Delray Beach kitchens come in three flavors: the 1950s ranch galley west of I-95 that hasn't changed since Eisenhower, the tiny 1930s bungalow kitchen near Pineapple Grove, and the beachside condo kitchen with an HOA rulebook thicker than the building. I've remodeled all three.
Here's what I'm not going to do: throw a price at your kitchen without seeing it. Any contractor who quotes a kitchen blind is guessing — and guesses have a way of doubling once the demolition starts.
What I *will* do is tell you exactly what drives the cost, where the money goes, and the Delray-specific wrinkles that change the math — so when I come out and give you a real number, you'll know it's real.
I'm Joe. I run Onel Construction out of Boca Raton. Fifteen years remodeling kitchens across South Florida — houses, condos, historic bungalows, all of it.
Where the Money Goes in a Kitchen Remodel
Every kitchen breaks down the same way. Here's the honest anatomy:
Cabinets — the biggest line item. Refacing your existing boxes (new doors, new drawer fronts) costs a fraction of full replacement. Stock cabinets are the value play. Semi-custom gets you the sizes and finishes you actually want. Full custom is beautiful and priced like it. Most of my customers land in the middle — and that's usually the smart money.
Counters. Laminate is the budget option and there's no shame in it. Quartz is what most people choose now — tough, low maintenance, looks great. Granite, marble, butcher block — each has trade-offs I'll walk you through. The material is only half the cost; fabrication and installation is the rest.
Layout changes. The silent budget killer. Keeping your sink, stove, and fridge where they are? Reasonable. Moving plumbing, gas, or electrical across the kitchen? Every move is labor, permits, and inspections. A bad layout is a bad layout and sometimes it's worth fixing — but go in with your eyes open.
The stuff you don't see. In Delray's older homes, this line item matters more than most places. Electrical panels that predate modern code. Galvanized plumbing behind the walls. Plaster instead of drywall. I don't know what's back there until we open it up, and neither does anyone else. I budget honestly for the unknowns instead of pretending they don't exist.
Delray's Older Homes Change the Math
A 1950s ranch in west Delray and a new build in west Boca are not the same remodel. Older homes have non-standard dimensions — nothing is square, nothing is level, and the "standard" cabinet sizes assume a world your house was never part of. That means more custom fitting, more trim carpentry, more skilled labor hours.
And if your home sits in one of Delray's five historic districts — Old School Square, Marina, Del-Ida Park, Nassau Park, West Settlers — exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city. Moving a window, changing an exterior wall, touching the facade: that's a review process, and it has to happen before work starts. Interior layout changes are generally fine, but the moment your kitchen remodel touches the outside of the house, we're filing paperwork first. I handle that.
Condo Kitchens East of A1A
Delray's beachside condos are their own animal. HOA approvals before anything starts. Limited work hours. Elevator reservations for every material delivery. Plumbing stacks you can't move because the unit below you exists.
I've done this dance many times. I know what the HOAs ask for, I build the logistics into the plan instead of discovering them mid-job, and I schedule around the restrictions. Bring me your building's requirements and I'll work inside them.
How to Not Get Burned
Deposits. A reasonable deposit is normal — materials have to be ordered. A contractor demanding most of the money upfront is a red flag the size of a billboard. My payment schedules are tied to completed milestones. You pay as real work gets done.
The allowance game. Some contractors bid low with tiny "allowances" for cabinets, counters, and fixtures — numbers so small you can't actually buy anything decent. Then every selection becomes a change order and the price balloons. I spec realistic numbers from the start.
One throat to choke. Onel Construction is a licensed general contractor — CGC1511492. Plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, cabinets — I run the whole job. You make one phone call: mine. (561) 462-9293.
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What About Cost? The Honest Answer
I price every kitchen in person after I see it, measure it, and talk through what you want. What I can tell you now:
- Small refreshes (paint, fixtures, minor updates) can finance from $120/month with approved credit through Acorn.
- Full remodels typically land in the $200s–$300s/month range, with rates as low as 4.49% APR with approved credit.
- The layout, the cabinets, and the age of the house drive the number — not the zip code.
Free in-home estimate. I'll measure, we'll talk scope, and you'll get a real price for your actual kitchen.
Beat the Quote
Send me your best written quote and I'll beat anybody's price on the same scope — or you get a $50 Amazon gift card. If I beat it, you get an additional $1,000 off the written price. Same scope, free in-home measurement, one per household.
Call or text (561) 462-9293.
Why Onel Construction
Twenty-five years of experience behind the license. Licensed and insured — CGC1511492. I don't send a salesman — I come out myself. Delray Beach, Boca Raton, all of Palm Beach County, Broward for the right job. One contractor, one phone number, start to finish.
Related Services
- Kitchen Remodeling in Boca Raton — my main kitchen page, same honest process.
- Bathroom Remodeling in Delray Beach — kitchens and baths pair well in one project.
- Impact Windows in Delray Beach — while you're investing in the house, harden it too.
Kitchen Remodel Questions I Hear a Lot
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
A full remodel usually runs four to six weeks of actual work once we start, depending on scope. In Delray, permit reviews take their time, so we file early and keep the job moving.
Can we live in the house during the remodel?
Yes — most of my customers do. You'll be without a full kitchen for part of the job, so plan for that. I sequence the work so you're not living in a construction zone a day longer than necessary.
My home is in a historic district — does that change anything?
For the interior, usually not much — layout changes inside are generally fine. But the moment the remodel touches the outside of the house (moving a window, changing a wall), we're filing for a Certificate of Appropriateness first. I handle that.
Do you handle the permits and the HOA?
Yes. I pull the permits, and if your building has an HOA, bring me their requirements and I'll build the plan around them.
Let's Talk About Your Delray Kitchen
Call or text (561) 462-9293 — or reach me through https://onelconstruction.com. Free in-home estimate. I'll look at the space, listen to what you want, and give you a straight price — no games, no pressure.
Onel Construction LLC — Delray Beach, Florida. Licensed & insured — CGC1511492.
*Prices on this page are averages from recent jobs — I set them before the latest round of tariff-driven material increases, so treat them as ballparks, not quotes. Your free in-home estimate always uses current numbers. — Joe*
