What will your Houston home improvement actually cost?
Answer 4 quick questions and get an instant estimate — built on real Gulf Coast labor rates, not a national average. Takes 30 seconds.
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Harris, Fort Bend & Montgomery
Real Houston labor rates
Your Houston area
Houston metro avg
Inner Loop +20%River Oaks · West University · Bellaire · Memorial · The Heights · Montrose · Rice Military · Garden Oaks
Master-planned +8%The Woodlands · Sugar Land · Cinco Ranch · Bridgeland · Kingwood · First Colony
Houston metro baselineInside Beltway 8 generally · Clear Lake · Meyerland · Oak Forest · Sharpstown · Spring Branch
Outer suburbs −5%Katy · Cypress · Spring · Pearland · Humble · League City · Friendswood · Tomball
Outlying −12%Waller · Liberty · Baytown · Conroe · Dayton · Chambers County · Brookshire
Not sure? Houston metro is the safe default. The Inner Loop premium is mostly about older homes, tight lots, and deed-restriction review — not contractors charging more for identical work.
Looks like you're on the West Coast. Use West Coast pricing?
Tell us about your project 4 questions
Kitchen size
Not sure? Pace it out heel-to-toe — one step is roughly a foot. A typical suburban kitchen is about 10×15 ft (150 sq ft). Measure floor space, not counter length.
None = everything stays where it is. Minor = shifting a sink or outlet a few feet. Major = removing a wall, or moving plumbing or gas lines. Moving water and gas is what gets expensive.
New appliances?
Bathroom type
Half bath = toilet and sink only. Full bath = adds a tub or shower. Master = larger, usually a double vanity and a separate shower.
Finish quality
Shower / tub setup
Layout changes? moving plumbing
Home size (sq ft)
Roofing material
Roof complexity
Pitch is how steep the roof is. Valleys are the V-shaped seams where two slopes meet. Simple = low and mostly rectangular. Complex = steep, or lots of dormers, chimneys, and valleys. Steep, cut-up roofs cost more to work on.
Tear-off needed? removing old shingles
Tear-off means stripping the old shingles down to the wood before the new roof goes on. An overlay lays new shingles straight over the old ones — cheaper, but most codes allow it only once, and it hides any rot underneath.
Home size (sq ft)
System type
Central AC + heat = a furnace or air handler pushing air through ducts (the most common setup). Heat pump = one unit that both heats and cools, no furnace. Mini-split = wall-mounted units with no ducts at all.
Ductwork condition
Ducts are the metal or flexible tubes in your attic, walls, or crawl space that carry the air. Most people can't tell what shape they're in — it takes a technician with a pressure test. If you don't know, say so.
Efficiency tier high-eff. may qualify for tax credits
Higher-efficiency systems cost more up front but use less electricity every month, and can qualify for a federal tax credit — up to $2,000 on a qualifying heat pump.
Area to cover
Material type
Luxury vinyl (LVP) = waterproof planks that mimic wood; cheapest of the three. Hardwood = real wood, refinishable, best resale value. Tile = hardest wearing, best for wet rooms, coldest underfoot.
Subfloor condition
The subfloor is the plywood layer underneath your finished floor. You can't see it without pulling the floor up, so most people don't know — that's a fine answer here.
Old flooring removal
Price this as
Your estimated cost range
$27,000 – $36,000
Typical kitchen remodel · Midwest & Southeast
≈ $665/mo · 5-yr loan at 9.9% APR
72%
avg. ROI on resale
Budget / DIYHigh-end
You weren't sure, so we assumed:
A contractor confirms these on a walkthrough. If any turn out different, your estimate moves.
Could swing ±$6,000
Houston metro average
Based on 2026 data
Budget / DIY
$14,000
Typical range
$27,000 – $36,000
High-end / luxury
$65,000+
What to actually budget
Project estimate (typical)—
+ 12% contingency for surprises—
Have this much available—
Not included: permit fees (typically $500–$2,500) and any design or architect fees. The contingency covers what nobody can see until demo starts — rot, mold, asbestos, or wiring that isn't up to code. Most projects hit at least one.
Where the money goes — mid-range kitchen
These estimates use Midwest and Southeast averages — the national baseline.
Tips to save on your kitchen remodel
Free estimate — no sign-up, no email required. Download it, print it, or copy the link to save your result.
How we calculate these estimates
Our estimates are built from five data inputs — Houston-area rates, not a national average.
Contractor surveys
Aggregated 2026 pricing from licensed contractors across the Houston metro
Regional labor index
Gulf Coast wage rates for carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and HVAC techs
Material costs
Current wholesale and retail pricing for all major materials
Project scope
Size, complexity, and finish level adjustments from real project data
Updated monthly
We refresh pricing data every month to reflect material cost changes
Free home improvement cost estimates for Houston-area homeowners — Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Waller, Liberty and Chambers counties. Estimates are for planning purposes only and should not replace quotes from licensed contractors.
Always get at least 3 in-person quotes before starting any major project. Houston roof costs · Privacy · How we calculate