Kitchen Renovation Pricing Guide UK — Full Costs and Labour Breakdown (2026)

What Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost?

The enormous price range for kitchen renovations is driven by four main variables: the quality of the units, worktop material, appliance specification, and the extent of structural or services work required. A budget kitchen in an existing opening with no plumbing moves is a very different job from a premium kitchen with a new island, relocated boiler and underfloor heating.

As a kitchen fitter, it helps to frame every quote around these variables from the outset. Customers who see a £5,000 kitchen on Instagram and expect it fitted for £12,000 all-in need to understand where their spend is actually going. Knowing the full cost breakdown gives you the authority to have that conversation.

• Budget kitchen renovation (fully fitted): £5,000–£10,000. IKEA or B&Q units, laminate worktops, freestanding or basic integrated appliances. Assumes no structural changes and a straightforward layout.
• Mid-range kitchen renovation (fully fitted): £10,000–£20,000. Howdens, Wren or Magnet units, quartz worktops, integrated appliances from a mid-range brand. Most kitchen renovation projects fall in this bracket.
• Premium kitchen renovation (fully fitted): £20,000–£60,000+. Bespoke or high-specification units (Shaker, John Lewis of Hungerford, or similar), granite or composite worktops, Siemens or Miele appliances, often with structural changes and an island.

Budget, Mid-Range and Premium: What You Get

The tier of kitchen has a significant impact on the fitting experience, not just the finished result. Budget flat-pack kitchens (IKEA, B&Q) require more assembly time on site and the components are less precise — you will spend longer adjusting, shimming and scribing than on a trade kitchen from Howdens or Wren where everything is pre-drilled to tighter tolerances.

Mid-range trade kitchens from Howdens, Wren, Magnet or Benchmarx are the most common jobs for UK kitchen fitters. Units are rigid or frameless construction, worktops are cut to your template, and the ranges are designed around a standard 870mm floor unit height with 720mm base units — which speeds up fitting considerably.

Premium and bespoke kitchens require more care with installation — hand-painted finishes scratch easily, large-format worktops require specialist templating companies, and appliances at this specification come with more complex installation requirements (flush-fit, ventilation, plumbing for steam ovens). Your day rate should reflect this.

Full Cost Breakdown

Below is a typical breakdown of costs for a standard kitchen renovation — a 3 to 4 metre L-shaped or galley kitchen with ten to fifteen units, a new worktop, integrated appliances and a new sink. Costs shown are approximate UK 2026 figures.

Worktop Options and Pricing

Worktops are one of the most visible cost variables in a kitchen renovation and one of the areas where customers most commonly underestimate spend. The material drives not just the supply cost but also the installation approach — laminate worktops are cut and fitted by the kitchen fitter, while quartz, granite and Dekton require a specialist templating and fabrication company.

• Laminate (postform or square-edge): £200–£600. The most affordable option. Cut and joined on site using a jigsaw and router. Vulnerable to water ingress at joins if not sealed correctly — always recommend thorough sealing around sinks and hob cutouts.
• Solid oak or timber: £600–£1,500. Requires oiling on installation and periodic maintenance. Not suitable for wet areas without careful sealing. Popular in farmhouse-style kitchens. Cut and fitted by the kitchen fitter.
• Quartz (Silestone, Caesarstone, or similar): £1,500–£4,000. Templated after units are fitted and fabricated off-site — allow 1–2 weeks between unit fit and worktop installation. Non-porous, very durable. Standard for mid-range and above kitchens.
• Granite: £1,500–£4,000. Natural stone with similar templating requirements to quartz. Each slab is unique. Price varies significantly with stone type and thickness. Heavy — structural support for overhanging sections may be needed.
• Dekton or porcelain: £2,000–£5,000. Ultra-compact surface or large-format porcelain. Extremely hard-wearing and heat-resistant. Specialist fabrication essential — brittle during cutting and requires experienced installers.

