Kitchen remodeling in Bethesda, scoped like a contract.
From cabinet-and-counter refresh to full gut-and-relayout — Good/Better/Best packages across Maryland, priced in writing, run by one accountable licensed general contractor.
Every price on this page is a typical range, confirmed by a free in-home consultation — you get an itemized scope letter, not a guess.
A real scope, a real number — before you commit to anything
- ✅ On-site measure & layout review with a project specialist
- ✅ Good/Better/Best options priced against your actual kitchen
- ✅ Itemized written scope — cabinets, counters, trades, timeline
- ✅ $0-down financing illustration, 12–180 months, on approved credit
★★★★★ 139 Google reviews · A+ BBB · MHIC #111971
Free kitchen consultation
30 seconds. A real person confirms within one business hour (8am–7pm).
Three ways to remodel — priced honestly
Typical Maryland ranges. Your exact number is confirmed in writing at the free in-home consultation — cabinet grade, counter material, and layout scope move the price, and we show you exactly how.
Kitchen Refresh
- Cabinets refaced or repainted, new doors & hardware
- New counters (quartz or granite) & tile backsplash
- New sink, faucet & garbage disposal — plumbing performed by licensed trade partners
- Updated lighting & outlets — electrical performed by licensed trade partners
- Same footprint, same appliances or owner-supplied swaps
Full Kitchen Remodel
- All-new cabinets (semi-custom), soft-close throughout
- Quartz counters, full-height backsplash, new flooring
- New appliance package installed & connected
- Recessed lighting, under-cabinet lighting, new circuits — electrical by licensed trade partners
- Fixture relocations within the footprint — plumbing by licensed trade partners
Gut Renovation & New Layout
- Down to the studs — walls opened or removed (engineered beams where load-bearing)
- Custom or premium semi-custom cabinetry, island with seating
- Rerouted plumbing & new panel circuits — performed by licensed trade partners
- New subfloor, flooring, drywall, trim & paint throughout
- Full permit & inspection package handled by us
Typical ranges, not quotes — every project is confirmed by a free in-home consultation with an itemized written scope. For a full breakdown of where the money goes tier by tier, read our 2026 DMV kitchen remodel cost guide.
Design → permits → build → punch list
Design & scope
In-home measure, layout review, and material selections — cabinets, counters, flooring, lighting — priced at Good/Better/Best against your actual kitchen. You get an itemized scope letter and a $0-down financing illustration.
Free · In writingPermits & ordering
We pull the permits your county requires, order cabinets and materials to the measured plan, and lock the construction schedule around the cabinet lead time — the biggest variable in any kitchen.
We handle the paperworkBuild
Demo, framing, and rough-ins first — electrical and plumbing performed by licensed trade partners, then inspected. Cabinets, counters, tile, flooring, and finish work follow in sequence, with dust protection and daily cleanup.
2–12 weeks by tierPunch list & warranty
A walkthrough against the written scope, every punch-list item closed before final payment, and our 2-year workmanship warranty on top of manufacturer warranties — in writing.
In writingA $60,000 kitchen as a monthly number
$0-down financing from 12 to 180 months on approved credit — quoted next to your project price at the consultation, so you compare the remodel to the monthly cost of not doing it. See financing options
Build your kitchen in our configurator →Where the money in a kitchen remodel actually goes
Cabinets are the single biggest line in almost every kitchen. A widely used budget split from the National Kitchen & Bath Association looks like this, and it is the fastest way to sanity-check any quote:
| Part of the kitchen | Share of a typical budget |
|---|---|
| Cabinets and hardware | about 29% |
| Installation labor | about 17% |
| Appliances and ventilation | about 14% |
| Countertops | about 10% |
| Flooring | about 7% |
| Lighting | about 5% |
| Walls and ceilings | about 5% |
| Design | about 4% |
| Doors and windows | about 4% |
| Faucets and plumbing | about 4% |
Budget shares are the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s commonly cited breakdown; your kitchen will differ.
The quickest way to save: keep the sink, range and refrigerator where they are. Moving plumbing, gas and venting is where kitchen budgets grow fastest.
