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.
Planning the work? Check what it usually costs, or work out your own estimate. The free quote form is at the top of this page.
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 regional cost model · 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
More kitchen planning and cost guides.