Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Kitchen Remodeling Across Wells Branch
Kitchen remodeling in Wells Branch, TX typically runs $14,000 to $45,000 for a full renovation, with smaller refreshes landing between $9,000 and $20,000. Most jobs we handle in the 78728 zip code take four to eight weeks depending on whether we’re moving walls or swapping finishes. If you’re standing in a 30-year-old kitchen with original particleboard cabinets and a cracked post-formed counter, call Tom Barrett and his sons at (877) 610-1318 to schedule a free estimate. We know exactly what’s behind those walls because we’ve opened a few hundred of them in this neighborhood.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Wells Branch’s Preferred Kitchen Remodeling Company
Barrett & Sons has been owner-operated since 1998, and Tom Barrett still answers his own phone. That matters when you call about a kitchen remodel and want to talk to someone who has actually stood in a Wells Branch kitchen, not a call center reading from a script. Our crews are Tom’s sons and their teams, background-checked and in uniform on every visit. We don’t dispatch strangers to your door.
Wells Branch is a tight community. Word travels fast when a contractor leaves a mess or disappears mid-job. We’ve built our reputation in this neighborhood by showing up when we say we will, pulling Travis County permits on every eligible job, and putting every price change in writing before a single cabinet comes down. Homeowners who’ve been burned by national outfits appreciate that Tom publishes his name, address, and license number. You can look it up before you sign anything.
We know the streets here: Wells Port Drive, Merrilltown Drive, Tandem Boulevard, and the cul-de-sacs branching off them. We know the homes were built between 1985 and 1995, we know the MUD’s building patterns, and we know what a Wells Branch kitchen looks like when the slab has shifted and the original polybutylene lines are still carrying water. That local knowledge saves you money because we plan for what we already know is there.
Our Kitchen Remodeling Services in Wells Branch
Most Wells Branch homeowners didn’t buy these houses to gut them. They bought them because they were affordable, well-located, and built solid enough. Now the kitchens are hitting the 30-40 year mark and things are failing in predictable ways. Here’s what we handle most often. For a full picture of what our Kitchen Remodeling team offers, that page covers every scope in detail. Below is what matters specifically in this neighborhood.
Cabinet Installation & Refacing
Cabinet installation in Wells Branch runs $4,000 to $13,000 depending on whether you’re replacing boxes entirely or refacing existing frames. The original builders installed particleboard boxes that swell and delaminate after three decades of humidity and the occasional dishwasher leak. Refacing makes sense when the boxes are still square and dry. When they’re not, new KraftMaid or comparable cabinetry goes in, leveled to account for whatever the slab has done underneath.
Countertop Installation
Countertop installation in Wells Branch runs $2,000 to $6,500. We set quartz, granite, and solid surface on a regular basis, and we always check slab level before templating. Blackland clay expands and contracts under these post-tension slabs, which means a counter that was dead level in 1992 might be out by half an inch now. Cambria quartz is a common choice here because it handles minor slab movement without cracking the way natural stone sometimes will.
Kitchen Design & Layout
Many Wells Branch kitchens were laid out in the 80s and 90s for a different way of cooking: smaller appliances, less counter space, no one hovering with a laptop. We redesign layouts that work for how you actually live now, whether that means opening a wall to the living room or reworking a galley into something with an island. Every structural change gets a Travis County permit and a signed inspection before we close the wall.
Backsplash, Tile & Flooring
Backsplash installation in Wells Branch runs $800 to $2,500. Tile and flooring add another layer of cost depending on material and square footage. The old 4×4 ceramic tiles from the original builds are usually hiding drywall paper that’s given up after thirty years, so we often find ourselves skim-coating or replacing backer board before tile goes up. That’s the kind of thing a cheap bid won’t mention and then you find it as a surprise line item later. We put it in the written scope from the start.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Wells Branch
We carry and install brands you can look up: KraftMaid cabinetry, Cambria quartz, and materials from manufacturers like Belgard and Techo-Bloc when the project extends to hardscape. That last one matters if your kitchen opens onto a patio. If we’re running new lines for an island, we stock PEX and common fittings locally so we’re not waiting on parts. When you call for an estimate, we’ll walk through which brands fit your budget and why we recommend one over another for a house in this specific soil and climate.
Common Kitchen Remodeling Problems We See in Wells Branch Homes
- Slab movement from Blackland clay. Expansive soil swells with rain and shrinks in drought. That movement throws upper cabinets out of level and cracks natural stone counters within two years of installation. We shim, level, and choose materials that tolerate it.