The allowance trap, and how to compare kitchen quotes
The lowest kitchen quote is often low because of its allowances: a set dollar amount for cabinets, counters, tile or lighting that you have not picked yet. Set them low and the quote wins, then the real selections cost more and you pay the difference. Before you compare, ask each bidder:
- What exactly is included for cabinets: brand, construction, door style, soft-close.
- Which numbers are allowances, and how much each one is.
- Who pulls the permits and books the inspections.
- What is excluded: appliance install, drywall repair, painting, trash removal, temporary kitchen.
- How changes are priced once work starts.
Our Good/Better/Best scope letter answers all five in writing.
What you get when UD remodels your kitchen
- A free in-home design consult, with your kitchen priced at Good, Better and Best so you choose the level, not the salesperson.
- Walls checked before anyone promises to move them. Load-bearing changes get an engineer and a permit, and we tell you before you fall in love with the drawing.
- One accountable contractor for cabinets, counters, plumbing and electrical partners, flooring, lighting and paint.
- A punch list closed before the final payment. We walk the finished kitchen with you against the written scope.
- A written, line-item price. Every part of the job priced as its own line, so you can hold our quote next to anyone else’s and see exactly what is and is not included.
- Licensed in both states. MHIC #111971 in Maryland and DPOR Class A #2705183185 in Virginia. Plumbing and electrical are done by licensed trade partners under permit where the county requires it.
- A deposit Maryland law allows. Never more than one-third up front, which is the legal cap.
- Changes priced before they happen. If you change the scope mid-job, the change is priced and signed in writing before the work changes. No surprise invoice at the end.
- Warranties in writing. Our workmanship warranty is in the contract, and manufacturer warranties are registered in your name.
- Financing if you want it. $0-down options from 12 to 180 months on approved credit, quoted as a monthly number next to the cash price.
- A local company you can find. Family-owned since 2005, office in Bethesda, A+ BBB, 4.9 stars on Google. Se habla español.
Every home-improvement contractor working in Maryland must hold an MHIC licence, and you can look one up in under a minute on the Maryland Department of Labor website. Ours is MHIC #111971. In Virginia it is DPOR Class A #2705183185.
Is a kitchen remodel worth it at resale?
In the Washington, D.C. market in 2025, a minor midrange kitchen remodel (cabinet refacing, new counters, sink, appliances, flooring) averaged $27,308 and returned about 100% of its cost at resale. A major midrange remodel averaged $79,988 and returned about 49%. If you are selling soon, the smaller project pays back. If you are staying, build the kitchen you want to live in.
2025 Cost vs. Value Report (Zonda), Washington, D.C. market, as published by the Journal of Light Construction.
Before you hire anyone: the questions buyers ask us
Where does most of the money go in a kitchen remodel?
Cabinets and hardware are about 29% of a typical budget, installation about 17%, appliances about 14% and countertops about 10%, using the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s commonly cited split.
Why is one kitchen quote so much lower than the others?
Usually low allowances for cabinets, counters or lighting, or items left out such as permits, drywall repair and painting. Ask which numbers are allowances and what is excluded.
Does a kitchen remodel pay for itself?
In the Washington, D.C. market in 2025, a minor midrange kitchen remodel returned about 100% of its $27,308 average cost at resale; a major midrange remodel returned about 49% of $79,988 (Cost vs. Value Report).
How much deposit can a kitchen contractor take in Maryland?
No more than one-third of the contract price, under Maryland Business Regulation § 8-617.
Can I live at home during a kitchen remodel?
Most people do. Plan a temporary kitchen in another room with the refrigerator, a microwave and a coffee maker. We agree the schedule with you up front so you know how long you are without a sink.
How do I check a kitchen remodeler’s licence?
Look up the MHIC number on the Maryland Department of Labor website. Ours is MHIC #111971; in Virginia, DPOR Class A #2705183185.
Straight answers
What does a kitchen remodel cost in Maryland?
Typical ranges: $28,000–$45,000 for a refresh, $45,000–$75,000 for a full remodel, and $75,000–$120,000 for a gut renovation with layout changes. These are typical ranges, not quotes — your exact number comes in writing after a free in-home consultation.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
A refresh usually runs 2–3 weeks on site; a full remodel 4–8 weeks; a gut with layout changes 8–12 weeks including permits and inspections. Cabinet lead time is the biggest variable, so we lock the schedule at ordering.
