Kitchen Fitter
How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in the UK?
The kitchen is usually the most expensive room in the house to renovate, and the one where costs run away from you the fastest. Every decision, from the units to the worktops to the taps, adds to the bill. This guide breaks down exactly where the money goes so you can plan a renovation that fits your budget without cutting corners where it matters.
Quick cost summary
A full kitchen renovation (units, worktops, appliances, tiling, flooring, plumbing and electrics) costs between £6,000 and £20,000 for an average-sized kitchen, with most homeowners spending around £10,000 to £12,000.
That breaks down into roughly 40% on units and worktops, 25% on appliances, and 35% on labour (fitting, plumbing, electrics, tiling, flooring). The split shifts depending on whether you go for budget flat-pack units or a high-end showroom kitchen.
Budget, mid-range, and premium
| Level | Total cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | £6,000-£8,000 | Flat-pack units (IKEA, Wickes), laminate worktops, basic appliances, vinyl flooring. Looks good, does the job. |
| Mid-range | £10,000-£15,000 | Trade-quality units (Howdens, Magnet), quartz or solid wood worktops, integrated appliances, tiled splashback, LVT flooring. |
| Premium | £15,000-£25,000+ | Bespoke or high-end units, granite/quartz worktops, premium appliances, island, underfloor heating, full rewire. |
The biggest jump in cost is between budget and mid-range, driven mostly by the units and worktop material. Going from mid-range to premium adds luxury but the functional difference is smaller.
Where the money goes
Here is how a typical mid-range kitchen renovation at around £12,000 breaks down:
| Item | Cost range | % of total |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen units (base + wall) | £2,000-£5,000 | 20-30% |
| Worktops | £500-£4,000 | 5-20% |
| Appliances (oven, hob, extractor, fridge, dishwasher) | £1,500-£4,000 | 15-25% |
| Fitting labour | £3,000-£5,000 | 25-35% |
| Plumbing + electrics | £500-£1,500 | 5-10% |
| Tiling + flooring | £500-£1,500 | 5-10% |
| Plastering + painting | £300-£800 | 3-5% |
Kitchen units
This is where the price range is widest. A full set of base and wall units for an average kitchen (10 to 12 units) costs:
- Flat-pack (IKEA, Wickes): £1,500 to £3,000. Decent quality, massive choice, but you or your fitter have to build them.
- Trade rigid (Howdens, Magnet, Wren): £2,500 to £5,000. Pre-assembled, sturdier, soft-close hinges as standard. Howdens is trade-only, so your fitter orders and gets a discount.
- Bespoke / high-end (DIY Kitchens, Neptune, Tom Howley): £5,000 to £15,000+. Custom sizing, premium materials, painted finishes.
The units are the skeleton of the kitchen. Budget units work perfectly well in a rental or starter home. For a house you plan to live in for 10+ years, mid-range trade units are the sweet spot. They last longer, look better, and a good fitter can make Howdens units look like a designer kitchen.
Worktops
Worktops have the biggest impact on how the finished kitchen looks and feels. Here is what to expect:
| Material | Supply + fit | Pros |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | £200-£800 | Cheapest. Hundreds of finishes. Easy to replace. |
| Solid wood | £400-£1,200 | Warm and natural. Can be sanded and refinished. |
| Quartz | £1,500-£4,000 | Zero maintenance. Stain-proof. Wide colour range. |
| Granite | £1,500-£4,000 | Natural stone. Heat-resistant. Unique patterns. |
Quartz has overtaken granite as the most popular premium worktop in the UK. It is engineered stone, so it is completely uniform (no natural variation), non-porous, and does not need sealing. If your budget allows, it is the best value upgrade you can make.
Labour costs
A skilled kitchen fitter charges £3,000 to £5,000 in labour for a full installation. That covers 4 to 7 days of work including removal of the old kitchen, fitting new units, installing worktops, and connecting the sink and appliances.
On top of the fitter, you may need:
- Plumber: £200 to £500 for moving or connecting gas and water. The fitter often handles basic sink plumbing, but moving a boiler or gas hob needs a Gas Safe engineer.
- Electrician: £250 to £750 for new circuits, extra sockets, or lighting. Anything beyond a simple like-for-like connection should be done by a qualified electrician.
- Tiler: £200 to £600 for a splashback, or £500 to £1,500 for full wall tiling.
- Plasterer: £400 to £700 to replaster walls after old units are removed.
- Flooring: £300 to £1,000 for vinyl, LVT, or laminate.
Some kitchen fitters are multi-skilled and handle the tiling, basic plumbing, and flooring themselves. This saves money compared to hiring each trade separately. Ask what your fitter covers before getting additional quotes.
For London kitchen installations, expect labour costs to be 20 to 30% higher than the national average. A full installation in London runs £4,000 to £7,000 for fitting alone.
How long does it take?
A typical kitchen renovation takes 2 to 4 weeks from strip-out to completion. Here is a realistic timeline:
- Week 1: Strip-out of old kitchen (1 day). Plumbing and electrical first fix (1-2 days). Plastering (1 day) and drying time.
- Week 2: Kitchen fitting. Units, worktops, sink installation (4-5 days).
- Week 3: Tiling, flooring, appliance fitting, painting. Second fix electrics.
- Week 4 (if needed): Snagging, final connections, and finishing touches.
You will be without a working kitchen for most of this time. Set up a temporary kitchen with a microwave, kettle, and camping stove in another room. Seriously. It saves a fortune on takeaways.
How to save money
- Replace doors only, not the whole kitchen. If the carcasses (the boxes) are in good condition, replacing just the doors, drawer fronts, and handles costs £400 to £1,500 and transforms the look. Companies like Dream Doors specialise in this.
- Go flat-pack and pay a fitter. IKEA kitchens with Howdens-quality doors look great. Buy from IKEA, pay a professional fitter £200 to £250 per day to install. Total saving over a showroom kitchen: 30 to 40%.
- Keep the same layout. Every time you move a sink, hob, or fridge, you are paying for new plumbing and electrics. Keeping everything in the same place can save £500 to £2,000.
- Buy appliances in sales. Black Friday, Boxing Day, and bank holiday sales regularly knock 30 to 50% off appliance prices. Buy months in advance if you can plan ahead.
- Do the painting and flooring yourself. Painting walls and laying click-together LVT flooring are realistic DIY jobs that save £500 to £1,000 in labour.
- Use laminate worktops. Modern laminate looks remarkably like stone, costs a fraction of the price, and is completely practical. Save the quartz upgrade for when the rest of the kitchen is paid for.
- Skip the kitchen island. An island adds £1,500 to £7,000 including plumbing and electrics. Unless you genuinely have the space and need the storage, it is the easiest thing to cut from the budget.
For full pricing on every kitchen job in your area, check our kitchen fitter cost guide or browse builder costs if your renovation includes structural work.