Kitchen Remodeling
in Tempe, AZ
A lot of Tempe kitchens were built in the 70s and 80s and it shows. Closed-off galleys, a wall between the kitchen and dining room, limited counter space, and cabinets that don't match how anyone cooks today. We open them up, upgrade the finishes, and deal with the quirks that come with older homes and smaller footprints.
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Older Homes, Smaller Kitchens, Real Layout Problems
Tempe is not like the rest of the East Valley. Much of the housing stock is from the 70s and 80s, with kitchens built for a time when "open concept" wasn't a phrase. Add in the mix of rentals near ASU, townhomes, and smaller single-family homes in Kiwanis and Corona, and you get a remodel market that's usually about function first, finishes second.
Most Tempe kitchen projects start with one of three problems: the kitchen feels too closed-off, the layout wastes space, or the cabinets and counters are just done. A good remodel fixes whichever one is costing you the most. We've been doing this in Tempe since 1978.
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What Most Tempe Kitchen Remodels Actually Include
These are the scopes we handle most in older Tempe homes. A lot of projects combine two or three of them.
Wall Removal & Opening Up
The single biggest change you can make in an older Tempe kitchen. Take out the wall between the kitchen and dining or living room, put in a beam where needed, and the house feels like a different home.
- Wall removal & engineering
- Beam installation
- Peninsula builds
- Pass-through openings
- Structural planning
Cabinet Replacement
Most Tempe kitchens we look at have cabinets from the 70s or 80s that are either falling apart or just tired. We replace them with semi-custom or custom cabinetry that fits the footprint, including better storage for smaller kitchens.
- Full cabinet replacement
- Semi-custom & custom builds
- Soft-close hardware
- Pull-out shelves & organizers
- Tall cabinet runs
Counters & Backsplash
Out with the tile or laminate tops. Quartz or granite in, with a backsplash that runs to the cabinets or higher. This combination does most of the heavy lifting for how the finished kitchen looks.
- Quartz & engineered stone
- Granite & natural marble
- Subway, herringbone, stacked tile
- Full-height backsplash options
- Undermount sink cutouts
Kitchen Flooring
Porcelain tile, LVP, and hardwood. A lot of Tempe kitchens have old vinyl that ends at the kitchen door. We can replace just the kitchen or tie the floor into the rest of the house.
- Porcelain & ceramic tile
- Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)
- Engineered hardwood
- Whole-floor tie-in
- Seamless room transitions
Lighting & Electrical
Older Tempe homes usually have one ceiling fixture and not much else. Recessed cans, pendants over a peninsula or island, and under-cabinet LEDs make a huge difference in how the kitchen actually feels.
- Recessed & LED lighting
- Pendants over peninsula or island
- Under-cabinet LED strips
- Dedicated appliance circuits
- GFCI outlets & code-compliant wiring
Full Kitchen Remodels
Everything above, handled together. One project manager, one schedule, one contract. Most Tempe homeowners who start with "just new counters" end up here.
- Complete kitchen remodels
- Primary kitchen upgrades
- Rental & investment property work
- Single project manager
- Written proposal scope
Opening Up a 70s or 80s Tempe Kitchen
The one thing most older Tempe kitchens have in common is a wall. Sometimes two. The kitchen is a separate room, there's no sightline to the dining area, and everything feels smaller than it actually is. Opening that up is usually the single best move you can make with the budget.
Not every wall can come out cleanly. Sometimes we end up with a structural beam, sometimes a half wall or peninsula, occasionally a wider pass-through. We work out what's possible during the estimate and tell you straight up what the tradeoffs are. Here's what usually gets wrapped into an opening-up remodel:
- Wall removal between kitchen and living/dining
- Structural beam where required
- New peninsula or island
- Drywall, paint, and ceiling patch
- Flooring tie-in across the opening
- Electrical relocation
- Pendant lighting over the new opening
- Full kitchen refresh at the same time
Kitchen Remodels in Tempe & the East Valley
A Kitchen Contractor That Knows Older Tempe Homes
Tempe kitchens are a different animal than Scottsdale kitchens or newer Queen Creek builds. Smaller rooms, older layouts, and more surprises when the demo starts. That's the job here.
Older Homes Come With Surprises
Pull cabinets off a Tempe wall and you might find original wiring, old plumbing runs, or framing that's been patched twice. We've seen most of it. We price honestly and flag the unknowns up front instead of waiting for a change order.
Small Kitchens Need a Real Plan
You can't just throw a stock layout at a 120-square-foot kitchen. Storage, traffic flow, appliance placement, and counter runs all have to work together or the remodel feels like a downgrade.
Rentals and Investment Properties Welcome
We do a lot of remodels on ASU-adjacent rentals and small investment properties. The scope usually looks different from an owner-occupied remodel, and we'll talk through what makes sense for the hold period.
Family-Owned, 1978
Jake took it over from his dad. Almost fifty years of accountability to the East Valley is why the reviews look the way they do.
How the Project Actually Runs
Four steps. No surprises, no mid-project upsell.