Important for kitchen fitters: when quartz, granite or Dekton is specified, your programme must account for the templating gap. Units go in, worktops are templated, fabrication takes 7–14 days, then you return to finish plumbing and electrics after the worktop is dropped in. Build this into your timeline and payment terms from the start.

Appliances: What to Budget

Appliances are often the most emotionally charged part of a kitchen for homeowners — and one of the areas where costs can spiral quickly. Mid-range integrated appliances from brands like Bosch, Neff, AEG or Zanussi are the most common specification. Premium buyers often specify Siemens, Miele or Gaggenau, which significantly changes the appliance budget.

• Integrated fridge-freezer: £400–£1,500. Budget for a 70/30 or 50/50 split. Premium models (Liebherr, Miele) can exceed £2,000.
• Integrated dishwasher: £300–£1,000. Full-size 60cm. Slimline versions for smaller kitchens: £250–£700.
• Oven: £300–£1,500. Single or double. Budget for a Hotpoint or Beko at the lower end; Neff slide-and-hide or Siemens at the upper end.
• Hob: £200–£1,000. Gas, induction or ceramic. Induction hobs require a dedicated circuit — confirm with the electrician before the appliance is ordered. Premium induction with flex zones: £600–£1,200.
• Extractor: £200–£800. Canopy, chimney or integrated downdraft. Ceiling extractor or central island extractor adds significant ductwork costs. Recirculating models avoid ductwork but require filter replacement.

Always confirm appliance dimensions before ordering units. Integrated appliances must match the housing dimensions exactly — a 10mm mismatch causes significant rework. Get model numbers from the customer before final ordering and check the installation instructions, particularly for fridge-freezers with ventilation requirements.

Labour Costs for Kitchen Fitters

Kitchen fitting labour is typically quoted as a fixed price for the full fit, or as a day rate for straightforward jobs with a clear scope. Understanding your day rate and how long a kitchen takes is the foundation of accurate quoting.

• Kitchen fitter day rate: £180–£300/day for a sole trader. London and South East adds a 20–30% premium — expect £220–£380/day in these areas. A two-man gang runs £350–£550/day and significantly reduces programme time on larger kitchens.
• Fitting labour for a standard kitchen (supply and fit): £2,000–£6,000. This covers unit installation, worktop fitting (laminate), plinth and cornice, pelmet, and final adjustments. Assumes a 3–4 metre run with ten to fifteen units and no complex features.
• Programme: 5–10 days for a typical kitchen from delivery to handover. A straightforward galley or L-shaped kitchen with a sole trader takes 5–7 days. An L-shaped kitchen with an island, stone worktops (requiring a return visit after templating) and multiple sub-trades takes 8–12 days across the full programme.
• Supply and fit vs fit only. Most kitchen fitters prefer to supply the units — better margin, and no blame game when client-supplied units arrive damaged or with missing parts. If you offer a fit-only service for customer-supplied units, price at a higher day rate to reflect the additional risk: you cannot control quality, completeness or delivery timing when you're not the supplier.

What Drives Costs Higher

Several factors can take a kitchen renovation from the mid-range estimate to double the budget. Be explicit about these in your quotes — both to protect yourself and to educate the customer before work starts.

