Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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After
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AfterFast, Reliable Kitchen Remodeling Across Key Largo
A full kitchen remodel in Key Largo typically runs $14,000 to $45,000, with smaller or partial remodels falling between $9,000 and $20,000. The tighter number depends on scope, finish level, and what the existing structure gives us to work with. We’ve been remodeling kitchens here long enough to know that Key Largo homes don’t follow mainland rules. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate and we’ll walk the job with you before quoting a thing.
If you live on Plantation Key, in Stillwright Point, or anywhere along the Overseas Highway corridor in the 33037 zip, you already know that remodeling on this island is a different animal. Salt air eats standard hardware. Pilings settle and shift. Monroe County wants its paperwork done its way. We plan for all of that from the first walkthrough.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Key Largo’s Preferred Kitchen Remodeling Company
We’re Tom Barrett’s crew, and Tom’s been running this company since 1998. His sons run most of the job sites now. When you call, a live person answers, there is a name and a license number attached to the work, and if something isn’t right after we leave, Tom comes back. That’s written into every contract as our 90-Day Done Right Promise.
Key Largo homeowners have dealt with plenty of contractors who bid the mainland way and then hit a wall when the HVHZ review or the floodplain check comes back. We don’t do that. We pull permits on every eligible job, we leave a paper trail on every change order, and we’ve done enough kitchens on this island to know which details will fail inspection if they’re missed at the framing stage.
We’re not the cheapest bid you’ll find in Key Largo. We’re the bid that will stand behind the marina hardware store conversation six months later. Ask anyone on your street or look up the license number yourself. Tom’s name, address, and license number are published, and they’re real.
Our Kitchen Remodeling Services in Key Largo
Full Kitchen Remodeling
Full-gut work in Key Largo means different things on a 1970s CBS stilt home than it does on a newer elevated concrete block build. We’ve opened enough walls here to know where the load paths stop and where the original builders cut corners three decades ago. Full kitchen remodels in Key Largo run $14,000 to $45,000 depending on whether we’re moving walls, replacing windows, or reworking plumbing and electrical. A wall change on a piling-supported home triggers an engineered load-path review, so we bring that engineer in early, not after the wall is half down.
Cabinets & Countertops
Cabinet installation in Key Largo runs $4,000 to $13,000 and countertops land between $2,000 and $6,500. The salt-air problem is real: hardware that’s not stainless or hot-dipped galvanized will show corrosion within a few years. We spec stainless steel anchors and hinges as the baseline here, not the upgrade. If you want Cambria or a solid quartz surface, we’ll get it ordered and checked before the cabinet layout is finalized.
Backsplash, Tile & Flooring
Backsplash work in Key Largo runs $800 to $2,500, and flooring comes in as part of the overall remodel or a standalone job. Humidity here means we don’t rush a tile set. Mortar needs its cure time, especially in the summer months when the relative humidity off Florida Bay spikes. We also recommend moisture-rated tile backboard rather than drywall behind the sink run in these kitchens, because salt air and humidity find every shortcut.
Kitchen Design & Layout
Every Key Largo kitchen gets a layout review before we touch a hammer. Piling homes have column placements that don’t always align with a standard mainland cabinet plan, and the older ones have load-bearing walls in places no one expects. We draw the plans, check clearances, and bring in the engineered details when a wall moves or a window becomes an opening. That’s the difference between a kitchen that fits and one that fights the house. KraftMaid and Cambria are our go-to cabinet and surface lines for new builds and full remodels because we can spec them exactly and they’re names you can look up.
What happens when you call
- 1
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 Key Largo
We stock and install the brands that hold up under salt air and Monroe County’s mandated wind codes. Schluter systems go under our tile work because the moisture barrier matters more in high-humidity slab and piling homes. Sterling fixtures and Grohe fittings appear often because of their marine-grade finishes, but we’re not exclusive to anyone. If you have a brand already specified, we’ll tell you honestly whether it will survive this climate before we order it. No mystery products off the back of a van.
