How to Plan a Kitchen Refit Budget (2026 UK)
A kitchen refit is one of the biggest home spends most people ever plan, and the final bill swings enormously with the choices you make. In 2026 a typical UK kitchen refit costs £10,000–£20,000 for a mid-range job, with budget refits from £5,000 and premium kitchens passing £30,000. This guide shows exactly where the money goes and how to set a realistic budget - line by line.
Set the Budget Before You Fall in Love With a Kitchen
The single biggest cause of a blown kitchen budget is choosing the kitchen first and pricing it afterwards. Do it the other way round: decide the total you can spend, then split it across the seven cost areas below. As a rule of thumb, units and worktops swallow around half the budget, appliances a fifth, and fitting plus the trades behind the walls the rest.
Units & cabinets (~35%)
The carcasses and doors set the tone and the price. Rigid-built units cost more than flat-pack but last longer. This is where premium and budget kitchens diverge most.
Worktops (~15%)
Laminate keeps costs down; quartz and granite are the classic mid-to-premium upgrade. Worktops are an easy place to spend or save several thousand pounds.
Appliances (~20%)
Oven, hob, extractor, fridge-freezer and dishwasher. Integrated appliances cost more than freestanding. Buy these separately to control the spend.
Fitting labour (~15%)
A skilled kitchen fitter for a week or two. A good fit is what makes a mid-range kitchen look expensive, so this is not the place to cut.
Plumbing & electrics (~10%)
Moving the sink, adding sockets or a new circuit for the oven needs a plumber and a Part P electrician. Keeping services where they are saves a lot.
Flooring, tiling & extras (~5%)
Flooring, splashbacks, lighting, paint and the handles. Small individually, but they add up - always hold back a contingency for them.
Kitchen refit costs at a glance — 2026
Source: BestBuilders 2026 quote data · 519 UK towns. Figures are supply-and-fit ranges; premium appliances and bespoke units push the top end higher.
Full 2026 kitchen refit cost breakdown
| Item | Typical cost (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Budget kitchen refit (small) | £5,000–£10,000 | Flat-pack units, laminate tops, freestanding appliances |
| Mid-range kitchen refit | £10,000–£20,000 | Rigid units, quartz or solid-surface tops, integrated appliances |
| High-end / bespoke kitchen | £20,000–£45,000+ | Made-to-measure, stone tops, premium appliances |
| Kitchen units & cabinets | £2,000–£12,000 | Biggest single line - flat-pack vs rigid vs bespoke |
| Worktops (supplied & fitted) | £600–£4,000 | Laminate £30–£60/m; quartz £250–£400/m |
| Appliances (full set) | £1,500–£6,000 | Oven, hob, extractor, fridge-freezer, dishwasher |
| Fitting labour | £1,500–£4,000 | 1-2 weeks for a skilled fitter |
| Plumbing (sink, waste, water) | £400–£1,200 | More if the sink moves |
| Electrics (Part P) | £600–£1,800 | Sockets, lighting, oven circuit, certificate |
| Flooring | £600–£2,000 | LVT, tile or engineered wood |
| Tiling / splashback | £300–£1,500 | Or a single glass/stone splashback |
| Plastering & making good | £400–£1,200 | Walls and ceiling after units are set |
Regional price differences
Labour is the line that moves most by region; materials are broadly national. A mid-range refit that costs £15,000 in the Midlands can be £18,000–£19,000 in London.
| Region | Against UK average |
|---|---|
| London | +20–30% |
| South East & Southern | +10–20% |
| Midlands & Eastern | Around the average |
| North West, Yorkshire, North East | −5–15% |
| Wales & Scotland | −5–15% |
How a kitchen refit runs, step by step
- Design & quotes (2-4 weeks). Measure up, agree a layout, and get three itemised quotes to the same spec.
- Order & lead time (2-6 weeks). Units and worktops are made to order; book the fitter around the delivery date.
- Strip-out (1-2 days). Old kitchen removed, walls and floor exposed - this is when hidden problems appear.
- First fix (2-3 days). Plumbing and electrics moved or added before the units go in.
- Units & worktops (3-5 days). Carcasses fitted and levelled; worktops templated then fitted (stone tops often come a few days later).
- Second fix & finishing (2-4 days). Appliances connected, splashback, flooring, handles, sealant and snagging.
Allow 3-5 weeks end to end for a straightforward refit, longer if you move walls or wait on bespoke units.
Five ways to cut the budget without cutting quality
- Keep the layout. Leaving the sink, hob and drainage where they are saves the most money of any single decision.
- Mix unit tiers. Spend on the doors and worktop you see and touch; use standard carcasses behind them.
- Buy appliances separately. You will almost always beat the showroom’s bundled price.
- Laminate that looks like stone. Modern laminate worktops mimic quartz at a fraction of the cost.
- Book off-peak. Fitters are often cheaper and more available in winter than in the spring rush.
Choosing a kitchen fitter: checklist
- Recent kitchen work you can see - ask for two completed examples.
- A Part P registered electrician (or one on the team) for the wiring and certificate.
- A written, itemised quote - units, worktops, appliances and labour listed separately, not one lump sum.
- Clear payment stages tied to progress, never a large sum up front.
- Public liability insurance of at least £2m and a written guarantee on the fit.
- Three quotes to the same written specification so you compare like with like.
Red flags
- A single lump-sum price with no breakdown - you cannot see where the money goes or what has been left out.
- A large deposit demanded before any work or materials.
- No mention of Part P or an electrical certificate for new circuits.
- Prices that look far below every other quote - usually the appliances, worktop or making-good have been quietly dropped.
Common Questions
Related Guides
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