How much does a kitchen cosmetic refresh cost in Toronto?

Thanks for the photo! You've got a bright, well-laid-out space to work with — that straight back wall plus the peninsula bar up front makes for a great work zone.

I'm Chris, and I'll walk you through this the same way I would if I were standing in your kitchen. To build an accurate, professional-grade estimate, we'll break the work down by trade complexity, starting with the biggest structural/carpentry items and moving through finishes, plumbing, electrical, and logistics.

Before we get into trade specifics, let's set the overall game plan. I need your high-level vision and your location so we apply the right local building codes, permit paths, and regional trade rates.

Question: What is your postal code?

Question: Which items in the photo do you want to replace, keep, or add? (e.g., cabinets, countertops, flooring, appliances, sink/faucet, or a new backsplash)

Perfect. M5V places you in the downtown Toronto (Entertainment District / CityPlace) area. We'll make sure the estimate uses Ontario-specific labour rates, permit guidelines, and CAD.

Keeping your existing cabinet layout and repainting is a smart, cost-effective way to completely refresh the kitchen without the mess and expense of a full gut. Pair that with a new countertop, a modern sink/faucet, and a new range, and it'll feel brand-new.

To scope it properly, I've eyeballed your countertop run at about 14.5 linear feet (back wall plus the peninsula bar) and counted roughly 11 cabinet doors and 4 drawers in the photo.

A few quick questions to dial in the trades, materials, and any safety or building requirements:

Question: What type of property is this?

• Single-family house
• Condo/ apartment unit
• A townhouse
• A duplex

Question: Roughly what year was the home built?

• Pre-1990 — asbestos testing needed before sanding/substrate disturbance
• 1990 or newer — standard prep and sanding

Question: Which material are you leaning toward for the new countertops?

• Quartz — very durable, works with an undermount sink
• Granite — natural stone, works with an undermount sink
• Laminate — budget-friendly, needs a drop-in sink
• Butcher block — a warm wood finish

Question: Is the new range oven electric or gas?

• Electric — standard 240V plug-in
• Gas — needs a gas line installed/hooked up by a gas fitter

Question: Will you be supplying the new sink, faucet, and range yourself?

• Yes, I'll buy them — the contractor just installs
• No — have the contractor supply and install standard options

Question: For the cabinet painting, how extensive a repaint do you want?

• Just the exterior doors, drawer fronts, and visible face-frames
• Both the exterior faces and the interior boxes/shelves

Question: Are we replacing the cabinet handles and hinges, or keeping the existing ones?

• Keep every existing hinge and handle
• Replace the handles using the existing holes
• Replace the handles and drill new holes — old holes patched

Thanks for the detail — that's exactly what I need to structure the scope.

Because your home predates 1990, Ontario's OHSA (O. Reg. 278/05) strictly requires a hazardous-materials survey (asbestos in drywall compound/adhesives and lead in existing paint) before any sanding on the cabinets or removal of the laminate counters. I've built that testing step right into the sequence.

We'll go ahead with a professional fine-finish spray paint of your cabinet exteriors (doors, drawer fronts, and visible face-frames), patch the old hardware holes, drill new ones for your new handles, and coordinate the template, fabrication, and install of a beautiful new Quartz countertop with your owner-supplied undermount sink and faucet.

One last quick design question on the countertops before I run the final numbers:

Question: For the countertop edges, do you want a matching 4-inch quartz backsplash strip, a new custom tile backsplash, or to keep it as painted drywall?

• No backsplash — keep the painted drywall as-is
• A matching 4-inch Quartz backsplash strip along the walls
• Add a new tile backsplash — contractor supplies tile & installs
• Add a new tile backsplash — owner supplies tile, contractor installs

Your project estimate

Project summary

Cosmetic kitchen refresh in downtown Toronto. Covers professional spray-painting of the cabinet faces and visible frames, drilling and patching for new hardware, demo of the existing laminate counters, fabrication and install of a new quartz countertop with a 4-inch splash, and installation of an owner-supplied undermount sink, faucet, and standard electric range. A pre-1990 asbestos and lead survey is required per Ontario Regulation 278/05 (OHSA).

Estimate range

$4,990 - $7,625 This is a starting ballpark, not a final price.

