A full kitchen renovation in a Portland home is not a simple project.

It’s also one of the most worthwhile things you can do to a house like yours.

Portland’s older homes have kitchens that were built for a different era — different appliance sizes, different family habits, different expectations for how a kitchen should work. When the layout is the problem, no surface update fixes it. You need to start over.

We manage full kitchen renovations from demo to final coat. We know what Portland homes look like behind the walls, we plan for what we’re likely to find, and we tell you directly when we find something unexpected.

One contractor. One point of accountability. A kitchen that’s right for your home.

Portland kitchens have specific complications. We plan for them

A full kitchen renovation in a pre-1940 Portland home often involves more than cabinets and countertops. Behind the walls, you may find:

Knob-and-tube wiring. Common in homes built before the 1940s. A kitchen renovation that changes the layout or adds circuits requires electrical work. We coordinate with licensed electricians and tell you what your kitchen needs before work starts.

Galvanized plumbing. Original galvanized pipes corrode from the inside over decades. A kitchen renovation is frequently the right moment to address plumbing that’s on its way out — before a wall is closed up again for another thirty years.

Undersized insulation. Maine winters are serious. When walls are open, improving insulation is straightforward. We flag the opportunity and let you decide.

Non-standard framing. Older homes weren’t built to today’s stud spacing. Cabinet installation in a century-old house requires knowing where the structure actually is, not where a stud finder says it might be.

None of this is a reason not to renovate. It’s a reason to hire a contractor who knows what they’re dealing with.

How the project works

Discovery and Planning We walk your kitchen, understand how you use it, and ask the questions that change what we recommend. We’re not writing a number on the first visit — we’re figuring out what your kitchen actually needs.

Design and Selection Layout, cabinets, countertops, flooring, fixtures — in the right order, before demo starts. Decisions made after work begins cost time and money. We’d rather get them right before the first wall comes down.

Demolition Controlled and contained. We protect the rest of your home. When we find something behind the walls — and in Portland, we often do — we document it, tell you what it means, and give you options.

Rough Work Framing changes, electrical, plumbing — coordinated and done to code. In older homes this is frequently more involved than in new construction. We sequence it correctly so nothing has to be redone.

Installation Cabinets hung plumb and level. Countertops templated and cut to fit. Flooring laid to the layout. We don’t rush this phase because the installation phase is where the finish is made or broken.

Finishing Trim, paint, hardware. The work that determines how the project looks for the next twenty years. We finish the same way we build — without shortcuts.

Walkthrough We walk through the completed project with you before we consider it done. Everything works. Everything is clean. Nothing left open.

What an updated kitchen returns here

Portland’s real estate market is competitive. Homes are going to pending in under two weeks. Buyers arriving from Boston and New York have seen well-finished kitchens — they know the difference between a kitchen that was done right and one that was done to sell.

A full kitchen renovation done correctly in a Portland home is among the highest-return investments you can make before listing. Done poorly, it raises questions. Done well, it’s the reason your house goes pending in nine days.

Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook

We do full kitchen renovations throughout our service area. If you’re nearby and unsure, call us.

Let’s talk about your kitchen renovation.

No obligation. One conversation to understand your project and give you an honest read on what it involves.

Or fill out the short form and we’ll reach out within one business day.