Do I need permits to remodel my kitchen?
If plumbing, electrical, or walls move, yes — Maryland jurisdictions require permits and inspections. We pull the permits and schedule the inspections; electrical and plumbing work is performed by licensed trade partners.
Can you move walls or open the kitchen to the living space?
Yes — the Best tier covers layout changes including load-bearing wall removal with engineered beams, permitted and inspected. That's exactly where a licensed general contractor matters most.
Is financing available?
Yes — $0-down financing from 12 to 180 months on approved credit, quoted alongside your project price so you see the monthly number before you commit. Details at udroofing.com/financing.
Spec it like a Ferrari, or start with a conversation.
Configure your kitchen scope-by-scope online, or book a free in-home consultation anywhere in Maryland.
Prefer to talk? (240) 880-2108
Who permits a kitchen in Bethesda, Rockville and Gaithersburg
Bethesda is not a city. It is unincorporated Montgomery County, so every permit, plan review and inspection for a Bethesda house runs through the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS), 240-777-0311. Montgomery County permits electrical work separately and requires it to be done by a licensed master electrician, so a room that touches wiring is at least two permits, not one. Plumbing and gas are separate again: in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties those permits come from WSSC Water, not the county, and the work has to be done by a WSSC Water-licensed plumber or gasfitter.
Rockville and Gaithersburg are different. Inside Rockville city limits the permit goes through the City of Rockville (240-314-8200), and inside Gaithersburg through the City of Gaithersburg (301-258-6330), not DPS. Getting that wrong at the start costs weeks, so we confirm which side of the line your house sits on before anything is filed.
A kitchen that keeps its existing layout may only need electrical and plumbing permits. Move a sink, a gas line or a wall and a building permit joins them. Kitchens also carry requirements specific to the room, GFCI protection at the counters and dedicated small-appliance circuits, which is why the rough-in inspection has to pass before anything gets closed up.
What a Bethesda kitchen usually needs first
Much of Bethesda inside the Beltway is 1920s–1950s colonials and capes with plaster walls, original single-pane windows and undersized electrical service. On a 1930s house a full kitchen almost always means a service upgrade and new counter GFCI circuits before anything cosmetic happens. Rockville’s 1950s ramblers tend to hide cast-iron or galvanized supply lines. Both go in the written scope up front.
Who permits a kitchen in Arlington, McLean, Fairfax and Alexandria
Virginia routes the same kitchen through different offices. In Arlington it is the county’s Permit Arlington Center, 703-228-3800. McLean, Vienna, Great Falls, Burke and the rest of Fairfax County go through Fairfax County Land Development Services, 703-222-0801. Inside the City of Alexandria it is Code Administration, 703-746-4311, which asks for its kitchen renovation checklist with the plan set.
Fairfax County does not require a permit to swap cabinets or countertops on their own. The moment a sink, a gas line, a light fixture or a circuit is added or moved, that trade needs its own permit and its own inspection. We file all of them, schedule the inspections, and nothing gets closed up until the rough-ins pass.
What a Northern Virginia kitchen usually needs first
Arlington’s 1930s–1950s brick colonials and Cape Cods have the same plaster walls, small galley kitchens and tired electrical service as their counterparts across the river in Bethesda. McLean and Vienna run later: 1960s–1980s colonials and split-levels where the kitchen is closed off from the family room, and the real question is whether the wall between them is load-bearing. That gets answered, and engineered where it has to be, before the scope is priced.
Kitchen remodeling by town — Maryland
Permit routing and what is behind the walls both change town to town. Pick yours for the local detail — who issues your permit, and what we typically find in homes of that vintage.
Financing Disclosures
Representative example: $15,000 financed at 9.99% APR for 120 months = approximately $198/month. Total of payments approximately $23,760. Your actual rate, term, and payment depend on the lender, your credit, and the amount financed.
All financing is provided by independent third-party lenders on approved credit. United Developers is a home improvement contractor, not a lender, broker, or financial advisor, and does not make credit decisions or set rates. Rates, terms (12–180 months), and $0-down availability vary by lender and applicant and are subject to change. Not all applicants will qualify. Full financing disclosures →
Straight answers on kitchens
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- Every straight answer we publish