2026 Georgia Remodeling Cost Guide
Last updated August 2026 · Published by OpenForge Construction & Design LLC, a Georgia design-build construction company serving Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
Most remodeling cost articles give you one national average and leave you no closer to a budget. This guide does the opposite: it gives realistic low-to-high planning bands for the work we actually run in Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb, Forsyth, and Hall counties — including Duluth and Johns Creek — and explains what moves a project from the bottom of a band to the top. Use it to size a budget before you talk to anyone. Then let an onsite review turn it into a real number.
Benchmark context: the 2025 Cost vs. Value Atlanta report
For an independent reference point, the 2025 JLC / Remodeling Cost vs. Value report for Atlanta, GA puts a minor midrange kitchen remodel at approximately $28,359, a major midrange kitchen remodel at approximately $79,591, and a midrange bathroom remodel at approximately $25,304.
Those figures price one tightly defined scope each, which is exactly why they read as single numbers. Our planning bands are deliberately broader: the projects homeowners actually bring us vary in layout changes, structural work, finish level, and existing conditions, and our bands are updated for 2026 planning rather than the 2025 data year. Read the report as a sanity check on the middle of our ranges, not as a ceiling or a floor.
What drives your number
Two identical-looking kitchens can differ by $40,000. These eight factors explain almost all of it.
Size & scope
Total area and the number of rooms touched set the baseline. A kitchen that spills into a dining room or laundry is two projects, not one.
Structural work
Removing a load-bearing wall means a beam, posts, and often a footing — plus engineering and a structural permit.
MEP relocation
Moving plumbing, gas, electrical, or ductwork is where budgets move fastest, especially over a slab where drains must be cut and re-poured.
Permits & jurisdiction
Fees, plan review, and inspection timelines are set by each jurisdiction — Gwinnett, Fulton, DeKalb, Forsyth, and Hall all run their own process. We confirm current fees at application.
Finish level
Cabinetry tier, counter material, tile, plumbing fixtures, and lighting can double a kitchen or bath budget without changing a single wall.
Existing conditions
Older homes bring code upgrades, undersized panels, failing supply lines, rot, or moisture intrusion that must be corrected before finishes go in.
Access
Steep lots, narrow driveways, tight urban setbacks, and stair-only access add labor hours, dumpster logistics, and material handling.
Location
Trade availability and pricing vary across Metro Atlanta and North Georgia, and HOA or historic review can add time and scope.
Planning ranges by project type
Metro Atlanta and North Georgia, 2026 planning. Non-binding ranges before onsite assessment.
Kitchens
Kitchen cost tracks layout changes more than anything else. Keeping plumbing, gas, and appliance locations where they are keeps a project in the lower bands.
Kitchen refresh / minor remodel
$18,000 – $35,000- Low end:
- Same layout, cabinet refacing or stock cabinetry, laminate or entry-level quartz, existing appliances reused.
- High end:
- Full cabinet replacement, new counters and backsplash, added lighting circuits, flooring carried through.
Midrange / full kitchen remodel
$35,000 – $85,000- Low end:
- Semi-custom cabinetry, quartz counters, modest electrical work, appliances in the mainstream tier.
- High end:
- Island relocation, added pantry, new windows, hardwood replacement, upgraded appliance package.
Premium kitchen / layout reconfiguration
$85,000 – $150,000+- Low end:
- Custom cabinetry with a mostly intact footprint.
- High end:
- Wall removal with structural beam, plumbing and HVAC relocation, professional appliances, natural stone slabs, integrated scullery or butler's pantry.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are small rooms with a high density of trades. Moving drain lines — especially on a slab — is the single biggest cost swing.
Guest / hall bathroom
$12,500 – $30,000- Low end:
- Fixtures stay in place, tub/shower combo, tile tub surround, stock vanity.
- High end:
- Tub-to-shower conversion, full tile floor and walls, new exhaust and lighting, custom vanity and glass.
Primary bathroom suite
$25,000 – $70,000+- Low end:
- Refreshed layout, double vanity, tiled shower, standard glass enclosure.
- High end:
- Expanded footprint, freestanding tub, curbless or wet-room shower, heated floors, custom glass, stone slab surfaces.
Basements, Additions & ADUs
Square-foot bands only work once the structural and moisture picture is known. We confirm both onsite before any number is committed to.
Basement finishing
$30 – $120+ per finished sq. ft.- Low end:
- Open rec space, existing egress, dry slab, minimal plumbing.
- High end:
- Full bath or kitchenette plumbing, wet bar, home theater with AV and soundproofing, structural or egress window work, and moisture correction such as drainage, sump, or waterproofing.
Room addition
$180 – $350+ per sq. ft.- Low end:
- Simple bump-out on a crawlspace, roofline that ties in cleanly, no plumbing.
- High end:
- Second-story addition, new foundation, HVAC capacity upgrade, plumbing runs, complex roof tie-in, difficult site access.
ADU / in-law suite
$220 – $450+ per sq. ft.- Low end:
- Attached suite reusing existing utilities within a permissive jurisdiction.
- High end:
- Detached structure with its own foundation, utility runs, kitchen, full bath, and separate permitting or variance review.
Whole-Home & Finish Packages
Older Metro Atlanta housing stock frequently carries code upgrades — panel replacement, supply line replacement, ductwork — that only surface once walls are open.
Whole-home renovation
$70 – $250+ per sq. ft.- Low end:
- Cosmetic scope: paint, flooring, lighting, targeted kitchen and bath work.
- High end:
- Down-to-studs renovation with structural changes, full MEP replacement, new windows, and high-end finishes.
Cabinets & countertops package
$15,000 – $60,000+- Low end:
- Stock or semi-custom cabinetry with quartz in a standard kitchen footprint.
- High end:
- Full custom cabinetry, built-ins beyond the kitchen, exotic or natural stone slabs, waterfall edges.
Custom shower & bath glass
$1,500 – $6,000+- Low end:
- Standard-size framed or semi-frameless enclosure, clear glass.
- High end:
- Frameless heavy glass, steam enclosure, custom notching for out-of-plumb walls, specialty coatings or hardware.
How to build a budget you can hold
- Carry a contingency. Plan a reserve for the unknowns behind the walls — larger on homes built before 1990, where wiring, plumbing, and framing surprises are common.
- Convert allowances early. Allowances are placeholders. Every selection you lock before demolition — tile, cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, counters — is one less line item that can drift.
- Decide layout changes first. Whether a wall moves and whether plumbing relocates determine the band you are in. Everything else is tuning within that band.
- Sequence trades instead of stacking them. Rework is the most expensive line item that never appears in a proposal. Ordered rough-ins, inspections, and finish work keep it off your budget.
- Confirm permit requirements. Structural changes, egress windows, decks, and ADUs are reviewed differently across Georgia jurisdictions. Fees and timelines should be verified at application.
Where to go next
Remodeling Services
Kitchens, baths, basements, additions, and full renovations across Georgia.
Cabinets & Countertops
Cabinetry and stone supply, coordination, and installation.
All Services
Custom homes, spec homes, land development, and construction management.
Book a Consultation
Turn a planning range into a real scope and number for your home.