Kitchen Renovation Cost Guide: What to Budget for a Kitchen

The honest answer to kitchen renovation cost in the UK is a wide one: most full refits land between roughly £6,000 and £50,000, and where you sit inside that depends far more on the cabinets, worktops and appliances you choose than on the labour to fit them. A mid-range kitchen for a typical family home comes in around £10,000 to £15,000 all in. This guide breaks the number down properly, so you can build a budget that reflects your kitchen rather than a headline average.

The three budget tiers

Kitchen quotes cluster into three broad tiers. These figures are for a full refit including units, worktops, appliances, fitting, plumbing, electrics, tiling and decorating, based on 2026 UK pricing.

The tiers overlap because a small budget kitchen with a couple of premium choices can cost the same as a modest mid-range one. Treat the tier as a starting point, then adjust for the choices below.

Where the money actually goes

Most homeowners overestimate labour and underestimate materials. In a typical mid-range refit the split runs roughly like this:

• Cabinets and carcasses: the single biggest line, often 30-40% of the total. This is where budget and bespoke diverge most.
• Worktops: anywhere from a few hundred pounds to several thousand (see below).
• Appliances: usually £1,500-£5,000 for a mid-range set, more once you add a large range cooker or integrated columns.
• Fitting and trades: installation, plus plumber and electrician for first and second fix.
• Flooring, tiling, decorating and extras: sinks, taps, lighting, splashbacks and making good.

Worktop costs at a glance

Worktops swing the budget hard. As a rough guide for an average kitchen run, fitted:

• Laminate: £150-£400
• Solid wood: £300-£700
• Granite: £1,500-£3,000
• Quartz: £1,800-£3,500
• Porcelain: £2,500-£4,500

Flooring

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) has overtaken laminate as the most popular UK kitchen floor at around £25-£55 per m² supplied and fitted. Engineered wood (£60-£100 per m²) and porcelain tile (£45-£95 per m²) show up more in higher-end kitchens.

Appliances, including a range cooker

Appliances are where a country kitchen budget can balloon, particularly if a statement range cooker is the centrepiece. A freestanding range cooker alone can run from a few hundred pounds to several thousand, so decide on it early and build the rest of the budget around it. Our range cooker buying guide and the best range cookers for 2026 cover what you get at each price, and if you are considering an AGA, the AGA running costs per year guide is worth reading before you commit.

What pushes the price up

• Moving plumbing, gas or electrics. Relocating the sink, hob or adding circuits adds trade time and cost. Any gas work, such as connecting a gas hob or range cooker, must legally be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Structural work. Removing a wall for open-plan, a new window or a steel beam is a separate, larger budget.
• Bespoke cabinetry and non-standard sizes.
• Stone worktops and large single-piece islands.
• Location. London and the South East typically run 20-35% above the national average; the North, Wales and Scotland sit at the lower end.

What keeps the price down

• Keep the layout. Not moving the sink, hob and appliances is the biggest single saving.
• Rigid trade units (Howdens, Benchmarx) over fully bespoke, with a good painted door for the look.
• Ex-display or second-hand kitchens, which can cut cabinet costs dramatically if the layout fits your room.
• Mix materials. Splurge on a stone island top and use laminate or wood on the runs.
• Keep serviceable appliances rather than replacing everything.

A realistic mid-range example

For a standard family kitchen, keeping the existing layout, a mid-range budget might look like: cabinets £4,500, quartz worktops £2,500, appliances £3,000, fitting and trades £2,500, flooring, tiling and decorating £2,000. That is roughly £14,500, which is squarely in the typical mid-range band.

How long it takes

Plan for 2-4 weeks on site for a standard refit: removal and first-fix electrics and plumbing in the first few days, cabinet installation and worktop templating in the middle, then worktop fitting, tiling, flooring and second-fix towards the end. Order everything, especially worktops and appliances, well before the start date, because a missing worktop template stalls the whole job.

For the design details that shape the final look and budget, see our guides to the classic shaker kitchen, a Belfast sink, and kitchen island ideas.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK in 2026? Most full refits cost between about £6,000 and £50,000. A mid-range kitchen for a typical family home lands around £10,000 to £15,000 including units, worktops, appliances, fitting and finishing.

What is the biggest cost in a kitchen renovation? Cabinets and carcasses, usually 30-40% of the total. Worktops and appliances are the next largest lines. Labour is a smaller share than most people expect unless you are moving services or doing structural work.

How much does it cost to fit a kitchen? Fitting and associated trades (installer, plumber, electrician) are typically a modest share of the total on a like-for-like layout. Costs rise sharply if you relocate the sink, hob or add electrical circuits.

Is it cheaper to keep the same kitchen layout? Yes, and it is the single biggest saving. Keeping the sink, hob and appliances in place avoids moving plumbing, gas and wiring, which is where trade costs climb.

How much should I budget for worktops? For an average kitchen run, laminate is £150-£400 fitted, solid wood £300-£700, granite £1,500-£3,000, quartz £1,800-£3,500 and porcelain £2,500-£4,500.

How long does a kitchen renovation take? Around 2 to 4 weeks on site for a standard refit. Structural work, bespoke cabinetry or delayed worktop templating can extend that, so order long-lead items early.