Although kitchens have been essential parts of our homes for centuries, their design has continued evolving into modern times. And now the modular kitchen represents one of the latest developments on that front.
However, many homeowners don’t have a clear understanding of what a modular kitchen is and how it compares to other kitchen designs.
The pricing is a particular point of interest here as it can be a deciding factor. In that regard, modular kitchens have a vast cost range – from $2,500 up to $50,000 or more, depending on numerous factors.
In a sense, variety is the main selling point of modular kitchens, however, it can overwhelm homeowners with options and accounts for the widely different prices.
Still, it’s worth noting that you can equip a medium modular kitchen for a minimum of $5,000, which can be a bargain considering the benefits.
What Is a Modular Kitchen?
The essence of a modular kitchen is in the very name: It’s a kitchen design that consists of modules.
Expanding on that notion, a modular kitchen will include the shelves, compartments, cabinets, drawers, and countertops that you choose as a group or individually and can freely arrange in the most convenient layout.
Due to the modular concept, this kitchen design offers plenty of flexibility, allowing homeowners to choose whichever layout and theme suits them best.
Better yet, a modular kitchen is completely customizable, which means you may pick various finishes for the elements.
All these possibilities can make a modular kitchen stand head and shoulders above other design variants if you’re looking for tailored solutions.
With the concept of modular kitchens explained, let’s see how much this design choice might cost.
How Much Should a Modular Kitchen Cost?
Whenever customizable solutions are considered, gaining a clear idea of the optimal costs becomes difficult.
In fact, the more tailoring can be done, the harder it gets to estimate the expenses. Plus, the price of installing a kitchen will depend on the size, choice of materials, the number of elements, and other design factors.
With all that in mind, it’s worth following some general guidelines regarding the realistic costs of modular kitchens.
| Kitchen Size | Basic | Standard | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | $2,500 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Medium | $5,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Large | $15,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
For starters, a modular design for a small kitchen will cost about $2,500 at the minimum. If you find a modular kitchen solution for significantly less than that, chances are quality will suffer.
The medium-price options are much harder to estimate since the price range increases with additional features.
However, it’s safe to say that a medium modular kitchen with stock elements shouldn’t cost much more than $15,000. If you opt for extra accessories and high-end custom elements, the cost could reach about $30,000.
Finally, large kitchens will, naturally, be the costliest. At the lower end of this category, the price could be in the neighborhood of $15,000, while maximum costs with all the bells and whistles may surpass $100,000.
Average Modular Kitchen Cost Per Square Foot
Although average costs don’t always match what customers end up paying, these figures can serve as good orientation points when planning a budget for kitchen renovation.
However, it’s important to note that the cost per square foot can naturally change as the size of the kitchen increases, for obvious reasons.
In general, the larger your kitchen is, the more elements it will contain. The number of elements added ramps up the cost per square, so a 100-square-foot kitchen will turn out to be more cost-efficient than one measuring 200 square feet.
For instance, the average total price for a modular kitchen of 100 square feet may be around $5,000 or less. This means the cost of one square foot would be $50.
However, a 200-square-foot kitchen will cost about $15,000, making the price per square foot $75. Naturally, these averages get more skewed when factors like the choice of materials, finishes, and kitchen layouts are considered.
Did you know? Average prices can vary locally to a considerable extent. Costs of labor and materials differ between states, sometimes even doubling. To that end, investigating your local market is the best starting point.
Modular Kitchen Cost by Material
There’s no shortage of materials for kitchen elements. From standard variants like wood or laminate to quartz, granite, and marble. Let’s look at how much these materials cost on average per square foot:
Laminate: $21
Ceramic: $8
Marble: $100
Travertine: $23
Quartz: $42
Paper composite: $57
Wood: 24
Concrete: $75
Porcelain: $16
Granite: $77
Limestone: $40
Slate: $40
Glass: $72
Stainless steel: $80
Acrylic: $22
Modular Kitchen Cost by Finish
The type of finish can have a massive impact on the price of your modular kitchen. The reasons behind these price differences are related to aesthetics, functionality, and durability.
Some finishes will extend your kitchen element’s lifetime or make them easier to clean but come at a higher price while others may be cheaper and fail to perform as well.
High-Gloss and Matte Laminate Finishes
Laminate finishes can provide decent protection against water damage, which is crucial in every kitchen. Plus, the high-gloss variants will look stylish and sophisticated. You can get this finish type at $4 to $4.50 per square foot.
High-Gloss and Matte Acrylic Finishes
Acrylic finishes offer great resilience and durability, helping your kitchen elements stay healthy for longer.
They’ll also give the kitchen a high-end look. Best of all, a high-gloss acrylic kitchen finish can cost as low as $2 per square foot.
High-Gloss PVC Laminate Finish
When it comes to resilience and durability, PVC represents a great, inexpensive option. With high-gloss PVC finishes, you’ll get great aesthetics in addition to top-tier functionality. Prices for this type of finish start at $1.50.
