How much does kitchen renovation cost in United Kingdom?
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Key takeaways
- Most kitchen renovation jobs in United Kingdom land between £5,000–£60,000 — known locally as kitchen fitting / new kitchen.
- UK kitchen renovations legally require Gas Safe registered engineers for gas appliance work and Part P compliance for significant electrical work, with Building Regulations approval needed for structural alterations and new drainage. Kitchen fitting itself is unlicensed, so scheme memberships and references are the screen.
- Prices below are researched national ranges, updated July 2026 — not quotes.
Kitchen Renovation prices by job size in United Kingdom
| Job size | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget kitchen Flat-pack or value range fitted in the existing layout | £5,000 | £8,000 | £12,000 |
| Mid-range kitchen Rigid units, quartz or solid laminate worktops, new appliances | £12,000 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
| High-end kitchen Bespoke cabinetry, stone worktops, layout changes | £25,000 | £35,000 | £60,000 |
Per-unit rates
| Unit | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| per day (kitchen fitter) | £180 | £250 | £350 |
What affects the price
- Job size and scope — bigger or more complex jobs move you up the ranges above.
- Access and condition — hard-to-reach areas, older properties or neglected maintenance add labour time.
- Materials and quality level — where materials are involved, the grade you choose often matters more than labour.
- Urgency — same-day or out-of-hours work usually carries a premium.
- Where you live — large metros in United Kingdom typically run above the national range; smaller towns below it.
How to save
- Get at least three quotes and compare like-for-like scopes, not just totals.
- Be flexible on timing — off-peak slots are often cheaper.
- Bundle related tasks into one visit to spread call-out costs.
- Agree the scope in writing up front to avoid change-order surprises.
How to hire a kitchen renovation pro in United Kingdom
- Check fitter reviews on Checkatrade or MyBuilder and contact two recent kitchen installs
- Confirm gas work (hob, boiler moves) is done by a Gas Safe registered engineer — legally required
- Confirm new circuits or cooker circuits are installed by a Part P registered electrician
- Get the quote itemized: units, worktops, appliances, fitting labour, trades, and old-kitchen disposal
- If a structural wall is coming out, get a structural engineer's calculations and Building Regulations approval
- Agree staged payments — deposit at cabinet order, balance against installation milestones with retention for snags
Red flags
- Anyone but a Gas Safe engineer touching the gas hob supply
- Wall removal proposed with no engineer's calculations
- Kitchen showroom quote that excludes fitting or trades without saying so
- Full payment before units are delivered
- No written schedule covering the worktop templating gap
How Handld researches prices
These are researched estimates, not quotes and not our transaction data. We compile ranges from published sources — national statistics, trade bodies and incumbent cost guides — normalise them to GBP, and adjust city pages by a population-based cost tier. Last updated July 2026. Basis: Checkatrade new kitchen cost guides (checkatrade.com); MyBuilder kitchen fitting price guides (mybuilder.com).
Frequently asked questions
Flat-pack, semi-custom, or fully custom cabinets?
Flat-pack (IKEA-type) is the budget floor and works well in standard-shaped rooms with a good installer. Semi-custom modular ranges fit most kitchens at mid price. Fully custom joinery costs a large premium and earns it only for awkward spaces, non-standard heights, or specific design goals. The door and drawer hardware quality matters more to daily life than the box construction.
What drives the cost of a kitchen renovation most?
Cabinetry — it typically consumes 30-40% of the budget, more than appliances or benchtops. After cabinets: whether you move plumbing or gas, appliance tier, benchtop material, and layout changes. A same-layout renovation with mid-range cabinets is routinely half the price of a relocated kitchen with custom joinery.
Is it worth just refacing cabinets instead of a full renovation?
If the cabinet carcasses are sound and you like the layout, replacing doors, drawer fronts, hardware, and the benchtop delivers most of the visual change for roughly a third to half the cost of a full renovation. It is not worth it when carcasses are water-damaged, the layout fails you daily, or services need rework anyway — then you'd pay twice.
How do I live without a kitchen during the renovation?
Set up a temporary station before demolition: microwave, kettle, and a portable induction hob near a sink you can still use (bathroom or laundry). Keep the old fridge running in another room. Budget realistically for more takeaway meals across the 2-6 kitchen-less weeks — it belongs in the project budget alongside tiles.
In what order does a kitchen renovation happen?
Design and cabinet order first (longest lead time), then strip-out, then first-fix plumbing, gas, and electrical, then walls, ceilings, and flooring, then cabinet installation, then benchtop templating and fitting (often a 1-2 week gap for stone), then appliances, splashback, and second-fix. The benchtop templating gap surprises most first-timers — plan interim use around it.
Can I keep my kitchen layout to save money?
Yes, and it is the single biggest saver. Keeping the sink, stove, and appliance positions avoids rerouting water, waste, gas, and heavy electrical circuits — which means less demolition, fewer trades, and no re-certification of services. Spend the savings on better cabinets and benchtops, which you touch every day.
How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK?
Checkatrade-range data puts budget kitchens at £5,000-£12,000 supplied and fitted, mid-range around £12,000-£22,000, and high-end bespoke kitchens £25,000-£60,000+. Fitting labour alone typically runs £2,000-£5,000 depending on scope and region.
Are supply-only kitchen deals worth it in the UK?
Buying units from trade suppliers (Howdens-style via your fitter, or DIY-retail ranges) and hiring an independent fitter is commonly 15-30% cheaper than a showroom's supply-and-fit price for a comparable spec. The trade-off is you coordinate delivery, trades, and remedials — reasonable for standard layouts, riskier for complex ones.
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