Common Kitchen Remodeling Problems We See in Key Largo Homes
- The missing load-path surprise: homes built before Hurricane Andrew and the HVHZ codes routinely lack roof-to-wall straps and continuous load paths. When we open up a pre-1992 kitchen, we expect to find framing that won’t pass today’s wind-load review, and we engineer the fix rather than hiding it.
- Salt-air corrosion on standard hardware: zinc-plated anchors and stock steel brackets corrode fast in this climate. We replace them with stainless or hot-dipped galvanized hardware as the baseline spec on every Key Largo job.
- Floodplain review gaps: a kitchen on the ground level of a stilt home in an AE or VE zone still triggers FEMA floodplain review when the work is permitted. We file that paperwork with the county rather than skipping it and letting a future insurance claim get denied.
- ROGO permit cap delays: Monroe County’s Rate of Growth Ordinance rations building permits island-wide, so timelines here don’t follow mainland logic. We submit early, track the allocation, and tell you honestly when the county will sign off before we promise a start date.
Pricing for Kitchen Remodeling in Key Largo, FL
Nothing about Key Largo pricing is the same as the mainland. A compliant quote here includes wind-load calculations, floodplains paperwork, stainless hardware, and an engineer’s sign-off, all of which a cheap mainland bid leaves off the paper. We write every scope, allowance, and change order in advance, so the number you sign is the number you pay unless the county adds a condition we all agree on in writing first.
| Service | Typical Key Largo Price Range |
|---|---|
| Full Kitchen Remodel | $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 |
Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate. We’ll walk the job, check the existing structure, and give you a written number that includes everything the county will make us do.
Standing offers we honor in Key Largo: $40 off any repair over $200, a free second opinion on any written estimate, no trip charge inside the county, and a permanent 10% senior and veteran discount.
The permit inspector works for you, not for me. That’s why we like him.
We Also Serve Cities Near Key Largo
We serve the stretch from Florida City down through Homestead and the surrounding South Dade communities, including Leisure City and Naranja. If you’re in one of those areas and need a kitchen remodel, call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll let you know when we can get to you. Dispatch and scheduling for Key Largo run through our South Florida office, so you’ll get a real person on the phone no matter where the truck rolls from.
Serving Key Largo, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Key Largo 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 Key Largo
Cabinets and countertops alone generally do not trigger an HVHZ wind-load review, because they’re not changing the structural envelope of the home. However, if we’re cutting into exterior walls for a new window, vent, or door, or if the home is on pilings and the work touches the load path, Monroe County will require the review. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll tell you upfront what your specific scope triggers before you commit.
If we’re replacing or enlarging window openings, yes, the new openings will need impact-rated windows to meet Monroe County’s HVHZ code. If we’re not touching the windows, the county typically won’t force a retrofit just because we’re in the kitchen. But we’ll flag any existing non-impact windows near the kitchen that could affect a future insurance claim, and we’ll give you a written option, not a surprise mandate. Call (877) 610-1318 for a scope review.
ROGO rations the total number of new construction permits Monroe County issues each year, and some kitchen remodels that add square footage or change the structure can fall under that cap. That means your start date can shift based on the county’s allocation, not our schedule. We file early, track the allocation, and keep you informed in writing. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll check the current ROGO status for your specific project.
Key Largo’s salt air demands stainless steel or hot-dipped galvanized hardware on every cabinet anchor, bracket, and fastener. Standard zinc-plated hardware will start showing rust and structural weakness within a decade, especially in elevated homes with constant airflow underneath. We spec stainless as the baseline, not an upgrade, and we’ll show you the difference in the line item before we order.
You don’t necessarily need floodproofing, but the remodel must satisfy Monroe County’s flood elevation ordinance and pass FEMA floodplain review, especially for any electrical work or wall changes. That’s separate from the HVHZ wind review, and skipping it can put a future hurricane-damage insurance claim at risk. We file both reviews together, and we’ll give you the paperwork trail to show your insurer. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate and we’ll map out what your specific AE or VE zone requires.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Key Largo since 1998.