Kitchen remodel cost in Boulder, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (120 sq ft)
- $18,000 – $30,700
- Per sq ft
- $146 – $243
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −3%
- US $25,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #110
- 1 = most expensive
Boulder homeowners pay roughly $18,000 to $30,700 to remodel a kitchen at 120 sq ft, or $146 to $243 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Boulder is almost level. Building materials run about 4% below the US average here (BEA goods price index 96.1).
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Estimated cost for 120 sq ft in Boulder, CO, standard level
$21,800 to $26,900
About $175 to $214 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 21% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,400 | $20,100 |
| Labor | $4,550 | $5,550 |
| Permits and fees | $840 | $1,250 |
| Total | $21,800 | $26,900 |
Cost breakdown for 120 sq ft in Boulder, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,700 | $18,300 | $22,800 | 75% |
| Labor | $3,750 | $5,050 | $6,300 | 21% |
| Permits and fees | $530 | $1,050 | $1,600 | 4% |
| Total | $18,000 | $24,400 | $30,700 | 100% |
What is behind the Boulder number
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 45% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $28.73 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Boulder is 1.01 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 21% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Boulder metro is 96.1 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 120 sq ft comes to $18,300, compared with $19,000 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (105.2) and land at $530 to $1,600.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Boulder. The wage table below marks each row.
Cost by quality level and size in Boulder
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Boulder wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$18,000 to $23,100
Update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout
Standard
$21,800 to $26,900
Full remodel, mid-range finishes, some layout changes
Premium
$25,600 to $30,700
Large or custom remodel, high-end finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (100 sq ft) | $15,100 – $19,400 | $18,300 – $22,600 | $21,500 – $25,900 |
| 10x12 kitchen (120 sq ft) | $18,000 – $23,100 | $21,800 – $26,900 | $25,600 – $30,700 |
| average kitchen (200 sq ft) | $29,700 – $37,800 | $35,800 – $44,000 | $41,900 – $50,100 |
| large kitchen (300 sq ft) | $44,200 – $56,300 | $53,300 – $65,300 | $62,300 – $74,400 |
How Boulder compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 120 sq ft range from $23,900 to $25,500 across Boulder and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, COthis page | $18,000 – $30,700 | $24,400 | |
| Fort Collins, CO40 miles | $17,900 – $30,400 | $24,200 | −1% |
| Denver, CO55 miles | $18,900 – $32,100 | $25,500 | +5% |
| Greeley, CO60 miles | $17,800 – $30,400 | $24,100 | −1% |
| Cheyenne, WY90 miles | $17,700 – $30,100 | $23,900 | −2% |
| Colorado Springs, CO95 miles | $17,800 – $30,300 | $24,000 | −1% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $18,400 – $31,400 | $24,900 | +2% |
| United States | $18,500 – $31,500 | $25,000 | +3% |
Across 300 US metros, Boulder comes in at #110 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $30,000; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $22,100 (midpoints, 120 sq ft). Statewide, Boulder is 2% below the Colorado figure.
Other Colorado metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, CO | 1,609,350 jobs | $18,900 – $32,100 | $25,500 | +5% |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $17,800 – $30,300 | $24,000 | −1% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $17,900 – $30,400 | $24,200 | −1% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $17,800 – $30,400 | $24,100 | −1% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $17,800 – $30,300 | $24,100 | −1% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $17,800 – $30,200 | $24,000 | −1% |
Cities with a workforce like Boulder's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Boulder against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corpus Christi, TX | 192,580 jobs | $17,000 – $28,900 | $23,000 | −6% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $17,500 – $29,800 | $23,600 | −3% |
| Modesto, CA | 195,230 jobs | $19,700 – $33,600 | $26,700 | +10% |
| Pensacola, FL | 190,480 jobs | $17,200 – $29,300 | $23,300 | −4% |
What nearby projects cost in Boulder
Because every project leans on different trades, Boulder's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, shower pan runs +1% and kitchen cabinets −1%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $4,150 – $13,800 | −1% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,700 – $23,200 | level |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,450 – $14,800 | −1% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $37,800 – $76,600 | −1% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $950 – $2,800 | +1% |
| Kitchen backsplash | 30 sq ft | $300 – $1,500 | −1% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 6 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Boulder is 1.01 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 45%) the local median is $28.73 an hour, which is in line with the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.92 and $35.50 an hour. BLS counts 540 of them working in the area, 28.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Electricians (47-2111), 15% of the weighting: a median of $30.83 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $24.37 and $37.48 an hour. About 420 work in the metro. That is 21.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152, weighted 15%) the local median is $31.20 an hour, which is in line with the national $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $28.30 and $38.49 an hour. BLS counts 420 of them working in the area, 21.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 30.0), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Boulder metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median: $27.74 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $17.40 and $34.59 an hour.
Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Boulder metro, so we used the Colorado statewide median: $29.70 an hour against $28.33 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.43 and $33.77 an hour.
For painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141, weighted 5%) the local median is $25.37 an hour, which is 7% above the national $23.75. The middle half of them earn between $23.67 and $29.37 an hour. BLS counts 140 of them working in the area, 7.3 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 14.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($35.50 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $520. At the 25th percentile ($23.92) it shrinks by about $370. The total moves by 2.1% or 1.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 192,390 jobs in the Boulder area. That makes it the 119th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.12% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $23.92 | $28.73 | $35.50 | $29.12 | 0.99 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 15% | $24.37 | $30.83 | $37.48 | $30.38 | 1.01 | metro |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 15% | $28.30 | $31.20 | $38.49 | $30.67 | 1.02 | metro |
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 10% | $17.40 | $27.74 | $34.59 | $26.77 | 1.04 | state |
| Drywall and ceiling tile installers (47-2081) | 10% | $23.43 | $29.70 | $33.77 | $28.33 | 1.05 | state |
| Painters, construction and maintenance (47-2141) | 5% | $23.67 | $25.37 | $29.37 | $23.75 | 1.07 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.01 | |||||
Kitchen remodel: what moves the price in Boulder
Permit
Kitchen remodel permits are $500-$1,500 and are usually based on project value.
Scope
A full kitchen update is $15,000-$50,000, a large remodel $50,000-$70,000+, and a partial refresh $60-$150 per square foot (HomeGuide).
Cabinets
In a 10x10 kitchen, cabinets alone are $3,000-$11,000 for stock or semi-custom and up to $26,500 for fully custom.
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Kitchen remodel in Boulder: your questions
+How much does it cost to remodel a kitchen in Boulder?
For 120 sq ft, expect $18,000 to $30,700 in the Boulder area. A standard-spec job lands at $21,800 to $26,900. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen remodel in Boulder?
About $146 to $243 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $530 to $1,600 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $150 to $250.
+Is kitchen remodel cheaper in Boulder or Fort Collins?
Fort Collins is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 120 sq ft there is $24,200, which is 1% less than Boulder ($24,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Boulder?
About 21% at the midpoint, or $5,050 out of $24,400. Materials are 75% and permits 4%. Nationally, labor is 20%.
+What would average kitchen (200 sq ft) cost in Boulder?
$29,700 to $50,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen remodel need a permit in Boulder?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $530 to $1,600 for fees in the Boulder area (our national range of $500 to $1,500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Boulder expensive for kitchen remodel compared with the rest of Colorado?
Boulder is 2% below the Colorado statewide estimate ($24,900 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Boulder?
The BLS median is $28.73 an hour in the Boulder area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.92 to $35.50.
+What do basic and premium kitchen remodel work cost in Boulder?
For 120 sq ft, basic work runs $18,000 to $23,100 and premium work $25,600 to $30,700. Basic means: update: cabinets, counters, flooring and lighting; same layout. Premium means: large or custom remodel, high-end finishes.
Kitchen remodel near Boulder
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = 70% of the low installed price and 85% of the high one, from HomeGuide's statement that professional labor is 15-30% of a kitchen remodeling budget. Cost to Renovate's mid-range kitchen split (45% labor, 50% materials) sits inside that band.