Atlas variant · DIY edition
Best DIY-friendly states for kitchen — 2026.
A composite ranking of how easy it is for a homeowner to install cabinets themselves — combining permit simplicity, big-box retail density (IKEA / HD / Lowe's availability + cabinet pickup), and sub-contractor depth for the must-hire-out work (plumbing reroute, gas, electrical). DIY-remodeled kitchens typically save 25-30% of the total cost — see your state-specific savings below.
50 states · DIY scoring per methodology below
| State | Permits | Retail | Climate | DIY score | DIY savings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 TXTexas | 8/10 | 9/10 | 5/10 | 71 | ~$11,000 | Read guide |
 OKOklahoma | 8/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 67 | ~$9,500 | Read guide |
 ARArkansas | 8/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 65 | ~$9,400 | Read guide |
 KSKansas | 8/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 65 | ~$9,700 | Read guide |
 INIndiana | 7/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 64 | ~$9,700 | Read guide |
 TNTennessee | 7/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 64 | ~$10,300 | Read guide |
 GAGeorgia | 6/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 63 | ~$10,600 | Read guide |
 NCNorth Carolina | 6/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 63 | ~$10,800 | Read guide |
 OHOhio | 6/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 63 | ~$10,100 | Read guide |
 FLFlorida | 5/10 | 9/10 | 5/10 | 62 | ~$11,000 | Read guide |
 SCSouth Carolina | 6/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 61 | ~$10,500 | Read guide |
 ALAlabama | 7/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 60 | ~$9,500 | Read guide |
 AZArizona | 5/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 60 | ~$11,000 | Read guide |
 KYKentucky | 7/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 60 | ~$9,900 | Read guide |
 MSMississippi | 7/10 | 5/10 | 5/10 | 58 | ~$9,300 | Read guide |
 IDIdaho | 6/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 57 | ~$10,100 | Read guide |
 ILIllinois | 4/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 57 | ~$10,500 | Read guide |
 COColorado | 5/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$12,700 | Read guide |
 MIMichigan | 5/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$10,000 | Read guide |
 MNMinnesota | 5/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$11,000 | Read guide |
 NVNevada | 5/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$11,600 | Read guide |
 UTUtah | 5/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$11,200 | Read guide |
 WVWest Virginia | 7/10 | 5/10 | 5/10 | 56 | ~$9,400 | Read guide |
 WIWisconsin | 5/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 54 | ~$10,300 | Read guide |
 PAPennsylvania | 4/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 53 | ~$11,200 | Read guide |
 DEDelaware | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$11,600 | Read guide |
 IAIowa | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$9,500 | Read guide |
 LALouisiana | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$10,100 | Read guide |
 MEMaine | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$12,300 | Read guide |
 MOMissouri | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$10,000 | Read guide |
 MTMontana | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$10,700 | Read guide |
 NENebraska | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$9,600 | Read guide |
 NHNew Hampshire | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$12,700 | Read guide |
 NMNew Mexico | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$10,400 | Read guide |
 NDNorth Dakota | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$9,500 | Read guide |
 OROregon | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$12,300 | Read guide |
 RIRhode Island | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$13,400 | Read guide |
 SDSouth Dakota | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$9,400 | Read guide |
 VTVermont | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$12,100 | Read guide |
 VAVirginia | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$11,900 | Read guide |
 WAWashington | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$13,000 | Read guide |
 WYWyoming | 5/10 | 6/10 | 4/10 | 49 | ~$10,700 | Read guide |
 MDMaryland | 3/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 48 | ~$13,200 | Read guide |
 NJNew Jersey | 3/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 48 | ~$14,100 | Read guide |
 CACalifornia | 2/10 | 8/10 | 5/10 | 47 | ~$15,400 | Read guide |
 CTConnecticut | 3/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 46 | ~$14,300 | Read guide |
 MAMassachusetts | 3/10 | 6/10 | 5/10 | 46 | ~$14,500 | Read guide |
 NYNew York | 2/10 | 7/10 | 5/10 | 45 | ~$15,400 | Read guide |
 AKAlaska | 5/10 | 3/10 | 5/10 | 44 | ~$14,900 | Read guide |
 HIHawaii | 3/10 | 4/10 | 5/10 | 40 | ~$17,100 | Read guide |
Main atlas
Kitchen cost by state
Full 50-state sortable cost table.
Open atlas
First-time buyer
Cheapest mid-grade states
Pre-filtered to below-midpoint affordable picks.
See cheapest
ROI atlas
Best ROI kitchen picks
Which states return the most when the home sells.
See ROI
What states are most DIY-friendly for kitchen in 2026?
The top-5 most DIY-friendly states for a 2026 kitchen remodel: Texas (score 71/100), Oklahoma (score 67/100), Arkansas (score 65/100), Kansas (score 65/100), Indiana (score 64/100). These states share three traits: streamlined home-rule permitting, dense big-box kitchen retail (IKEA + Home Depot Pro Desk + Lowe's Kitchen Design Center presence within 30 minutes of most metros), and a deep sub-contractor market for the parts you can't DIY (plumbing reroute, gas line, electrical sub-panel work).
How much can I save by DIY-remodeling a kitchen?
Labor typically runs 30% of a fully-installed kitchen cost, so DIY savings on a $45,000 remodel land around $13,500. The most DIY-friendly tasks: demolition, painting cabinets, swapping hardware, installing LVP or laminate flooring, mounting a backsplash, and installing new appliances. Tasks that need a pro: gas-line reroute, electrical sub-panel work, plumbing reroute for a new island, and (in most jurisdictions) the final permit inspection.
Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen myself?
Most states allow homeowner-permits for cosmetic kitchen work (paint, hardware, countertop swap, like-for-like appliance replacement). Permits are required for: structural wall changes, electrical sub-panel modifications, gas-line reroutes, plumbing reroutes (moving the sink or dishwasher), and adding or relocating recessed lighting. Always check your local building department — even within "easy permit" states, a few municipalities have stricter local rules.
What's the easiest kitchen scope to DIY?
A "skin-deep" cosmetic refresh is the clear answer for 2026: paint or refinish the existing cabinets, swap hardware, install a peel-and-stick backsplash, replace the faucet + sink, and upgrade the countertop (pre-fab quartz remnants or butcher block). Most homeowners complete the full refresh in two weekends for under $3,000 — and capture most of the visual ROI of a $20K mid-tier remodel.
Which states are the worst for DIY kitchen remodels?
Hardest-to-DIY states cluster around three factors: strict permitting (CA, NY, MA, NJ, CT — multi-step submissions, sometimes inspector approval for cabinet replacement), thin sub-contractor markets for the must-hire-out work (HI, AK, WY — months-long waits for licensed plumbers and electricians), and limited big-box retail density (VT, ND, ME — long drives for cabinet pickups). In these states, the cost of a general-contractor managed remodel is often justified by the avoided friction.