Kitchen Renovation Costs in London: 2026 Price Guide
Updated 12 June 2026|8 min read
A kitchen renovation in London costs £8,000–£15,000 at the budget end, £15,000–£30,000 for a mid-range project and £30,000–£50,000 or more for a high-end kitchen in 2026. The units and worktops you choose drive most of the variation; fitting labour, plumbing, electrics and tiling are fairly consistent. A typical kitchen takes two to four weeks on site. This guide breaks the cost down line by line so you can budget your new kitchen accurately.
How much does a new kitchen cost in London in 2026?
A new kitchen in London falls into three broad tiers, and knowing which one your plans sit in is the first step to a realistic budget.
A budget kitchen renovation costs £8,000–£15,000. This buys flat-pack or entry-level rigid units, a laminate worktop, mid-range appliances and a competent fit, refreshing a kitchen without moving plumbing or walls. A mid-range renovation, where most London projects land, costs £15,000–£30,000: better-quality rigid units, a quartz or solid-surface worktop, integrated branded appliances and some layout change. A high-end kitchen costs £30,000–£50,000 or more, with bespoke or premium cabinetry, natural stone or thick quartz worktops, top-tier appliances and full structural or layout reconfiguration.
The table shows what each tier typically includes. The single biggest lever is the cabinetry and worktop; the labour to fit a budget kitchen and a premium one is similar, so your choice of units and stone moves the total more than anything else, and VAT applies to most domestic work.
Kitchen tier
Typical cost fitted (London, 2026)
Budget (flat-pack/entry units, laminate worktop)
£8,000 – £15,000
Mid-range (quality rigid units, quartz worktop)
£15,000 – £30,000
High-end (bespoke units, stone worktop)
£30,000 – £50,000+
Kitchen cost breakdown: where the money goes
A kitchen is the sum of several distinct costs, and splitting them out shows you exactly where your budget is going and where you can flex it.
Units and cabinetry are the largest single line, typically 30–40% of the total: anything from £2,000 for flat-pack to £15,000+ for bespoke. Worktops follow and vary enormously by material (see the next section). Appliances run £1,500–£3,000 for a budget set and £6,000–£15,000+ for premium integrated ranges. Fitting labour, the kitchen fitter's time to assemble and install units, worktops and appliances, typically costs £2,000–£5,000 over the one-to-two-week fit.
The services are easy to underestimate. Plumbing alterations (moving the sink, plumbing a dishwasher and washing machine) run £500–£1,500; electrical work (new sockets, cooker circuit, under-cabinet lighting, extractor) £800–£2,500, and a kitchen rewire needs a Part P-registered electrician. Tiling or splashbacks add £300–£900 and flooring £800–£2,500 depending on material. Add it up and a mid-range kitchen comfortably reaches £15,000–£30,000.
Element
Typical cost (London, 2026)
Units / cabinetry
£2,000 – £15,000+
Worktops
£500 – £6,000+
Appliances
£1,500 – £15,000+
Fitting labour
£2,000 – £5,000
Plumbing alterations
£500 – £1,500
Electrical work
£800 – £2,500
Tiling / splashback
£300 – £900
Flooring
£800 – £2,500
Worktops: laminate vs quartz vs granite
The worktop is the most-touched surface in any kitchen and one of the clearest places where budget decisions show. The three common choices price very differently.
Laminate is the budget option at £40–£120 per linear metre, or £400–£1,000 for a typical kitchen. It looks good, comes in every finish and is easy to fit, but it is not heat- or scratch-proof and a chipped edge cannot be repaired. It suits budget kitchens and rentals where hard wear is expected.
Quartz is the mid-range and high-end favourite at £350–£600 per square metre supplied and templated, or £2,000–£4,000 for a typical kitchen. It is non-porous, stain-resistant and needs no sealing, which is why it dominates London kitchens. Granite is a natural stone at £350–£700 per square metre, £2,500–£5,000 for a kitchen; each slab is unique and extremely hard-wearing, though it needs occasional sealing. Premium options, thick stone, marble or composite slabs, climb beyond £6,000. Because stone worktops are templated only after the units are fitted, they typically arrive a week or so after the cabinetry, which is worth knowing when planning the kitchen-off period.
Worktop material
Typical cost for a kitchen (London, 2026)
Laminate
£400 – £1,000
Solid wood
£900 – £2,500
Quartz
£2,000 – £4,000
Granite
£2,500 – £5,000
Premium stone / marble
£5,000 – £8,000+
What drives kitchen renovation costs up
Two kitchens of the same size can differ by tens of thousands, and the drivers are predictable once you know them.
