Kitchen Fitting Costs
Understanding complete kitchen renovation costs. Budget to premium kitchens explained.
Kitchen Fitting Labour
Budget: £120-£160/day
Inexperienced kitchen fitters. Basic fitting, may lack precision.
Standard: £180-£240/day
Experienced kitchen fitters. Professional installation, good finish.
Premium: £260-£350+/day
Specialist kitchen installers. Bespoke fitting, complex designs, perfect finish.
Kitchen Costs by Size (Complete Renovation)
Budget Kitchen (2.5m x 3m)
Budget cabinets:£2,000
Basic worktop:£300
Budget appliances:£1,200
Flooring/wall tiles:£600
Labour (5 days):£800
Total:£4,900
Excludes plumbing/electrical (add £500-1,000)
Standard Kitchen (3m x 4m)
Quality cabinets:£4,500
Granite/quartz worktop:£1,200
Quality appliances:£3,000
Professional flooring:£1,200
Labour (8 days):£1,600
Total:£11,500
Excludes plumbing/electrical (add £1,000-2,000)
Premium Kitchen (3.5m x 4.5m, Island)
Premium designer cabinets:£8,000
Bespoke island unit:£2,500
Premium worktop:£2,500
Premium appliances:£6,000
Specialist flooring:£2,000
Labour (10-12 days):£3,200
Total:£26,200
Excludes plumbing/electrical/structural changes (add £2,000-5,000)
Kitchen Components Breakdown
Cabinets: Budget £800-1,500, Standard £2,500-4,000, Premium £5,000+
Worktops: Budget £300-600, Standard £800-1,500, Premium £2,000+
Appliances (cooker, hob, fridge, dishwasher): Budget £2,000-3,000, Standard £4,000-6,000, Premium £8,000+
Lighting & electrics: Budget £300-500, Standard £800-1,200, Premium £1,500+
Splashback: Budget £200-400, Standard £500-800, Premium £1,000+
What Affects Cost?
- Existing layout changes: Moving plumbing/electrics adds £1,000-3,000+
- Structural changes: Removing walls for open-plan significantly increases cost
- Complexity of design: Islands, angles, bespoke pieces increase labour cost
- Appliance integration: Built-in appliances more expensive than standard
- Wall/floor finishes: Quality tiling or splashback choices add cost
Common Misunderstandings
- "Budget cabinet sets are same as boutique": Huge durability/finish difference
- "Appliances last 20+ years": Typical lifespan: 7-10 years
- "Labour is minimal": Kitchen fitting is complex—proper job takes 8-10 days minimum
- "We can do plumbing/electrics ourselves": Bad idea—voids insurance, safety issues
Red Flags
- Kitchen supplier not mentioning fitting costs separately
- Quote doesn't detail appliances/cabinet quality
- No mention of how plumbing/electrics will be handled
- Timeframe seems unrealistic (complete kitchen in 2-3 days is impossible)