How Much to Renovate a Kitchen?
With the right design and planning, you can turn your kitchen into a hub for both cooking and entertaining. But before you start your kitchen project, you’ll need to carefully consider your finances while working out how much to renovate a kitchen that’s affordable and achievable.
Most people will hire a professional kitchen installer or builder to do the work, but if you have the relevant skills, tools and time, you could cut the cost by doing some or all of the renovation yourself.
Kitchen design and installation
Getting the right design for your kitchen is vital. Some kitchen designers swear by the ‘kitchen triangle’ concept for a design that’s both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The triangle comprises the sink, hob and fridge, with imaginary lines between them.
Whether this theory will work for you will depend on the size and shape of your kitchen and the type of kitchen redesign you are looking for.
A ‘galley’ kitchen, for example, is a long, narrow kitchen that has cabinets, counters, and appliances located on both sides of a central space.
Smaller properties might have a ‘one-wall’ kitchen with cabinets installed against a single wall. Other kitchen spaces might allow for ‘L’ or ‘U’ shaped designs, while bigger rooms can be designed around a kitchen ‘island’.
Most kitchen retailers offer a free design consultation where they measure your kitchen and suggest where appliances and cabinets can go. From this they can produce a computer-generated 360° design of your kitchen and an itemised quote.
Kitchen stores might offer installation services where their own staff or recommended contractors will install your kitchen.
If you’re purchasing from a trade supplier, you might not be able to see a price list directly from the store, as their kitchens need to be purchased through a tradesperson with an account. Some trades may add a mark-up to prices – so be sure to ask.
Make sure you look for pricing that is transparent and that any claims you can install any flatpack kitchens yourself are indeed achievable.
How much is a newly fitted kitchen?
The kitchen cupboards and cabinets you choose will be a key factor in the total cost of your project.
Kitchen units vary from a couple of thousand pounds for a budget range, to well into five figures for a luxury or premium kitchen.
You also need to think about your kitchen appliances. Will they be built-in or standalone? All kitchens will need a hob, oven, fridge-freezer, and usually an extractor fan. If you don’t have a separate utility room, you’ll need to make room for a washing machine, and may choose to have a dishwasher too.
Costs will also be impacted by the type of worktops, sinks, and taps you choose. Laminate worktops will be cheapest while ceramic, quartz and marble will be the most expensive. Instant hot or boiling water taps are trendy at the moment – but cost hundreds of pounds more than standard taps.
What else will impact the cost of your kitchen renovation?
There are several other factors that will impact how much your new kitchen will cost. These include:
- Size and shape of your kitchen
- Where you live
- Age and condition of your property
- The amount of tiling required
- Painting and flooring requirements
Costs can increase if your new kitchen will feature things like:
- Moving internal walls
- Re-wiring
- New appliances
- Luxury lighting
- Relocating the sink, plumbing or gas supply
Labour costs
Most people will need a professional kitchen installer or builder to install their kitchen. They, in turn, might need to sub-contract plumbing, electrical work or tiling to other tradespeople.
Labour costs will vary depending on:
- Where you live
- How long the installation will take
- The tradesperson’s day rate
- Any specialist skills required
- Whether you need the old kitchen dismantled and taken away
Total costs of a kitchen renovation
The average cost of a new kitchen in the UK can be around £8,000. Some estimate from £5,250 for a small kitchen through to £28,400 for a high-cost large kitchen, with an average price of between £6,000 and £10,550.
Last Updated: November 1st, 2024
