How Much Does a Kitchen Island Cost?
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You can find a kitchen island to meet your needs for just about any budget.
As with any popular item, a kitchen island can cost as little as $120 or — with custom design, construction and installation — over $6,000. The cost of a kitchen island varies so much because ready-made, rolling carts (at the low end) can be considered islands. A custom-built unit that includes a sink, ventilation and cooking appliances can top $6,000.
Price range
A homeowner wishing to drop by a big-box home improvement store can drive away with a kitchen island for as little as $120 for a simple, high wood table with a drawer, or a more elaborate rolling butcher block-topped piece for over $1,600.
A high-end butcher block countertop provides additional work space while adding warmth to a kitchen. (Photo by Frank Espich)
Kitchen island ideas
Online self-design sites offer an intermediate step between mass-marketed, assembly line products and fully custom-designed pieces from architects and interior designers. Buyers can choose from various bases and then supplement with:
• Wine racks
• Trash bins
• Recycle bins
• Pull-out shelves
• A mixer lift
• Pull outs
• Bookcase ends
Each personal touch adds to the cost, with maple butcher block costing $49 per square foot, for example. A mixer lift, to safely store the heavy-duty mixer, adds $370 to the kitchen island cost.
At the top end, having an architect or interior designer work with a homeowner to plan and draft an entirely custom-built kitchen island can cost $6,000 or more.
Bespoke kitchen islands
This high-end kitchen island not only includes storage space, but a range for cooking as well. (Photo by Mike Fender)
Incorporating cost of kitchen island design and construction into an overall plan to remodel a kitchen is a favored strategy. When exploring overall kitchen remodeling costs it's important to keep in mind all projects aren't created equal — the breakdown for entry-level, midrange and high-end remodeling pricing can vary greatly.
A complete, midrange project could run $40,100 for remodeling the typical 125 square feet of many kitchens. This provides a cost per square foot of around $321, so a custom-built island of 18 square feet (14 percent of the total kitchen area) could cost, on average, $5,778.
Such bespoke kitchen islands, though at the high end of kitchen island prices, bring with them many desirable amenities:
• Glasstop range
• Wet bar
• Charging station and device storage
• Wine refrigerator
• Two-level food preparation and dining
• Side-by-side ovens with eight burners
Each personal touch adds to the cost of kitchen island design, construction and installation. Adding a sink, for example, means the services of a plumber; adding a gas range requires running a gas supply line. An HVAC contractor is needed to add additional cooktop ventilation either above or down through the island (downdraft ventilation).
Avoiding expensive mistakes
Determining kitchen islands costs are one of the top mistakes homeowners make during a kitchen remodel. Poor design, attempting to buy and install the island without help from professionals, and obstructing work flow can all drive up kitchen island cost and reduce homeowner happiness with the remodel.
One strategy is for the homeowner to invest in an inexpensive (toward that $120 end of kitchen island costs) kitchen cart to identify size, functionality and placement of the ideal kitchen island. At two percent of the typical high-end cost, the investment in a temporary “trial-run” kitchen island can pay off handsomely.
Whether homeowners content themselves with the inexpensive rolling cart from a home improvement store or indulge in the services of professional interior designers, cabinetmakers and home contractors, most families find their new kitchen island to be well worth the price they paid. Kitchen island prices can't reflect the value of increased family time gathered around the new kitchen island.
Building a kitchen island
Adding an island to your kitchen is a great way to increase home value. However, a kitchen island remodel often requires the work of a contractor and muiltiple professionals to pull it off. A homeowner can easily hire a contractor to build the entire kitchen island, but the contractor will tyypically work with other professionals like interior designers, flooring experts, countertop pros, plumbers, electricians, and even cabinet makers depending on what type of kitchen remodel the home is planning. In some cases, permits may be required along with architectual plans.
Folks looking to install a kitchen island should consult with a professional before tearing up their old island or starting any work in the home that may require permits.