Kitchen renovation cost calculator
The showroom prices the kitchen. The builder prices everything else. This puts both in one number so the figure you plan around is the figure you actually spend.
Last updated July 2026 · built by working UK builders
Kitchen showroom quotes usually cover units, worktops and fitting only. Electrics, plastering, flooring and plumbing are separate — that gap is why so many kitchens come in over budget.
Get the electrical and gas certificates. You will need them when you sell.
The rates behind this calculator
All figures are 2026 UK prices for a competent, insured, VAT-registered contractor. Costs are shown as ranges because building work is delivered in ranges. A “×” value multiplies the whole build cost.
Size of kitchen
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Small 6–9 units | — | ×0.72 |
| Medium 10–14 units | — | ×1 |
| Large 15–20 units | — | ×1.35 |
| Very large 20+ units, island | — | ×1.75 |
Kitchen range
Cabinet carcasses barely differ. You are paying for doors, hinges, drawer boxes and the showroom.
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Flat-pack / trade budget Howdens, Wren entry, B&Q — supply only | £3,500–£6,500 | Added |
| Mid-range rigid units Rigid carcasses, soft-close, painted MDF doors | £7,500–£15,000 | Added |
| Premium / in-frame Solid timber in-frame, quality ironmongery | £18,000–£35,000 | Added |
| Bespoke joinery Made for the room by a cabinetmaker | £35,000–£80,000 | Added |
Worktops
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Laminate | £500–£1,200 | Added |
| Solid timber | £900–£2,400 | Added |
| Quartz (engineered stone) | £2,200–£5,500 | Added |
| Granite | £2,000–£5,000 | Added |
| Porcelain / sintered stone | £3,200–£8,000 | Added |
| Corian / solid surface | £3,000–£7,500 | Added |
Appliances
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping what I have | £0 | Added |
| Budget package Oven, hob, extractor, fridge, dishwasher | £1,400–£2,600 | Added |
| Mid-range package Bosch/Neff level | £3,000–£6,000 | Added |
| Premium Siemens/Miele, boiling tap, wine fridge | £7,000–£18,000 | Added |
| Range cooker led Rangemaster/AGA plus extraction | £4,000–£14,000 | Added |
Building work involved
This is where kitchen budgets quietly double.
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Strip out and dispose of the old kitchen | £500–£1,200 | Added |
| Electrics — new circuits, sockets, lighting, certificate | £1,200–£3,200 | Added |
| Moving sink, waste or gas run | £700–£2,200 | Added |
| Re-plastering walls and ceiling | £900–£2,600 | Added |
| New floor covering | £900–£3,500 | Added |
| Removing a non-structural wall | £700–£1,800 | Added |
| Removing a load-bearing wall (steel beam) | £2,500–£7,000 | Added |
| New or enlarged window / doors | £1,500–£6,000 | Added |
| Splashback tiling | £400–£1,400 | Added |
| Island with services run to it | £1,800–£6,000 | Added |
Who is fitting it?
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| Doing it myself | — | ×0.78 |
| Independent kitchen fitter | — | ×1 |
| Supplier’s own installation | — | ×1.15 |
Where is the property?
Labour rates and builder demand vary more than materials do.
| Option | Cost | Effect on total |
|---|---|---|
| London | — | ×1.25 |
| South East | — | ×1.12 |
| South West | — | ×1.03 |
| East of England | — | ×1.03 |
| Midlands | — | ×0.97 |
| North of England | — | ×0.92 |
| Wales | — | ×0.92 |
| Scotland | — | ×0.95 |
| Northern Ireland | — | ×0.85 |
Applied to every total
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contingency | 8% of build cost |
| VAT | Included at 20% unless stated |
Where kitchen money actually goes
On a typical £25,000 kitchen the units and worktops are around half the bill. Appliances take another fifth. The remaining third — electrics, plastering, flooring, plumbing, tiling and disposal — is the part that shocks people, because it is invisible in a showroom brochure and arrives as separate invoices from separate trades.
The order things have to happen in
- Strip out and dispose of the old kitchen
- Any structural work — wall removal, steel, new openings
- First fix plumbing and electrics, with the exact appliance schedule already decided
- Plastering, then drying time — genuinely a week or more in winter
- Flooring, if it is going under the units
- Units and worktop template
- Worktop fabrication — 7 to 14 days for stone, and nothing happens meanwhile
- Second fix, appliances, tiling, decorating
That worktop template gap is why kitchens take four to six weeks rather than two. Anyone promising a stone-worktop kitchen in ten days is either using a template from drawings — risky — or telling you what you want to hear.
What to decide before you get quotes
- Exact appliances. Not "a fridge" — the model. Integrated versus freestanding changes cabinetry, and every appliance has its own power, water and ventilation demands.
- Extraction route. Ducting to an outside wall is far better than recirculating, and much easier to plan before the units go in than after.
- Lighting positions. Under-cabinet, task, ambient. Every one is a cable that must be chased in before plastering.
- Whether the wall is load-bearing. Get that answered by someone qualified before you price anything. It is a £2,500–£7,000 difference.
Three ways to save real money without it showing
Keep the services where they are. Layout changes look cheap on a plan and are not. Spend on doors and worktops, save on carcasses. Nobody sees a carcass.Buy appliances yourself. Supplier markup on appliances is often 15–30%, and you keep the warranty relationship.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK in 2026?
A budget kitchen fitted into an existing layout starts around £6,000. A mid-range rigid kitchen with quartz worktops, new appliances, electrics and flooring typically lands between £18,000 and £32,000. Bespoke joinery with structural work behind it comfortably passes £60,000.
Why is my kitchen quote so much lower than this calculator?
Showroom quotes normally cover units, worktops and fitting. They exclude electrics, plastering, flooring, plumbing alterations, tiling, disposal and making good. Those trades typically add £4,000–£10,000 on a standard kitchen and are the single most common reason kitchen budgets overrun.
Are expensive kitchen units actually better?
Partly. Carcasses are mostly the same 18mm board across price points; the real differences are rigid versus flat-pack construction, drawer runner quality, hinge quality and door finish. A rigid mid-range kitchen with Blum hardware will outlast a flat-pack one. Beyond that, you are buying design, doors and a showroom.
Should I move the sink and cooker?
Moving the sink means new waste runs, which on a solid floor means digging it up. Moving the hob means a new gas run or a new circuit. Both are doable, and both add cost — usually £700–£2,200 each. Keeping services roughly where they are is the easiest £2,000 you will ever save.
What paperwork should I get at the end?
An electrical installation certificate or minor works certificate for any new circuits, and a Gas Safe certificate if gas was touched. Kitchens also fall under building regulations for electrical work, ventilation and drainage. Keep the paperwork — a buyer’s solicitor will ask.