Kitchen Remodel – Philadelphia, PA
This 15’ × 12’ (180-square-foot) kitchen in Philadelphia was converted from a standard enclosed layout to an open-concept design. The project included new electrical wiring for modern appliances, new windows and doors, a granite countertop, a tile backsplash, and new appliances. At $19,800 for 180 square feet with a structural layout change and full systems update, this reflects what a committed open-concept kitchen conversion involves in Philadelphia.
Scope of Work
- Standard kitchen converted to open-concept layout
- New electrical wiring for modern appliances
- New windows installed
- New doors installed
- Granite countertop installed
- Tile backsplash installed
- New appliances installed
Converting a 15’ × 12’ Kitchen to Open Concept
A 15-foot by 12-foot kitchen is a fairly standard size for a Philadelphia home — large enough to function as a kitchen, but small enough that an enclosing wall between the kitchen and the adjacent room makes the space feel noticeably bounded. Converting that layout to open concept by removing the separating wall changes how both rooms read: the kitchen gains visual depth into the next space, the adjacent room gains the kitchen’s square footage in its sightline, and the combined area functions as a larger, more connected zone.
The critical planning question in any wall removal is whether the wall is load-bearing. A load-bearing wall carries the weight of the structure above it — floor, ceiling, or roof — and cannot come down without a beam or header installed to take over that load. The beam spans the opening and transfers the load to the structure on each side, typically at a post or at the end of the wall where the original framing provided support. Getting this structural assessment and the beam installation right before any finish work begins is what makes an open-concept conversion safe and permanent rather than a problem that shows up later as settling, cracking, or sagging above the opening.
New Electrical Wiring
New wiring was installed throughout the kitchen to support the modern appliance load. In a Philadelphia home built in an earlier era, the original kitchen wiring was not designed for the dedicated circuits that a modern kitchen requires: refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and range each need their own circuit to prevent overload. Running new wiring during a kitchen remodel — when the walls are open and the electrician has unobstructed access to the framing — is the correct time to do this work.
The open-concept conversion also changes the electrical scope: outlets and switches that were on the wall that was removed have to be relocated, and the new open layout may require additional outlet positions along the kitchen perimeter to meet current code. In Pennsylvania, bathroom and kitchen outlet placement near water is governed by code, and a kitchen remodel with a permit is inspected for code compliance at the rough-in phase.
New Windows and Doors
New windows were installed as part of this remodel. Window replacement in a Philadelphia kitchen serves two practical purposes beyond appearance: thermal performance and natural light. Older single-pane windows in Philadelphia rowhouses and twins lose significant heat in winter through conduction and air infiltration at the frame seals. Double-pane windows with modern frame materials reduce that loss and improve the kitchen’s comfort during the months when the space is most used.
The window placement in an open-concept kitchen also affects how light moves through the combined kitchen and adjacent space. A window that previously lit a walled-in kitchen now lights both zones once the separating wall is removed, which can meaningfully increase the natural light in the adjacent room.
New doors were installed as part of the finish package. In a kitchen remodel where walls are being removed and the layout is changing, door positions and door swings have to be re-evaluated in the context of the new floor plan — a door that worked in the original layout may swing into a traffic path or into a cabinet run in the revised layout. The new doors were specified as part of the updated layout rather than carried over from the original.
Granite Countertop and Tile Backsplash
A granite countertop was installed across the kitchen’s counter run. Granite is a natural stone that requires periodic sealing to maintain its staining resistance, and each slab has its own variation in color and veining that makes the installation unique. The countertop template is taken from the installed cabinets — the slab is cut to the correct dimensions at the fabricator based on those measurements, then set and sealed on-site.
A tile backsplash was installed in the zone between the countertop and the upper cabinets. The backsplash is the design element at eye level that connects the countertop to the cabinet surfaces above it and sets the visual character of the wall behind the primary work surface. In a kitchen with granite countertops, the backsplash selection often takes its color cue from the granite — a complementary tone or a neutral that lets the granite read as the primary surface.
New Appliances
New appliances were installed throughout the kitchen. In a remodel that includes new electrical wiring, the appliance selection can be made based on current energy efficiency standards and the household’s needs rather than on what the existing wiring can accommodate. Each major appliance was connected to its own dedicated circuit as part of the wiring update, ensuring that no shared circuit creates overload risk during simultaneous use.
Kitchen Remodeling in Philadelphia
Philadelphia’s residential housing stock spans a wide range of ages and kitchen configurations. Open-concept kitchen conversions are one of the most common high-investment kitchen projects in older Philadelphia homes, where the original floor plans separated the kitchen from the rest of the living space in a way that no longer reflects how households use their homes. Belmax Remodeling works throughout Philadelphia on kitchen remodels at all scopes. For more on our kitchen work, see our kitchen remodeling service page. Homeowners in Philadelphia can also visit our Philadelphia kitchen remodeling page for more completed local projects.
Considering a Similar Project?
Open-concept kitchen conversions in the 180-square-foot range with new electrical, windows, doors, granite countertop, backsplash, and appliances typically fall in the $17,000–$24,000 range in Philadelphia. This project came in at $19,800, completed June 2018. To discuss what your kitchen would involve, request a free estimate.