• Removing a wall (RSJ installation): £1,500–£4,000 for a structural engineer's calculation, building regulations approval, steel beam supply and installation by a structural steelwork contractor. Open-plan kitchen-diners are extremely popular — factor in the full cost including temporary propping and making good.
• Moving plumbing: Relocating the sink or adding connections for a dishwasher or boiling water tap adds £400–£1,000 in plumbing labour. Moving waste to a new position on a solid concrete floor is significantly more — the floor may need breaking out, which adds groundwork costs.
• Adding an island: An island requires additional electrical sockets (ideally flush-fit or pop-up), potentially a plumbing connection for a second sink or wine cooler, and structural assessment if it sits over a joist that needs noggin support. Budget an additional £2,000–£5,000 for a fully fitted island with worktop.
• Underfloor heating: Electric UFH under a kitchen floor adds £15–£30/m² supply and fit. Wet UFH connected to the heating system adds considerably more and requires a plumber and heating engineer. Make clear this is a separate cost from the kitchen fit itself.
• Respraying existing units: Some customers want to respray existing units rather than replace them. This is a specialist service — not a kitchen fitting job. Costs run £800–£2,500 for a full kitchen respray by a professional sprayer. Do not price this as part of a standard kitchen installation quote.
• Boiling water tap installation: A Quooker or similar boiling water tap requires a dedicated cold supply feed, a filter under the sink, and a connection to a power outlet. Add £200–£400 in plumbing labour on top of the unit cost (£600–£1,200 for the tap itself).

How to Quote a Kitchen Fit

A site visit is essential before committing to a fixed price. Kitchen quotes based on plans or photos regularly lead to margin loss — existing kitchens rarely match what the customer describes, and hidden issues (out-of-square walls, redundant pipework, poorly positioned waste) only become visible in person.

• Measure and plan. Take your own measurements. Do not rely on the kitchen supplier's drawn plan for fitting — check every dimension against the actual room. Walls out of square, ceiling height changes and bulkheads all affect how units fit and what scribing is required.
• Confirm all appliances. Get model numbers for every integrated appliance before finalising the quote. Check installation requirements: ventilation clearances for fridge-freezers, electrical load for induction hobs, duct diameter for extractors. A mismatch here causes expensive rework.
• Check existing plumbing and electrical scope. Where is the existing waste? Is there a gas supply for a gas hob, or will the customer be switching to induction? Is there a 13-amp socket in the right place for an oven, or does a new circuit need running? Confirm the scope of works for the electrician and plumber before pricing their element.
• Assess structural scope. Any wall removal, floor structure changes or ceiling modifications should be flagged as requiring a separate structural assessment — do not absorb this into your kitchen fitting quote unless you have the qualifications and insurance to cover it.
• Set a realistic timeline. Most fitted kitchens take 5–14 days from delivery to completion, depending on complexity and sub-trades. Give the customer a programme with key milestones — delivery day, unit installation, worktop template visit, worktop installation, second fix. Be clear that the worktop lead time is outside your control once the template is taken.

Payment Terms and Avoiding Problems

Kitchen renovations involve significant material outlay before a single unit goes on the wall. Protecting your cash position with clear payment terms is non-negotiable.

• Standard payment structure: 25% deposit on acceptance to secure the booking and cover planning time. 25% on delivery of units — this covers your material outlay from the supplier. 50% on completion once snagging is resolved. Never start work without a deposit in place.
• Inspect deliveries before fitting. Damaged units from the supplier become your problem once they are fitted. Open every box on delivery day and inspect doors, drawer fronts and panels before a single screw goes in. Photograph any damage immediately and notify the supplier before proceeding. This is especially important for painted or high-gloss doors where transit damage is common.
• Worktop templating sequence. Stone worktops (quartz, granite, Dekton) must be templated after units are fully fitted and level — never before. The templating company templates from the actual installed units, not from a plan. Fitting worktops before templating, or templating before units are plumb and level, leads to joins that do not close and overhangs that vary across the run.
• Appliance clearances. Always check appliance installation guides for clearance requirements before cutting housing openings. Fridge-freezers require ventilation at top, sides or rear depending on the model. Ovens require a minimum distance from combustible material. Induction hobs require clearance above for heat dissipation. Getting this wrong means the appliance warranty is void — and the customer will blame you.
• Snagging period. Include a snagging visit in your quote, scheduled 2–4 weeks after handover. This allows time for doors to settle, for the customer to identify any adjustment needed, and for you to return with a positive resolution rather than being called back reactively. It builds trust and generates referrals.