Kitchen Remodeling in Edina

Edina built its reputation on housing stock that was constructed carefully and has been maintained well. The mid-century ramblers that fill Country Club, Morningside, and Countryside were not cheap homes when they were built — and their bones show it. What has not kept pace is the kitchen. A 1958 rambler kitchen was sized for a household with different habits, different appliances, and a different expectation of what a kitchen should do. Bringing it into the present is the most impactful single project most Edina homeowners can do to their house.

The remodel by home type

Ramblers are the most common Edina kitchen project. The original layout puts the kitchen at the back or side of the main level, closed off from the living and dining areas. The first question is always whether the wall comes out — and in most Edina ramblers it can, though it requires a structural engineer to verify the load path and size the beam correctly. Once that wall is gone, the kitchen, dining, and living areas start functioning as one space, and the home feels fundamentally different.

Split-levels add complexity. The kitchen in a split-level sits on a partial level between the main living area and the upper bedrooms, which creates traffic flow issues that a simple wall removal does not solve. These projects require more planning — sometimes reconfiguring the stair relationship, sometimes expanding the kitchen footprint in a direction that does not interfere with the level changes. We have done enough split-level kitchens in Edina to know which moves work and which ones create new problems.

The larger colonials in Morningside and Country Club are a different scope altogether — more square footage, more opportunity, and higher finish expectations. These kitchens often have room to absorb an adjacent dining room or pantry space, and the homeowners investing in them expect cabinetry and material quality that matches the neighborhood.

The mechanical reality underneath every Edina kitchen

The single most consistent finding in Edina kitchen projects is an electrical panel that cannot support a modern kitchen. A 100-amp panel was adequate in 1958. A kitchen with an induction range, double wall oven, dishwasher, built-in refrigerator, and exhaust fan running simultaneously is not 1958. We evaluate panel capacity at the first visit and include an upgrade to 200-amp in the contract if the existing service cannot handle the new load.

Cast-iron and galvanized plumbing is the second consistent finding. Original drain lines in a 1960s Edina home are sixty-plus years old — at or past their service life. We replace them with PVC during the remodel and relocate drain rough-ins as needed to support the new layout. Supply lines get replaced with copper or PEX at the same time.

What an Edina kitchen remodel costs

A rambler kitchen that stays inside the existing footprint with new cabinetry, countertops, and mechanical updates runs $65,000 to $105,000. A project with wall removal, structural beam, full mechanical replacement, and a reconfigured layout runs $105,000 to $175,000. A larger Morningside or Country Club kitchen with formal dining integration and premium finishes runs $175,000 to $280,000+. Written budget range at the first consultation, before planning begins.

Timeline

Planning runs five to ten weeks. On-site construction runs eight to fourteen weeks depending on scope. Split-level projects and those with significant structural or plumbing work run toward the longer end. Edina building permits for kitchen remodels typically review in one to two weeks — we submit early and track the process.

Book a consultation

We come to your Edina home, look at the existing kitchen, assess the wall structure and systems, and give you a written budget range at no charge. Most homeowners leave the first meeting with a clear sense of what the project involves and what it costs — which is exactly what you need to make a good decision.