Pre-Lam MDF Finish
Pre-laminated MDF finishes are first and foremost affordable, starting at only $0.60 per square foot. This type of finish also provides decent protection and an appealing aesthetic impression.
Lacquered Glass Finish
Lacquered glass has a steep price but offers a fresh and stylish look. This finish type can cost about $30 per square foot, which might be a bit pricey for some homeowners.
Membrane Finish
Membrane finishes are an excellent choice if you wish to seal your kitchen elements to protect them from water. This highly efficient finish type can cost about $5.50 per square foot.
Modular Kitchen Cost by Layout
Since the layout of your kitchen affects which elements it will contain, this factor will also impact the total cost of the project. Here are some estimates of how much you’d pay for different kitchen layouts.
L-Shape
An L-shaped kitchen is ideal for space optimization. This kitchen type is most fitting for medium-sized spaces and may cost about $15,000 to $50,000.
U-Shape
U-shape layouts are ideal for medium-sized kitchens that require ample work surfaces and storage space. Building a kitchen in this shape may cost you anywhere from $25,000 to $65,000.
Kitchen Island
Kitchen islands aren’t complete solutions for a kitchen but rather an addition to an existing layout. Depending on the type and shape of the island, you might need to set aside between $500 and $9,000.
Did you know? Kitchen islands may seem like the standard today, but they were considered a novelty as recently as the mid-20th century.
Straight Kitchen Layout
A straight layout is one of the most common and may be considered the standard among some homeowners. This layout can cost from $5,000 up to $50,000, depending on how you equip the kitchen.
Parallel Kitchen Layout
Parallel or galley kitchens save space and focus on seamless functionality. These kitchens usually cost between $9,000 and $25,000.
Additional Cost Factors to Install a Modular Kitchen
Modular kitchens are subject to several factors that can incur additional costs. While the materials and layout type are among the most important, the size, design, branding, and extra features in your kitchen will play a significant role when determining the actual final cost.
Let’s look at these factors in more detail.
Size of the Kitchen
We’ve already determined that the cost of kitchen renovation very much depends on the kitchen’s size.
Most individual elements are priced per square foot, so the total surface area of the kitchen always plays a pivotal role here. Some of the key features that rely on kitchen size include flooring and cabinetry.
Design Complexity
Building a straightforward kitchen design is one thing, but choosing more intricate patterns will obviously make the entire project more complex.
If you opt for an unusual design, it will require more work and additional planning. Plus, certain elements might need to be adjusted or custom-made to fit the overall shape of the kitchen.
Unsurprisingly, this level of customization will come with extra costs compared to stock kitchen solutions.
Brand
Brand names impact the cost of all products, including kitchen elements. Why? Going with a renowned brand usually brings some assurance of quality, since the manufacturer has a national reputation to uphold.
In other words, you’re not installing hastily made products when equipping your kitchen.
But the trust generated by particular brands comes with a price and may affect the total cost of rebuilding a kitchen significantly.
Extra Features
There are numerous extra features that you can add to the kitchen. Some are considered by many homeowners as essential, while others are optional quality-of-life improvements. Regardless, introducing such features into your design will come at an additional expense.
For instance, you might want to expand your regular sink area and add a second sink, a double-bowl variant, or a prep sink. Lighting is another aspect that always seems to require improvements.
Installing under cabinet lights, light tubes, or skylights can brighten up your kitchen, making it much more pleasant and convenient.
Meanwhile, warming drawers, ice makers, steam ovens, and water dispensers are some of the additional appliances that can bring your kitchen to another level.
Besides these, you can add various other features to improve functionality or simply make the kitchen more pleasant.
One thing is certain: every new feature will come with a price tag, so be careful not to make too much of a dent in your budget.
Where to Buy a Modular Kitchen
Luckily, you can find many retailers dealing in modular kitchens. From household names like Lowe’s and IKEA to specialized brands like the German Mykilos, plenty of physical and online stores offer various modular kitchen solutions.
Due to the range of market offers, you shouldn’t have issues putting together whichever design fits your needs and budget.
Did you know? Some modular kitchen retailers have exclusive deals with specific manufacturers. In other words, if you’re interested in a particular brand, you’ll likely find its line of products in a single online store.
Modular Kitchen Advantages and Disadvantages
Modular kitchens are becoming widely popular due to the specific advantages they offer. However, this design choice isn’t completely perfect and has some downsides as well. Here are the main pros and cons of modular kitchens.
What Are the Advantages of Modular Kitchen?
The primary advantage of modular kitchens is that they offer greater freedom of choice. You can pick practically any combination of materials, layouts, finishes, and colors. Better yet, modular design allows you to change individual elements without hassle.
Modular kitchens can also be very economical in terms of space. You can tailor the layout to maximize free space or introduce extra work surfaces and storage. And since modular kitchens are usually quick to set up, you can save plenty of time, too.