- Original polybutylene supply lines. These gray plastic lines were standard in the 1985-1995 builds and they’re past expected service life. We replace them with PEX when we open a kitchen wall. Skipping that to save $800 is how you pay $4,000 in tear-out later.
- Builder-grade cabinets failing at the same time. Particleboard boxes, face frames pulling loose, hinges stripping out. It’s not you. It’s the age of the house. Nearly every original Wells Branch kitchen is cycling through the same failure window right now.
- Unpermitted previous work. Some flippers did kitchen work without Travis County permits. When you go to sell, there’s no record and buyers want a structural retrofit or a price cut. We pull permits on every eligible job and you get the signed inspection. That paper protects you at resale.
Pricing for Kitchen Remodeling in Wells Branch, TX
A full kitchen remodel in Wells Branch typically lands between $14,000 and $45,000. The spread depends on whether you’re reconfiguring the footprint, what finish level you choose, and what’s hiding in the walls when we open them. Small and partial remodels run $9,000 to $20,000. Here’s the line-item breakdown for this market:
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Full Kitchen Remodeling | $14,000 - $45,000 |
| Small Kitchen Remodel | $9,000 - $20,000 |
| Cabinet Installation | $4,000 - $13,000 |
| Countertop Installation | $2,000 - $6,500 |
| Backsplash Installation | $800 - $2,500 |
| Kitchen Island Installation | $3,000 - $10,000 |
These are real numbers for this neighborhood. The final quote depends on scope, and every scope item goes in writing before work starts. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate and we’ll give you a written line-item quote you can actually compare.
One thing that sets Barrett & Sons apart: draw schedules. We don’t ask for 50% upfront on a five-figure kitchen. We structure payments around milestone work so the money matches the progress. That’s the kind of term that matters when you’re writing big checks to someone you just met.
We Also Serve Cities Near Wells Branch
Wells Branch sits at the top of the north Austin corridor, and our crews work the surrounding communities daily: Pflugerville, Anderson Mill, Jollyville, and Brushy Creek. If you’re in one of those areas, the same pricing structures and the same 90-Day Done Right Promise apply. Our Wells Branch service area page covers the neighborhoods we reach from here.
Serving Wells Branch, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Wells Branch area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Kitchen Remodeling in Wells Branch
Cabinets and countertops alone don’t require a permit in unincorporated Travis County. Wells Branch is a MUD community, not an incorporated city, so permitting runs through Travis County. As soon as you touch electrical, plumbing, or remove or alter a load-bearing wall, you need permits and inspections. We handle that entire process, and the inspection sign-off is part of the job. If you’re unsure whether your scope needs one, call (877) 610-1318 and Tom will tell you straight before you spend a dollar.
Look under your kitchen sink. If you see gray plastic supply lines with copper or brass-colored fittings crimped on, that’s polybutylene. It was standard in nearly every Wells Branch home built between 1985 and 1995. We can confirm with an inspection during your free estimate. If it’s there, we’ll include replacement in the written scope so you’re not paying for tear-out after we’ve already installed new cabinetry.
The most common surprise is a load-bearing header that the original builder notched incorrectly to clear a vent line, combined with slab movement that’s thrown the framing slightly out of square. We’ve found this on multiple houses along the same block. It’s not catastrophic, but it does need correction before new cabinets and counters go in. We include a framing line in the original scope on Wells Branch kitchens for this exact reason. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll explain what we typically find before we even open your wall.
Yes, and you should push for it. We work on milestone draw schedules for kitchen remodels: a deposit to lock materials, then draws tied to demo, rough-in inspection, cabinet installation, and final walkthrough. That keeps the money aligned with the work. Any contractor who demands half upfront on a $40,000 job before swinging a hammer should make you pause. We’ve structured it this way since 1998.
Quartz brands like Cambria handle minor slab movement better than natural stone, which is more brittle and prone to cracking along seams when the ground swells and shrinks. Granite is workable if the slab is level and the seam placement accounts for stress points. We’ll check your slab elevation before recommending a material, because in this neighborhood the ground moves more than most people realize. Schedule a free estimate at (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk you through the trade-offs in your actual kitchen.
Get Your Wells Branch Kitchen Remodel Started
If you’re ready to stop living with a kitchen that was builder-grade in 1992, call Barrett & Sons Construction at (877) 610-1318. We’ll schedule a free estimate, walk your kitchen with you, and hand you a written line-item quote with the full scope in writing. No surprises, no change orders that show up without your signature. Just a kitchen that works for the next thirty years.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Wells Branch since 1998.