Kitchen Remodeling in Tampa

A kitchen remodel touches more trades than almost any other room in your house. Cabinets, countertops, tile, plumbing, electrical, lighting, drywall, flooring and appliances all have to land in the right order, and a delay in one holds up the next. Our job is to plan that order before demolition starts so your kitchen is not torn apart longer than it has to be.

Our office is on Memorial Highway in Town 'n' Country, and we work in kitchens across Hillsborough and Pinellas, from Carrollwood and Westchase to Clearwater, Largo and St. Petersburg. Many of the homes we see were built between the 1960s and the 1990s, with the original layout, a soffit over the cabinets and a single overhead light. Those kitchens usually have good bones and a lot of room to improve.

More than half of the 14 reviews on our Tampa Google profile are about kitchens, and the profile holds a 5.0 rating. Juan Antonio wrote that his kitchen project was completed in less than three weeks. Michael had a 10 x 10 kitchen remodeled with Liam leading and Juan and Liuder on the crew, and he described the work as meticulous.

Loc had his kitchen redone along with new vinyl flooring that looks like tile, managed by Adam. Another Michael had both his kitchen and master bathroom done with Dean, and Ron's kitchen was handled by Dean and Johnny. The common thread in those reviews is not just the finished look. It is crews showing up on time and a project manager who answers the phone.

The first decision in any kitchen remodel is whether to keep the existing footprint or change it. A same-footprint remodel keeps the sink, range and refrigerator roughly where they are and replaces everything around them: cabinets, countertops, backsplash, lighting, flooring and appliances. Because the plumbing and gas or electrical runs stay put, it is usually the faster and more predictable option.

A layout change moves the work triangle. That can mean relocating the sink to an island, swapping the range to an outside wall so it can vent properly, or turning a U-shape into an L-shape with an island. Moving plumbing and electrical adds labor, inspections and sometimes slab work, since most Tampa homes sit on a concrete slab. It is often worth it when the current layout simply does not fit how you cook.

We walk through both options at the estimate and price them separately in a line-item proposal, so you can see exactly what the layout change adds before you decide.

Often, yes. Many Tampa homes from the 1960s through the 1980s have a narrow galley or closed kitchen tucked behind a wall, and opening it to the living or family room is one of the most common requests we get. The result is more light, room for an island and a kitchen that does not cut the cook off from everyone else.

The key question is whether the wall is load-bearing. If it carries roof or ceiling loads, removing it typically requires an engineered beam, a permit and an inspection, and some walls also hide plumbing vents, ductwork or wiring that has to be rerouted. We check the wall before we quote, bring in engineering when the structure calls for it and include that work in the proposal instead of discovering it halfway through demolition.

Cabinets set the layout and usually take the biggest share of a kitchen budget. We install new cabinets and can build custom cabinetry when a space needs it, such as a tall pantry wall, an island with seating or cabinets that run to the ceiling to replace an old soffit. If your boxes are solid and you mainly want a new look, ask us whether refacing or new cabinets fits your kitchen. You can read more on our kitchen cabinet installation page.

Countertops are templated after the cabinets are set, which is why cabinet and counter timing drives the whole schedule. Quartz, quartzite and granite are common choices in Tampa kitchens, and each has different care and edge options. Our countertop installation page covers how to choose between them.

The backsplash goes in after the counters. Full-height slab backsplashes, subway tile, large-format porcelain and patterned tile all work; the main things to plan are outlet placement, under-cabinet lighting and where the tile stops at the end of a run.

A lot of older Tampa kitchens run on one ceiling fixture and a handful of outlets. A remodel is the right time to add recessed lighting, under-cabinet lights, pendants over an island and dedicated circuits for the microwave, dishwasher, disposal and any new appliances. Island outlets and countertop receptacles have code placement rules, and a licensed electrician handles that layout.

On the plumbing side, a new sink location, a pot filler, an ice maker line or a relocated dishwasher all need planning. Galvanized or aging supply lines in older homes are worth replacing while the walls are open, and we will point out what we see during demolition before anything gets closed up.

Pick your appliances early. Cabinet openings, electrical, gas and venting are all sized to the specific models, so a late swap from a 30-inch range to a 36-inch range can mean reworking cabinets. We will ask for model numbers before cabinets are ordered.

Flooring is often part of the same project, as it was in Loc's kitchen. Luxury vinyl plank and tile-look vinyl are popular in Tampa because they handle humidity and spills well, while porcelain tile remains a durable choice. Flooring can go in before or after cabinets depending on the material, and we plan that sequence up front.

It depends on scope, material lead times and permitting. A same-footprint remodel with in-stock materials moves much faster than a layout change that needs engineering, a structural permit and custom cabinets. Juan Antonio's kitchen was completed in less than three weeks, which shows what is possible when the plan and materials are ready, but every project is different.

The biggest schedule drivers are cabinet and countertop lead times, permit review at your building department and inspection scheduling. Your written proposal includes a projected timeline, and our guide to how long a kitchen remodel takes in Tampa breaks down each phase.

We do not publish one price for a kitchen because two kitchens of the same size can land far apart. What moves the number is scope, not square footage alone.

For a detailed breakdown of where the money goes and how to budget, see our article on kitchen remodel cost in Tampa. The fastest way to a real number is a free estimate and a written, line-item proposal for your kitchen. Financing is available through our build now, pay later program, with easy approval and no large down payment.

Most kitchen remodels that involve plumbing, electrical, gas or structural changes need a permit. Simple cosmetic work may not, but rules vary by jurisdiction. Florida has recently changed some permit exemptions for small projects, so check current rules with your building department before you skip a permit.

Who issues the permit depends on your address: Hillsborough County for unincorporated areas like Town 'n' Country, Carrollwood and Westchase; the City of Tampa for neighborhoods like Seminole Heights and South Tampa; and the city or county building department in Pinellas. As the licensed contractor, we pull the permits and schedule the inspections. Confirm specific requirements with your building department, and if your home is in a flood zone, ask whether the substantial improvement rule applies.

Many clients pair a kitchen with a bathroom, the way Michael did with his kitchen and master bath. Doing both under one contract can mean one set of permits, one demolition window and one project manager coordinating tile, plumbing and cabinet installs across both rooms. If you are planning both, ask us to quote them together and separately so you can compare.

We also handle kitchen remodeling outside Hillsborough, including kitchen remodeling in St. Petersburg and kitchen remodeling in Clearwater, where permitting and flood-zone questions look a little different.

Searching for kitchen remodeling near me turns up a lot of installers who handle one trade. A kitchen needs several, and a Certified General Contractor can manage all of them under one permit and one point of contact. You can verify our license, CGC1534542, with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

We are licensed and insured, we provide free estimates and our office in Town 'n' Country is open 24 hours Sunday through Friday. Call (813) 536-3976 or send us a message to schedule a visit.