Free In-Home Estimate
We come out, measure the kitchen, look at the walls you want to move, and talk through budget. Takes about an hour. No charge.
Proposal & Materials
You get a written proposal with scope, pricing, and material direction. If something needs to change, we change it on paper before we start.
Scheduled Build
We lock a start date, order materials, and assign one project manager to your kitchen. Same person from day one to the walkthrough.
Final Walkthrough
We walk the kitchen with you, fix anything that needs fixing, and close the job out only when you're satisfied with it.
What a Kitchen Remodel Costs in Tempe, AZ
Tempe prices track the rest of the East Valley. The variable up here is whether a wall needs to come out, since structural work adds cost but usually improves the finished kitchen more than any other single spend. Actual numbers depend on your kitchen, your scope, and your material selections.
| Project Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Minor Kitchen Refresh Hardware, paint, backsplash, lighting | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| Cabinet Refacing + Countertops Reface cabinets, new quartz tops | $8,000 – $15,000 |
| Full Kitchen Remodel, No Walls Moved New cabinets, counters, backsplash, flooring | $20,000 – $40,000 |
| Full Remodel + Wall Removal Open-concept conversion with full kitchen refresh | $30,000 – $55,000 |
| Rental / Investment Property Practical finish package, durable materials | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Luxury / Custom Kitchen Full-custom cabinets, premium stone, island | $55,000 – $90,000+ |
Final cost depends on kitchen size, materials, wall removal, and scope. A written proposal is always provided before any work begins.
What Drives the Number
Kitchen Remodeling Across Tempe's Character Areas
Tempe isn't one kind of neighborhood. The city breaks down into a handful of character areas that each come with their own housing mix. Downtown and the ASU-adjacent streets have more rentals, townhomes, and older single-family homes. Kiwanis and The Lakes skew more established. Corona and South Tempe have a lot of the bigger lots and more room for full primary kitchen upgrades.
The kitchen you're working with depends a lot on where in Tempe you live. A 1970s ranch in Corona is a completely different remodel than a 1960s house three blocks from ASU. We adjust the plan to the home, not the other way around.
Older Homes Need More Than a Refresh
Most Tempe kitchens we look at need more than cosmetic work. Electrical needs updating, the cabinets are past their life, and opening up a wall is usually on the table. A surface-level refresh often isn't worth it in these houses.
Rentals Near ASU Are a Real Market
Tempe's housing mix includes a lot of rental and investment property. For a rental, durability and turnover-friendly materials usually matter more than chasing a specific style. We design those projects differently on purpose.
Tempe Character Areas We Work In
Reviews from Our East Valley Kitchen Clients
60 Google reviews, 5.0 stars. Homeowners across Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and the rest of the East Valley.
"Our kitchen was a closed-off 1970s galley and we wanted it opened up to the living room. Jake walked us through what was possible, including the beam, and came back with a clear proposal. The end result looks like a different house. Job was done in about a month."
"Did a rental property kitchen for us. Quick turnaround, clean work, durable materials. They understood what we needed without being talked into high-end stuff that didn't make sense for the use case. Will hire again."
"Replaced the old cabinets and counters and added recessed lighting. Our little kitchen suddenly feels twice the size. Crew was tidy, on schedule, and the tile work came out sharp. Already recommended them to someone at work."
Kitchen Remodeling Across the East Valley
Select a city for kitchen remodeling details specific to your area.
Tempe Kitchen Remodeling FAQ
Questions we hear before the first estimate. If yours isn't covered here, call or email.
Call or email us directly.
(480) 641-0628 office@tjcremodeling.com Mon–Fri 8am–4pm • Gilbert, AZ (We serve all of Tempe)Yes. We're in Tempe regularly from our Gilbert office. We work in all four Tempe zip codes — 85281, 85282, 85283, and 85284 — and handle everything from primary home kitchens to rental and investment property remodels.
Most of the time, yes. A lot of older Tempe homes have a wall between the kitchen and dining room that makes the space feel tight. Removing it and putting in a beam or a peninsula is one of the most common upgrades we do here.
Most full kitchen remodels in Tempe land between $20,000 and $55,000 depending on cabinet grade, whether a wall comes down, and material choices. Smaller kitchen refreshes start around $3,000. You get a line-item written proposal before anything starts.
Yes. We do kitchen remodels on rental and investment properties around Tempe regularly. The scope and budget usually look a little different than an owner-occupied remodel, and we're happy to talk through what makes sense for a rental vs. a long-term hold.
Often yes. Small Tempe kitchens usually have a lot of wasted space. Better cabinets, smarter storage, and sometimes moving one wall can completely change how the kitchen functions without needing a bigger footprint.
One to six weeks depending on scope. A cabinet-and-counter swap is typically one or two weeks. A full remodel with a wall removal and new flooring runs three to six. Timeline is part of the written proposal.
Ready to Talk About Your Kitchen?
Free in-home estimate, written proposal, no obligation. We're in Tempe weekly.