A new kitchen is one of the biggest single spends most homeowners take on, and the range is enormous. You can refit a small kitchen for a few thousand pounds or spend more than the price of a car on a large bespoke one. The honest answer to "how much does a new kitchen cost" is that it depends on three things above all: the size of the room, the materials you pick, and who fits it.
This guide gives the typical 2026 brackets, breaks the cost down line by line, and covers the VAT rule that surprises a lot of people.
Cost estimates, not quotes. Prices vary by region, supplier and specification. Always get at least three written quotes before committing. Sources: Checkatrade new kitchen and high-end kitchen cost guides (2026); MyBuilder and Best Builders trade price guides (2026); GOV.UK and HMRC VAT guidance. Figures are typical UK ranges for 2026 and move over time.
How much does a new kitchen cost by tier?
Most kitchens fall into one of three broad brackets. The ranges below are the total project cost, including units, worktops, appliances and fitting:
| Tier | Typical total cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | £6,200 to £16,800 | Flat-pack or entry units, laminate worktops, freestanding or basic integrated appliances |
| Mid-range | £11,500 to £35,000 | Better cabinets with soft-close, upgraded worktops, semi-integrated appliances |
| Premium | £30,000 and up | Bespoke or premium cabinetry, stone or composite worktops, high-end integrated appliances |
The brackets overlap because a small premium kitchen can cost less than a large mid-range one. Size matters as much as specification.
Where the money goes: the full breakdown
A useful rule of thumb for how a kitchen budget splits:
| Category | Typical share of budget |
|---|---|
| Units and cabinets | around 30% |
| Worktops | around 10% |
| Appliances | around 20% |
| Labour and fitting | around 25% |
| Electrics, plumbing, tiling, flooring | around 15% |
This is an industry guide, not a fixed formula, but it helps you sense-check a quote. Now the detail.
Units and cabinets
For a typical 10 metre run of units, flat-pack comes in around £1,500 to £2,500, while mid-range soft-close cabinets are closer to £3,500 to £5,500. Fitting the units adds roughly £120 per cabinet on top.
Worktops
Worktops are where taste meets budget fastest. Prices per square metre for supply:
| Material | Typical price per square metre |
|---|---|
| Laminate | £180 to £400 |
| Solid wood | £220 to £380 |
| Granite | £340 to £520 |
| Quartz | £380 to £550 |
| Dekton or porcelain | £520 to £680 |
London and the South East carry a fabrication and fitting premium of roughly 15% to 35% on stone worktops.
Appliances
You can spend a little or a lot here. Typical supply prices:
| Appliance | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Oven | £200 to £1,500 |
| Hob | £150 to £1,000 |
| Dishwasher | £250 to £800 |
| Fridge freezer | £300 to £2,000 |
A full integrated package (oven, hob, extractor, dishwasher and fridge freezer) usually lands between £3,000 and £4,400, with £50 to £200 per item for installation.
Labour and fitting
Kitchen fitters charge around £250 to £350 a day, and a full kitchen typically takes two to three weeks once you include the electrician, plumber and plasterer working around the fit. Labour alone ranges widely, from roughly £800 on a small simple kitchen to £4,600 or more on a large or awkward one.
Free calculator
Kitchen Cost Calculator
Pick your kitchen size, worktop material and appliance level to get an itemised cost estimate with a low, typical and high figure.
Do I pay VAT on a new kitchen?
Yes, and this one catches people out. Renovating a kitchen in a home you already own is standard-rated at 20% VAT, on both the materials and the labour. There is no reduced rate for doing up an existing property.
The surprise is listed buildings. People often assume a listed home unlocks some VAT relief, but the zero-rating for approved alterations to listed buildings was abolished in 2012, so a listed-building kitchen is taxed at the full 20% like any other. Genuinely new-build construction is the only situation that attracts zero-rated VAT, and a renovation is not new-build.
Budget vs mid-range vs premium: what actually changes?
Moving up the tiers, the money mostly buys three things: the cabinet carcass and hinges (chipboard and basic hinges at the bottom, solid construction and soft-close throughout at the top), the worktop material, and the appliances. The layout and the labour do not change nearly as much. That is worth knowing, because it means you can put a mid-range budget where it shows (worktop and handles) and save where it does not (the carcass behind a door nobody opens).
How to reduce kitchen costs without cutting corners
A few reliable ways to bring the number down:
- Keep the existing layout. Moving the sink, hob or waste pipes pulls in extra plumbing and electrical work fast.
- Mix your spend. Pair budget units with a better worktop and handles, the parts you see and touch every day.
- Buy appliances separately in the sales rather than taking the showroom's bundled price.
- Get three quotes. Fitter day rates and worktop fabrication vary a lot between suppliers.
- Reuse what works. If the units are sound, new doors, worktops and handles can transform a kitchen for a fraction of a full refit.
Also useful
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Thinking bigger than a new kitchen? Estimate the cost of a single or double-storey extension, including a new kitchen-diner.