ask each bidder to list tile, waterproofing and allowances separately, so you can see where bids really differ.
11. Building a Budget That Holds Up
A workable kitchen or bath budget has five parts.
- Construction: demolition, rough trades, tile, cabinets, fixtures and finishes.
- Allowances: placeholders for tile, fixtures, appliances and lighting that you will select.
- Soft costs: design, engineering, filing and expediting, and board fees.
- Contingency: roughly 10 to 15 percent for older buildings.
- Living costs: temporary kitchen, storage or alternative housing.
Where to save
Keep plumbing locations; choose standard porcelain over natural stone; refinish existing floors at roughly $4 to $10 per square foot instead of replacing them; paint cabinet boxes instead of replacing them, which commonly runs $3,500 to $9,000 for a kitchen; and choose semi-custom cabinets with a few custom touches.
Where not to save
Waterproofing, electrical capacity, ventilation, permits and insurance. These protect the building and your investment.
12. Next Steps: Get Your Free Kitchen or Bath Estimate
A guide can give you ranges. Only a site visit gives you a number. To get yours, request a free estimate with your address, building type, which rooms you want to remodel and a rough sense of finishes. We will schedule a walk-through, measure, review plumbing and building rules, and return an itemized proposal that separates construction, allowances, permits and schedule.
N.Y. Renovation Services serves Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island and nearby New Jersey, Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can also call or text (347) 455-1741. If you are considering both a kitchen and a bath, ask us to price them separately and together, so you can see the savings from combining mobilization and permits and decide whether phasing suits your life and budget.
Expect the visit to be practical. We open cabinet doors and vanities, look at shut-offs and risers, check the electrical panel, ask about your cooking and bathing habits, and review the alteration agreement or house rules so the schedule respects them. Afterward you receive a written proposal rather than a verbal ballpark, with each allowance named so you can see what is included. If your budget does not stretch to everything on your wish list, we will suggest a sequence, for instance doing the bathroom this year and the kitchen next, or keeping the layout and upgrading surfaces first. Honest scoping is part of what we offer, and it costs nothing to ask. Our in-house team can also take on flooring, painting and tile in adjoining rooms so the whole space looks finished, not just the room you started with.
Safety Note: All work follows OSHA 30 safety and EPA Lead-Safe practices for pre-1978 homes. Check local permit requirements before starting.
James - Lead Renovation Editor. With over 20 years in renovation and construction, James writes and edits our guides. More about James