A single headline figure for a kitchen renovation hides more than it reveals, because units, worktops, appliances, electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and labour all move independently depending on specification. Breaking the budget down by element makes it far easier to decide where to spend and where to save, and to sanity-check a quote against what it should actually contain. This guide sets out indicative costs across budget, mid and high spec levels for a typical kitchen.
Why break the budget down by element
Showroom kitchen quotes usually bundle units, worktops and sometimes appliances into one figure, while the building work around it — electrics, plumbing, plastering and flooring — is priced separately by the builder. Seeing both sides broken into individual elements makes it obvious where a budget can flex without compromising the parts that are hardest to change later, such as first-fix electrics and plumbing routes.
Full element breakdown by spec level
The table below sets out typical costs for a medium-sized kitchen (roughly 15-20m²) across three spec levels. Budget spec uses standard flat-pack units and laminate worktops; mid spec uses rigid units with a mix of laminate and composite surfaces; high spec uses bespoke or semi-bespoke cabinetry with stone or solid surface worktops and integrated appliances throughout.
| Element | Budget | Mid spec | High spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Units and cabinetry | £3,000–£5,000 | £6,000–£10,000 | £12,000–£20,000+ |
| Worktops | £500–£1,200 | £1,500–£3,000 | £3,500–£7,000 |
| Appliances | £1,500–£2,500 | £2,500–£5,000 | £5,500–£10,000+ |
| Electrics (rewire/new circuits) | £1,200–£2,000 | £1,800–£3,000 | £2,500–£4,000 |
| Plumbing (sink, dishwasher, moves) | £800–£1,500 | £1,200–£2,200 | £1,800–£3,500 |
| Plastering | £600–£1,000 | £800–£1,300 | £1,000–£1,800 |
| Flooring | £800–£1,500 | £1,500–£3,000 | £3,000–£6,000 |
| Fitting labour | £2,000–£3,000 | £3,000–£4,500 | £4,500–£7,000 |
Indicative UK ranges for 2026 for a medium-sized kitchen, varying by region, layout and supplier. A site visit and firm layout are needed for an accurate figure.
Units and cabinetry
This is usually the largest single line and the one with the widest range, because flat-pack, rigid and bespoke cabinetry differ enormously in material and construction quality. Rigid, factory-built units at mid spec offer a reasonable middle ground between budget flat-pack and the premium of fully bespoke joinery.
Worktops
Laminate worktops remain the most budget-friendly option and have improved considerably in appearance. Composite and engineered stone sit in the mid-to-high range, while natural stone and solid surface materials command the highest prices, particularly with detailing such as upstands, waterfall edges or integrated drainer grooves.
Electrics and plumbing are not optional extras
New kitchen layouts almost always require new circuits for appliances, additional sockets, and under-unit lighting, plus waste re-routing if the sink or dishwasher moves. These costs do not scale down much with a lower spec kitchen, because the labour of running cable and pipework is largely the same regardless of the units fitted on top.
- Dedicated circuits for ovens, hobs and dishwashers
- Consumer unit upgrades on older properties
- Waste re-routing when a sink moves away from the existing stack
Plastering and flooring
Plastering costs are fairly consistent regardless of kitchen spec, since it depends on wall area rather than finish level. Flooring varies widely: budget vinyl or laminate sits at the low end, while engineered wood, large-format porcelain tile or natural stone push costs up considerably, especially with underfloor heating included.
Where to spend and where to save
Worktops and cabinetry hardware are often worth stretching the budget on, because they are touched daily and hard to upgrade later without disruption. Flooring and appliances can sometimes be phased or upgraded over time, particularly if the layout and first-fix services are designed to accommodate a future change.
Typical timeline
A straightforward like-for-like kitchen swap with no layout changes can be fitted in one to two weeks once units arrive. Moving a sink, changing the position of appliances or knocking through to an adjoining room extends this to three to five weeks once first-fix electrics and plumbing, plastering drying time and second-fix installation are sequenced properly. Bespoke or semi-bespoke cabinetry typically has a lead time of eight to twelve weeks from order to delivery, which is worth confirming before fixing a start date, since a kitchen that arrives late can leave a household without a working kitchen for longer than planned.
Where kitchen budgets commonly overrun
Kitchens are one of the easier renovation projects to overspend on, because showroom displays make upgrades to handles, worktops and appliances feel like small decisions rather than a running total. Structural surprises are less common than in extensions, but older properties can reveal unexpected wiring or plumbing that does not meet current standards once units are stripped out, and this is worth allowing for with a contingency of five to ten per cent.
- Upgrading worktops, handles or appliances once samples are seen in person
- Unexpected rewiring needed on an older consumer unit or circuit
- Structural movement in floors discovered once old units are removed
- Extended lead times on bespoke cabinetry pushing back other trades
Getting comparable quotes
Because a kitchen renovation splits between a supplier quote for units and appliances and a builder's quote for the surrounding work, it helps to separate the two clearly when comparing options. Ask each builder to itemise electrics, plumbing, plastering, flooring and fitting labour individually rather than as one figure, so you can see exactly where one quote differs from another and whether it reflects a genuinely different scope or simply a different price for the same work.