Kitchen remodels go over budget for predictable reasons, and electrical is near the top of the list. Homeowners in Arlington Heights and Evanston budget carefully for cabinets, counters, and appliances — then discover during demo that the 1962 kitchen has two circuits serving everything, no GFCI protection, and a panel with no room to add anything.
This guide covers exactly what the electrical code requires in a remodeled kitchen, what it costs, and how to avoid the mid-project surprise that stalls your job for two weeks.
What Modern Code Requires in a Kitchen
When you remodel a kitchen to the point of opening walls or replacing appliances and counters, the new work has to meet current code. Here is the short version of what an inspector will look for in most Cook County municipalities.
Two 20-amp small appliance branch circuits, minimum
Countertop receptacles must be served by at least two dedicated 20-amp circuits. These circuits serve only the kitchen countertop, pantry, and dining area receptacles — no lighting, no fixed appliances. In practice we often install three or four so a toaster oven and an air fryer do not trip each other.
Dedicated circuits for fixed appliances
- Refrigerator: its own 20-amp circuit (strongly recommended, and required in many jurisdictions)
- Dishwasher: dedicated 20-amp circuit
- Garbage disposal: dedicated 20-amp circuit (can be shared with dishwasher only where local code allows and load calculations permit)
- Microwave / over-range unit: dedicated 20-amp circuit
- Electric range or cooktop: dedicated 240V circuit, typically 40–50 amps
- Wall oven: its own 240V circuit if separate from the cooktop
- Gas range: still needs a 120V receptacle for igniter and controls
GFCI protection on all countertop receptacles
Every 125V receptacle serving the countertop requires GFCI protection, as does the dishwasher circuit and any receptacle within six feet of the sink. Newer code cycles also extend GFCI requirements to 240V kitchen appliance outlets in many adopted versions — a detail that catches people replacing an electric range.
Receptacle spacing
No point along the countertop wall may be more than 24 inches from a receptacle, meaning outlets roughly every four feet. Islands and peninsulas have their own requirements, and recent code cycles changed how island receptacles may be installed — under-counter and side-mount locations that were once common are now restricted in favor of pop-up or above-counter placements.
AFCI protection
Kitchen branch circuits generally require AFCI protection in addition to GFCI. Dual-function breakers handle both.
Lighting
Kitchen lighting must be on its own circuit, separate from the appliance circuits, and most jurisdictions require high-efficacy fixtures. Under-cabinet lighting and its transformers/drivers need to be accounted for in the design.
What This Actually Costs
| Work Item | Typical Cost (2026, north/northwest suburbs) |
|---|---|
| New 20-amp small appliance circuit (per circuit) | $350–$750 |
| Dedicated 240V range circuit | $600–$1,400 |
| GFCI/AFCI dual-function breaker (each) | $70–$140 installed |
| Recessed lighting, per can (new construction/remodel) | $150–$300 |
| Under-cabinet lighting run | $400–$1,100 |
| Island receptacle (pop-up or code-compliant location) | $400–$900 |
| Full kitchen rough-in + trim (typical remodel) | $3,500–$9,000 |
| 200-amp panel upgrade, if required | $2,800–$5,500 |
Ranges reflect typical Arlington Heights and Evanston projects and depend on wall access, panel location, and whether the home has plaster or drywall. We provide flat-rate pricing after a walkthrough.
The Panel Problem — The Most Common Budget Surprise
A modern kitchen adds six to nine circuits. Many Arlington Heights homes from the 1950s–70s have 100-amp panels that are already full, and Evanston has a large stock of older homes with 60- or 100-amp service and Federal Pacific or Zinsco panels that no electrician will add to.
Three things to check before you sign a remodel contract:
- Service size. Look at the main breaker. If it says 100 and you are adding an electric range, induction cooktop, or planning an EV charger or heat pump later, plan on a 200-amp service upgrade.
- Available spaces. Count empty breaker slots. Fewer than eight and your kitchen will not fit without a sub-panel or upgrade.
- Panel brand. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, Challenger, and Pushmatic panels have known failure histories. If you have one, replacement is the right move regardless of the remodel.
Finding this out during demo costs you two weeks and a change order. Finding it out during planning costs you a phone call.
Sequencing: When the Electrician Should Be There
A kitchen remodel involves the electrician on at least three separate visits, and skipping one causes rework:
- Pre-demo walkthrough. Verify panel capacity, plan circuits against the appliance spec sheets, price the work, and pull the permit. This is where surprises should surface.
- Rough-in. After demo and framing, before drywall and cabinets. All wiring is run, boxes set, and the rough inspection happens. Cabinet layout must be final by this point — moving an island after rough-in means opening a floor.
- Trim-out. After counters and cabinets are in. Devices, plates, fixtures, appliance connections, and final inspection.
Get your appliance spec sheets to the electrician at step one. A 36-inch induction range needing a 50-amp circuit and an over-range microwave with a specific outlet location will change the rough-in — and induction is where we see the most surprises, because homeowners switch from gas to induction late in the process.
Planning Ahead: What to Add While the Walls Are Open
The marginal cost of extra circuits during rough-in is small compared to adding them later. While the drywall is off, consider:
- A spare 20-amp circuit to a pantry or coffee station
- Wiring for future induction even if you are installing gas now — a 50-amp run costs a fraction of what it will after the kitchen is finished
- USB-C receptacles at the desk or charging area
- Dedicated circuit for a beverage fridge or ice maker
- Whole-house surge protection at the panel — cheap insurance for a kitchen full of electronics
- Capacity planning for an EV charger or heat pump, since if the panel is being touched anyway, sizing for the next ten years costs almost nothing extra
Permits and Inspections
Arlington Heights, Evanston, Palatine, and virtually every surrounding municipality require an electrical permit for kitchen remodel work, with rough and final inspections. Evanston in particular is strict about licensed contractor requirements and inspection scheduling.
Unpermitted electrical work in a kitchen is a problem twice: once when a home inspector finds it during a sale, and once if there is ever a fire and an insurer asks. We pull permits on every job and handle inspection scheduling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reuse the existing kitchen wiring?
Sometimes, if the wire is in good condition, properly sized, and grounded. But most pre-1970 kitchens have two-wire ungrounded circuits or aluminum branch wiring, neither of which can serve a modern kitchen. We evaluate what is there before assuming replacement.
Do I need a permit if I’m just replacing cabinets and counters?
If no wiring is altered, often not. But moving a single receptacle, changing appliance locations, or adding under-cabinet lighting triggers permit requirements in most local jurisdictions.
How long does the electrical portion take?
Rough-in for a typical kitchen is one to two days. Trim-out is one day. Panel upgrades add one day plus a ComEd coordination window for the meter disconnect and reconnect.
What if my house has knob-and-tube wiring?
Knob-and-tube in a kitchen must be replaced — it is ungrounded, cannot be buried in insulation, and insurers increasingly refuse to cover homes that have it. A kitchen remodel is a good opportunity to replace at least the affected circuits.
Do you offer financing?
Yes. We offer Sunbit and PowerPay financing on electrical projects including panel upgrades.
Plan the Electrical Before You Order the Cabinets
MMDS handles electrical, HVAC, and plumbing for kitchen remodels in Arlington Heights, Evanston, and across the Chicago suburbs — which means one contractor coordinating the range hood venting, the gas or 240V range connection, the dishwasher supply, and the panel capacity instead of three companies pointing at each other.
Call (847) 221-6280 or book a remodel planning visit. We will look at your panel and your appliance list and tell you exactly what the electrical will cost before you commit to a design.