Estimated work

Item	Details	Range
Pre-1990 Asbestos & Lead Testing	Arrange and carry out third-party hazardous-materials testing (asbestos and lead) on the cabinet paint, countertop adhesives, and surrounding drywall before any sanding or demo.	$445 - $740
Site Protection & Trade Coordination	Build dust-protection walls, mask the floor along the kitchen and travel paths, and sequence the plumbing, painting, and countertop trades.	$215 - $360
Disconnect Sink & Faucet	Close the supply valves, disconnect the under-sink trap and faucet supply lines, and pull the existing drop-in kitchen sink.	$24 - $43
Disconnect the Electric Range	Unplug and slide out the existing electric range to clear the area for countertop demo and cabinet painting.	$38 - $57
Remove the Laminate Countertops	Carefully take out the existing laminate counters without harming the cabinet boxes, then clean and prep the cabinet-top frames for templating.	$62 - $100
Cabinet Prep & Hole Patching	Clean, degrease, sand, and patch 15 old hardware holes on the cabinet doors, drawer fronts, and visible face-frames.	$190 - $290
Cabinet Painting (Fronts & Frames)	Prime and apply two finish coats of cabinet paint to 11 exterior doors, 4 drawer fronts, and the visible face-frames.	$76 - $120
Quartz Countertop & Backsplash	Template, fabricate, and set 29 sqft of new Quartz countertop plus 3 sqft of matching 4-inch backsplash, including the undermount sink cutout and mounting the owner-supplied sink.	$2,990 - $4,580
Faucet & Undermount Sink Install	Install the owner-supplied kitchen faucet and undermount sink, and reconnect the drain and supply lines in the same location.	$165 - $285
Under-Sink Plumbing Kit	Supply new under-sink plumbing components: shutoff valves, braided supply lines, and a P-trap kit.	$75 - $150
Install New Cabinet Hardware	Drill new mounting holes and install 15 owner-supplied knobs/pulls on the painted doors and drawer fronts.	$95 - $190
Install the New Electric Range	Uncrate, level, slide in, plug in, and test the owner-supplied electric range, and secure the anti-tip bracket.	$38 - $57
Final Cleanup & Waste Disposal	Do the post-project cleanup and haul away the reno debris, including the old laminate counters, sink, faucet, and old range.	$430 - $720

Cost summary

Category	Range
Materials	$3,500 - $5,300
Labour	$1,495 - $2,325
Total	$4,990 - $7,625

What is included

• Run hazardous-materials testing (asbestos and lead) on the cabinet paint and drywall/adhesive compound before any sanding, scraping, or demo.
• Set up dust protection and floor masking in the kitchen and along the travel path.
• Disconnect the existing kitchen sink drain and faucet supplies, and remove the drop-in sink.
• Unplug and slide out the existing electric range.
• Demolish and remove the existing laminate counters, then clean and prep the cabinet-box tops for new countertop templates.
• Clean, degrease, sand, and patch the old hardware holes on the doors, drawer fronts, and visible face-frames.
• Prime and apply two finish coats of cabinet paint to the exterior doors, drawer fronts, and face-frames.
• Template, fabricate, and install the new Quartz countertop, including the undermount sink cutout and mounting the owner-supplied sink.
• Install the owner-supplied faucet, reconnect the sink drains and trap, and hook up the supply lines with new shutoff valves if needed.
• Drill new holes and fit the new owner-supplied cabinet handles on every door and drawer.
• Uncrate, level, and plug in the new owner-supplied electric range, and test it.
• Do the post-project cleanup and cart away demo debris, including the old counters, sink, faucet, and old range.

Possible add-ons

These items are not included in the estimate range above. They may change after an on-site review.

Item	Trade	Possible range	What would confirm it
Supply and install a faucet stabilizer plate to support a loose faucet on water-damaged MDF.	Plumber	$175 - $300	An on-site check finds water-damaged or soft MDF in the under-sink cabinet frame/sink deck.
Re-pipe the full drainage line from the trap arm under the kitchen sink to fix deteriorated existing pipes.	Plumber	$300 - $500	The existing ABS/PVC drain pipes are cracked, leaking, or misaligned with the new undermount sink position.

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You can keep chatting to ask questions or adjust the project — and when you're ready, a real professional will confirm the details and discuss final pricing with you, typically after seeing the space in person.

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