Kitchen Remodeling & Design in Bend, Oregon

Our picks are Neil Kelly for all-in-one design and build, Surface Kitchen & Bath for a kitchen and bath specialist with a showroom, Sierra James Construction for big layout changes, Bend Craftsmen Company for a small owner-run builder, Kitchen Tune-Up for a budget cabinet refresh and Emily Cathcart Designs for independent design. Choice NW Construction stands out in Sisters and Black Butte, and Appel Design & Construction in Sunriver. Call two or three and compare written estimates.

Decide how big the project is first: a cabinet refresh, new cabinets in the same layout, or a full redesign. Then call two or three companies that do that kind of work, check their Oregon CCB license, look at kitchens they have finished, and compare written estimates that list the same things.

Local companies that post prices put most full kitchen remodels between about $45,000 and $150,000: Almog Construction lists $45,000 to $110,000+ and Rockin’ K GC lists $50,000 to $150,000 for a new kitchen in the same layout, with layout-changing remodels often $150,000+. Neil Kelly’s tiers run $55,000 to $330,000+. In the 2025 Cost vs Value report, the closest Oregon market (Medford) averaged $25,827 for a midrange minor remodel, $75,822 for a midrange major remodel and $150,741 for an upscale remodel.

Not for cabinets, countertops, tile, paint and similar finish work; Oregon’s residential code exempts them from a building permit. You do need permits for new wiring, moved plumbing, gas lines, ducted range hoods and any wall or structural change. Inside Bend city limits, apply through the City of Bend’s Online Permit Center; outside the city, Deschutes County handles most permits.

The City of Bend says permit review takes anywhere from a few days to several weeks depending on the project. Trade-only permits for wiring or plumbing are usually quick; a remodel that moves walls needs plan review. Permits expire if no inspection is requested within 180 days.

Yes, homeowners can do work on their own home and pull their own permits in Bend. You cannot do it yourself on a home that is rented or leased; that work must be done by a licensed contractor. Anyone you pay to do construction work must hold an Oregon CCB license.

In the 2025 Cost vs Value report, a midrange minor kitchen remodel recouped about 115% of its cost at resale in Medford, Oregon, and 129% across the Pacific region. Major remodels recouped 36% to 57%. Bigger remodels are mostly for how you live, not resale.

A cabinet refresh can take days to a couple of weeks. A full remodel commonly runs 6 to 12 weeks of construction after design, with cabinet lead times and permits adding to that. Neil Kelly quotes 3 to 5 months start to finish for a refresh, 5 to 8 months for a same-footprint kitchen and 8 to 12 months for a full redesign.

Design-build firms like Neil Kelly, Surface Kitchen & Bath and Sierra James handle design and construction under one contract. An independent designer like Emily Cathcart lets you bid the same plan to several builders. Design-build is simpler; separate design gives you more price comparison.

For homes built before 1978, Oregon requires contractors who disturb painted surfaces to hold a CCB lead-based paint renovation license; our compare table marks which remodelers have one. For homes with four or fewer units built before Jan. 1, 2004, an asbestos survey is required before a remodel permit that includes demolition.

Quartz is the low-maintenance favorite. Granite and quartzite handle heat well and need sealing. Porcelain and ultracompact slabs resist heat and UV. Butcher block looks great but needs frequent oiling in our dry climate.

Induction works the same at 3,600 feet as at sea level and boils water fast, while gas appliances may need high-altitude adjustment. Check Oregon’s HEAR program for rebate status if your household is income-qualified.

Search the business on the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license lookup. It shows license status, bond, insurance and complaint history. Note that the license can be under a different legal name than the brand, for example Kitchen Tune-Up Bend Redmond is licensed as Lentz Family Enterprises LLC.

If they are clean, complete and working, donate them to the Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 224 NE Thurston Ave, or schedule a pick-up. Anything else can go to Knott Landfill’s recycling and transfer facility.