#inside the kitchen

SPOILERS:

Yes.

Inside the Kitchen: What Really Goes Into a Great Remodel

The kitchen is the hardest-working room in your house — and the easiest one to get expensively wrong. When you step inside the kitchen and look past the cabinet doors and the shiny countertop, you find plumbing, wiring, ventilation, and a layout that either makes daily life easy or quietly drives you crazy. That hidden half is where a good remodel is won or lost.

What's actually inside the kitchen?

Inside the kitchen sit six systems working together: cabinetry, countertops, plumbing, electrical, ventilation, and lighting. Most homeowners obsess over the two they can see. The other four decide whether the room works.

Here's what hides behind a finished kitchen:

Cabinetry — storage, structure, and roughly 30–40% of your total budget.

Plumbing — the sink, the dishwasher line, sometimes a pot filler or island sink.

Electrical — dedicated circuits for the range, microwave, fridge, and small appliances.

Ventilation — a range hood that vents outside, not one that recirculates greasy air.

Countertops — the surface that takes the most daily abuse.

Lighting — task, ambient, and accent layers, ideally on separate switches.

Cut corners on those systems and you get a kitchen that trips a breaker every time the toaster and microwave run together.

Why layout beats finishes every time

Layout is the single biggest factor in how a kitchen feels to cook in. Designers still lean on the classic “work triangle” — the path between sink, stove, and refrigerator — and the old rule holds up: keep the three sides added together between 13 and 26 feet.

Too tight, and two cooks collide. Too wide, and you're logging steps to drain the pasta.

A few numbers worth knowing:

Minimum walkway: 42 inches for one cook, 48 inches when two people share the space.

Standard counter height: 36 inches. Comfortable island overhang for stools: 12 inches.

Code typically wants a dedicated 20-amp circuit feeding your countertop outlets.

Curious how those pieces snap together before you commit a dollar? Take a look inside the kitchen planning process — it's why we measure twice before anyone swings a hammer.

What a Central Florida kitchen has to survive

Florida kitchens face problems a kitchen in Denver never will. Humidity swells cheap cabinet boxes. Summer storms knock out power and stress your wiring.

So out here, material choice isn't about looks — it's about survival. For Central Florida homes, we steer people toward:

Plywood cabinet boxes instead of particleboard, because they shrug off moisture.

Quartz or porcelain countertops, which don't flinch at heat or humidity.

Soft-close hardware rated for a busy, everyday household.

That regional reality is exactly why a generic big-box kitchen package tends to disappoint within a few years. What works inside the kitchen in a dry climate doesn't automatically hold up in ours.

A quick reality check on cost

A mid-range kitchen remodel in Central Florida usually lands between $25,000 and $45,000. Go high-end with custom cabinetry and premium stone, and you can clear $60,000. The biggest swing factor: are you moving plumbing and gas lines, or leaving them put?

This is usually the point where homeowners want a contractor who has opened up these walls before. At Property Fixology, we map out everything inside the kitchen before we quote — so the number you sign off on is the number you pay. Ready to start? Get a free estimate and we'll come take a look.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a kitchen remodel take?

A full kitchen remodel in Central Florida typically takes four to eight weeks, from demolition to final punch-out. Custom cabinetry adds time because it is built to order. Keeping your existing layout speeds things up considerably.

Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen in Florida?

Yes. Any kitchen remodel that touches plumbing, electrical, or structure needs a permit in most Central Florida municipalities. Cosmetic-only work, like repainting cabinets, usually does not. A licensed contractor pulls the permit on your behalf.

What's the most expensive part of a kitchen?

Cabinetry is almost always the largest single line item, eating 30 to 40 percent of a typical kitchen budget. Countertops and appliances come next. Relocating plumbing or electrical piles labor cost on top of materials.

Can I stay home during the renovation?

Most homeowners stay put through a kitchen remodel, though you will lose a working kitchen for several weeks. A temporary kitchenette with a microwave and mini-fridge keeps the disruption livable.

Are custom cabinets worth it?

Custom cabinets earn their cost when your kitchen has odd dimensions, you need specific storage, or you are chasing resale value. They cost more than stock, but they use every inch and last decades.

The bottom line

A kitchen is the sum of what you can't see as much as what you can. Get the bones right — wiring, venting, layout, materials chosen for Florida — and the finishes you love will actually last. That's the whole idea behind how we work inside the kitchen: solid structure first, beautiful surfaces second.