Full Kitchen Remodel

Rebuilding the Kitchen, Once the Approvals Are In

A full remodel means the kitchen comes down to the studs and slab and goes back together with a new layout, new cabinets, new counters and new systems behind the walls. It is the biggest single room project most Scottsdale homeowners take on, and the schedule is only as reliable as the approvals behind it. By the time we start this phase, the design review letter and the city permit are both in hand.

Deciding What Actually Needs to Change

Before we price a full remodel, we check whether you need one. A few questions settle most of it.

Do the cabinet boxes deserve to stay? Plywood boxes that are square, dry and solidly fastened can be refaced with new doors, drawer fronts and hardware for far less money. Particleboard boxes that have swelled under the sink, sagged under a heavy countertop or pulled away from the wall are not worth saving.

Does the layout work? The work triangle between sink, range and refrigerator should be easy to move through, and the aisles between counters are most comfortable at 42 to 48 inches. Many south Scottsdale and McCormick Ranch ranch homes from the 1970s have narrow galleys or a wall that closes the kitchen off from the family room. Those are the kitchens where moving things is worth the cost.

Does the sink need to move? On a slab foundation, moving a sink means cutting concrete to reroute the drain. If the sink already sits under a window and works, leaving it there is often the best money you will save on the project.

The Order of the Work

Every full remodel follows roughly the same sequence, and doing it out of order is how kitchens end up with cabinets pulled back out:

1. Protection and demolition. Floors covered, the work area sealed with plastic and zipper doors, the old kitchen removed and hauled away.
2. Structural work. If a wall is coming out, the engineered beam goes in now.
3. Rough plumbing, gas and electrical. New supply and drain lines, gas for a range, dedicated circuits for the dishwasher, disposal, microwave and refrigerator, and panel capacity checked if you are switching to induction.
4. Ventilation rough in. The hood duct routed by the shortest practical path to the approved exterior termination.
5. Rough inspection. The city inspects before anything is closed.
6. Insulation, drywall and paint.
7. Cabinet installation. Boxes set level and plumb, because a countertop cannot correct a cabinet run that is out.
8. Countertop template and install. Templated after cabinets are fixed, then cut and set, usually one to two weeks later.
9. Backsplash, fixtures and appliances.
10. Final inspection and punch list.

Choices That Matter More in Scottsdale

Countertops. Quartz is low maintenance and needs no sealing. Granite and quartzite handle heat well but want periodic sealing. Porcelain slab is thin, stain resistant and tolerant of heat. With very hard water, dark polished surfaces show mineral spots quickly, and lighter or honed finishes hide them better.

Cabinet construction. Framed cabinets are sturdy and forgiving on uneven walls. Frameless cabinets give more usable interior space. Inset doors look crisp but need precise installation. Full extension, soft close drawers are worth paying for in lower cabinets.

Ventilation. Ducted outside is the goal. Large gas ranges call for more capacity, and once a hood exceeds the code threshold for make-up air, the plan needs a way to bring replacement air into the house. We confirm the current requirement with the city during plan review.

Lighting and power. Under cabinet lighting, outlets spaced along the counters, and GFCI and AFCI protection where the code requires it.

Living Through It

Most families stay home during a remodel. We help set up a temporary kitchen in another room, keep the dust barrier up, and work within your association’s allowed construction hours. In summer, when afternoons pass 110 degrees, we front load noisy exterior work into the morning. During monsoon season the dumpster stays covered.

Cost and Timeline

A same layout remodel in a single family Scottsdale home commonly lands between $40,000 and $75,000. Moving walls, plumbing or gas usually puts a project between $85,000 and $170,000, and large custom kitchens in DC Ranch or Desert Mountain can run higher. Cabinet lead times of several weeks are common, so the construction phase is typically eight to fourteen weeks once work starts. Call (480) 670-4726 to arrange a visit.