THE SHORT ANSWER
Estimate a kitchen renovation by defining the layout first, then separating cabinets, counters, appliances, utility work and finishes. Identify selections that remain allowances and the measurements or supplier quotes needed before the final price.
This guide follows a fictional keep-layout kitchen update in Calgary, Alberta. The linked kitchen renovation PDF example shows the scope and 8 separate costs in Canadian dollars. Treat it as a worked document, then use measurements, supplier quotes and labour inputs from your own project.
1. Use a selection schedule
List cabinet style, countertop type, sink, faucet and appliances with a selection status beside each. Mark an item as selected, owner-supplied or allowance. The estimate should make unfinished decisions visible rather than treating every choice as settled.
2. Give cabinets a measurable basis
A linear-foot cabinet allowance can help explain an early example, but real cabinet pricing also depends on the unit schedule, drawers, end panels and accessories. Reconcile the allowance against the supplier’s actual list before presenting it as a final product price.
3. Keep appliance responsibilities explicit
Owner-supplied does not automatically include unloading, moving, installation or disposal of old appliances. State which of those tasks is included. Confirm that dimensions and connection requirements are available before committing to the installation scope.
4. Identify dependencies before scheduling
Countertop measurements, cabinet delivery and backsplash completion depend on earlier steps. Include a plain-language assumption about product availability and access. Do not use the estimate to promise a completion date that has not been checked against those dependencies.
Review the Canadian project address
For the keep-layout kitchen update in Calgary, Alberta, the example uses the measured trade units shown in its PDF. Residential jobs may mix square feet, linear feet, counts and supplier units; keep each line’s measurement basis visible. Confirm site access, product selections and existing conditions in person. Check any trade or municipal requirements for the actual location, and record changes before issuing a final price. The figures are fictional CAD inputs, not a local price survey.
Describe which products the customer supplies and which the contractor supplies. State how any site condition outside the visible scope will be assessed and priced. Do not copy an allowance from another city or assume a sample’s tax entry establishes the treatment for this client.
Work through the kitchen renovation quantities
The matching PDF lets the client check each extension of quantity and unit rate. For this example, two useful checks are:
- Stock cabinet material allowance: 18 linear ft. × C$225.00 = C$4,050.00.
- Cabinet installation: 18 linear ft. × C$105.00 = C$1,890.00.
Adding all 8 lines gives a C$12,310.00 illustrative subtotal. The PDF records 0% tax and C$12,310.00 as its total, before any markup. These are chosen sample inputs, not prices observed in Calgary, Alberta. The measurement basis matters as much as the rate: a material purchase allowance may be larger than the installed area, while a fixture count is not interchangeable with hours of labour.
Check the scope before sending
- Reconcile cabinet quantities with a supplier list.
- Identify sink cutouts, end panels and hardware.
- Assign appliance delivery and installation responsibilities.
- Separate layout changes from the keep-layout base scope.
Outside the illustrated scope: No wall removal, structural alterations, utility relocation or appliance purchase. Countertop and cabinet selections remain example allowances.
Check the business and client names, property location, dates, quantities, unit rates and notes. Confirm tax, markup and any required approvals for the actual job. If selections or site conditions are unresolved, label the line as an allowance and explain how it will be updated.
Common questions
Can I quote a kitchen before all selections are final?
You can prepare an estimate with clearly labeled allowances. Explain which selections may change the total and replace the allowances with confirmed supplier quotes before treating them as fixed prices.
Should cabinets and countertops be one line?
Separate them when they have different suppliers, quantities or selection assumptions. It makes scope changes and customer comparisons easier to understand.
Open the itemized kitchen renovation example and its app-exported PDF to see these decisions presented to a client. You can adapt the structure while replacing every fictional project input with your own.