Depending on your choices, a modular kitchen may be the best option when it comes to aesthetics. In many cases, the space will look much more modern and neater.
Plus, modular kitchens are easier to clean due to their streamlined design. The result is a decluttered, well-organized space ready for cooking and quality friends-and-family time.
What Are the Disadvantages of Modular Kitchens?
Just like the advantages, the downsides of modular kitchens stem from their unique design. Unlike traditional setups, modular kitchens can often be more prone to damage and less resilient for heavy use.
Being composed of numerous components, they may also become a maintenance nightmare.
In terms of finances, a modular kitchen will, as a rule, cost more to build compared to the standard solutions.
And as an additional downside, the added expense might not guarantee a totally unique kitchen design since most components for modular designs are pre-fabricated.
How Is a Modular Kitchen Different From a Normal Kitchen?
Modular kitchens are more customizable than normal kitchens. With a standard kitchen, you get a pre-designed solution that leaves little space for improvisation. On the other hand, you can make a modular kitchen truly your own.
Modular Kitchen vs. Civil Kitchen
Civil kitchens are built rather than assembled. This makes them more robust but at the expense of flexibility.
In fact, once you set up a civil kitchen, you can’t change it without tearing everything down. In this sense, a civil kitchen is the polar opposite of a modular design, which is all about the ease of adjusting your setup.
Modular Kitchen vs. Semi-Modular Kitchen
A semi-modular kitchen is a blend of civil and modular design. Simply put, the central components are built while some elements are added in a modular-design fashion. This design type is more flexible than civil, but more constrained than pure modular.
What Is the Best Size of a Modular Kitchen?
Common dimensions of a modular kitchen fall into the small kitchen range, i.e., measure 100 square feet or less. However, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for modular kitchens. If you need more space, making an expansive modular kitchen will be the best solution.
Pro Tip: To avoid making your kitchen too cramped, always include extra space in your design. Make sure you can move around freely and have unhindered access to every element in your kitchen.
What to Consider when Installing a Modular Kitchen
Since every element in a modular kitchen is a matter of your choice, the first thing you’ll need to consider is precisely what you want to have in your kitchen.
Next, you’ll also need to consider how your plans fit into your budget – the last thing you want is for your design to spin out of control and drain your funds, which can happen quickly if you don’t pay attention to all expense details.
Which Material Is Best for Modular Kitchen?
Although the modular design allows you to choose any material for any surface, certain materials are considered standard for certain elements, and for good reason.
Let’s look at the best choices of materials for individual parts of your modular kitchen.
Countertops
Granite is undoubtedly the number one choice for countertops. Marble can be an excellent alternative.
Tiling
While glass tiling is quite popular in modern kitchens, going with standard ceramic or porcelain tiles is never a bad choice.
Accessories
Wood is often the preferred material for kitchen accessories, and justifiably so. It’s versatile, sturdy, and very resilient to wear and tear.
Appliances
Kitchen appliances may prove most reliable when they’re made of metal or plastic. Other materials may be worth considering, but these standard choices will be most likely to serve you long and well.
Hardware
When it comes to hardware, the good, old, reliable brass or stainless-steel variants will be ideal. Of course, nothing is stopping you from experimenting with alternatives.
Is a Chimney Necessary in Modular Kitchen?
A chimney provides extra ventilation and keeps the kitchen fresh. While this element isn’t necessary, it’s certainly a recommended inclusion.
Are Modular Kitchens Durable?
Your modular kitchen will be as durable as you make it. Choose quality materials and ensure the elements are built professionally, and you’ll have a kitchen to last for decades.
Can Modular Kitchens Be Customized?
Customization is at the foundation of modular design. Not only are modular kitchens customizable, one might argue that’s their most attractive feature.
Can Modular Kitchens Be Shifted?
In line with the previous answer, yes – modular kitchens can be shifted. They’re built for the ultimate flexibility and will be relatively easy to adjust.
How Do You Choose the Right Modular Kitchen Design?
The best way to choose the right design is to consider your needs precisely. Once you know what you want from a kitchen, you’ll know precisely which design will fit your needs the best.
Are There Any Hidden Costs When Installing a Modular Kitchen?
If you choose a reputable contractor, the installation job should come with no hidden costs. However, it’s best to go over all of the details of the project before signing on a contractor to ensure you know precisely what you’re paying for with the installation.
Is A Modular Kitchen Worth It?
Ultimately, installing a modular kitchen will be worth it for anyone who wants to tailor the space to their requirements.
However, if a standard design would suffice, you might not want to bear the additional expense of making your kitchen modular.
Pro Tip: The best way to determine whether you need a modular kitchen or not is to try out different designs.
Consult with friends or family members and ask to visit their kitchens, regardless of whether they’re modular or not, to see which elements would work best for you.
Find a Modular Kitchen Design That Fits Your Home
If you intend on building a modular kitchen, you’ll need to consider every element with the utmost attention. We have hopefully given you everything you need to know about modular kitchens so that you can make an informed decision.