Layout changes are the big one. Keeping the sink, hob and appliances roughly where they are keeps plumbing and electrical work minimal. Moving the sink to the other side of the room, relocating the hob or knocking through to a dining room adds plumbing, drainage, electrical and sometimes structural cost, easily several thousand pounds. The most cost-effective kitchen works with the existing services.
Cabinetry is the second driver: flat-pack, rigid, in-frame and fully bespoke span an enormous price range for visually similar results. Appliances are the third, a premium oven, induction hob, integrated fridge-freezer and wine cooler can cost more than the units. Worktop material is the fourth, as above.
Finally, the state of the room underneath matters. Old kitchens often hide tired plaster, dated wiring that needs upgrading, uneven floors needing levelling and, occasionally, a slow leak under the old sink that has rotted the floor, the kind of discovery we find every week. A sound, level, properly serviced room costs less to fit a kitchen into than one needing remedial work first.
How long does a kitchen renovation take in London?
A kitchen renovation in London typically takes two to four weeks on site, and the programme matters because you are usually without a kitchen for the duration.
A straightforward budget or mid-range kitchen with no layout change runs about two weeks: strip-out and first-fix plumbing and electrics in week one, units and appliances in week two, with worktop templating mid-job and the stone fitted a few days later. A mid-range kitchen with some layout change, new flooring and tiling runs three weeks. A high-end kitchen with bespoke cabinetry, structural change (knocking through, a new opening or bi-fold doors) and stone runs four weeks or more.
The stone worktop sequence is the usual cause of the gap people do not expect: the worktop is templated only after the units are installed and made, so there is typically a week between units going in and stone arriving, during which a temporary worktop or a wait is unavoidable. Good planning, ordering long-lead appliances and the kitchen itself well ahead, keeps the on-site time tight. We sequence kitchens to minimise the days you are without a working sink, because we know that is the part clients feel most.
Budgeting your kitchen: where to spend and where to save
A kitchen budget is full of choices, and knowing which ones you will live with daily helps you spend where it counts.
Spend on the things that wear and that you touch constantly: the worktop, the hinges and drawer runners (soft-close, good-quality mechanisms outlast cheap ones by years), the sink and tap, and the hob and oven if you cook a lot. These are the parts that fail or annoy first when specified cheaply.
Save where the difference is cosmetic or swappable. Cabinet doors and handles can be replaced later far more cheaply than carcasses, so a solid carcass with budget doors is a sensible compromise. Splashback tiles, a mid-price laminate over premium stone in a rental, and standalone rather than integrated appliances all save money with little daily impact.
The biggest saving of all is keeping the layout: design the kitchen around the existing plumbing and electrics, and you avoid the most expensive category of work entirely. And whatever the budget, do not economise on the parts you cannot see, the plumbing connections, the electrical work and the seal around the sink, because those are exactly the corners that come back as a leak. At London Refurbishments we price every line openly so you can decide where your budget does the most good.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a new kitchen cost in London in 2026?
A new kitchen in London costs £8,000–£15,000 at the budget end, £15,000–£30,000 for a mid-range project and £30,000–£50,000 or more for high-end, fitted. The units and worktops drive most of the variation; fitting labour, plumbing, electrics and tiling are fairly consistent across tiers. VAT applies to most domestic work.
How much does kitchen fitting labour cost in London?
Kitchen fitting labour in London typically costs £2,000–£5,000 to assemble and install units, worktops and appliances over a one-to-two-week fit. Plumbing alterations add £500–£1,500 and electrical work £800–£2,500, with a Part P-registered electrician required for new circuits. These services cost much the same regardless of how expensive the units are.
Is quartz or granite cheaper for a kitchen worktop?
For a typical London kitchen, quartz costs £2,000–£4,000 and granite £2,500–£5,000, so quartz is usually slightly cheaper. Quartz is non-porous and needs no sealing; granite is a unique natural stone that needs occasional sealing. Laminate is far cheaper at £400–£1,000 but is not heat- or scratch-proof.
How long does it take to fit a new kitchen in London?
A kitchen renovation in London takes two to four weeks on site: about two weeks for a straightforward kitchen with no layout change, three for one with new flooring and tiling, and four or more for a high-end bespoke kitchen with structural change. Stone worktops add a few days because they are templated only after the units are fitted.
How can I save money on a kitchen renovation?
The biggest saving is keeping the existing layout, so plumbing and electrics stay minimal. Choose a solid carcass with budget doors you can upgrade later, use laminate over stone where hard wear matters less, and consider standalone appliances. Never economise on the plumbing, electrics or the seal around the sink, as those corners come back as leaks.
