How Much Does Kitchen Fitting Cost? London Prices 2026 Revealed

So, you’re thinking about a new kitchen in London or the South East and wondering, "What’s this actually going to cost me?" It’s the million-dollar question, though thankfully the answer is usually quite a bit less! Based on the hundreds of projects we've handled, a full kitchen renovation in our part of the world typically lands somewhere between £10,000 and £25,000 in 2026.

Of course, that’s a pretty wide range. A more budget-conscious project can start from around £10,000. Most homeowners find their sweet spot in the mid-range, spending between £15,000 and £25,000 for a great balance of quality and value. If you’re dreaming of high-end materials, bespoke cabinetry, and all the bells and whistles, you’ll be looking at a budget from £25,000 to £60,000 and beyond.

Your 2026 London Kitchen Cost at a Glance

Three illustrated kitchen sizes (Small, Medium, Large) with labour-only and supply-and-fit service options and price ranges.

Trying to pin down a price for a new kitchen can feel like you’re just guessing. To give you a solid starting point, we’ve put together some ballpark figures for typical London kitchen projects. The table below breaks down the costs into two main approaches: labour-only and a full supply and fit service.

Think of labour-only as paying for the expert fitting team to install a kitchen you’ve sourced yourself. A supply and fit project, on the other hand, is the complete package where your contractor handles everything from sourcing the units and worktops to the final installation.

Average London Kitchen Fitting Costs 2026 At a Glance

Kitchen Size	Average Labour-Only Cost (Fitting)	Average Supply & Fit Cost (Full Project)
Small Kitchen (e.g., Galley, 6-8 units)	£2,500 – £4,000	£8,000 – £15,000
Medium Kitchen (e.g., L-Shape, 10-12 units)	£4,000 – £6,000	£15,000 – £25,000
Large Kitchen (e.g., U-Shape/Island, 15+ units)	£6,000 – £9,000+	£25,000 – £60,000+

These figures give you a realistic idea of what to expect in the London market, where both labour and material costs are higher than in many other parts of the UK.

Understanding These Figures

Ultimately, your final bill is the sum of many small decisions. Every choice you make, from the cabinet handles to the worktop material, will nudge the budget up or down. A good chunk of your investment will go towards the big-ticket items like cabinetry, worktops, and the best kitchen flooring options for 2026.

A comprehensive 'supply and fit' quote covers much more than just the units you see. It’s a whole package that typically includes:

Labour: The skilled work of certified kitchen fitters, plumbers, and electricians.
Materials: All the core components like cabinets, worktops, sinks, taps, and tiles.
Appliances: Your oven, hob, extractor fan, fridge-freezer, and dishwasher.
Ancillary Services: Things like waste disposal, plastering, and final decorating touches.

In our experience, the total cost of a kitchen always comes down to three things: the complexity of the job, the quality of the materials you select, and the overall scope of the work. A simple like-for-like cabinet swap will naturally be far less expensive than a complete redesign involving structural changes.

If your vision extends beyond just the kitchen itself—perhaps you're planning an extension to create a larger kitchen-diner—it’s wise to budget for that from the start. To get a feel for how expanding your space affects the numbers, our kitchen extension cost calculator is a great tool for building a more complete financial picture.

Breaking Down Your Kitchen Renovation Quote

Detailed quote breakdown for various services including labour, materials, appliances, and electrics with specific costs.

When you first get a quote for a new kitchen, it can feel like you’re staring at a foreign language. There are line items for everything from joinery to plumbing, and it’s easy to feel a bit lost in all the numbers. But getting your head around this document is the single best way to keep your budget on track and avoid any nasty surprises later on.

Think of your quote as the complete blueprint for your project. Every line shows you exactly where your money is going. Once you understand it, you’re in control. You can decide where to spend a little more for that feature you love and where you might be able to pull back.

At its core, every quote is built on two main pillars: labour and materials. Let’s break down what you can expect from each.

The Cost of Skilled Labour

The people physically building your kitchen are a huge part of the investment, and for very good reason. You’re not just paying for a pair of hands; you’re paying for the experience that guarantees a high-quality, safe, and long-lasting finish. In London and the South East, where demand for top-tier tradespeople is high, this is especially true.

As of 2026, the labour cost for installing a standard-sized kitchen hovers around £3,500. This can dip to £2,000 for a simple fit-out in a small flat or climb past £6,000 for larger, more complicated jobs. A good, experienced kitchen fitter in London will typically charge a day rate of about £300, though this can range from £250 to £350 depending on their reputation and the complexity of the work. You can find more detail on this in this detailed guide to kitchen installation costs.

A transparent quote will always break down the labour costs by trade. You should expect to see separate lines for:

Lead Kitchen Fitter: The main person running the show, responsible for assembling cabinets and fitting worktops.
Certified Electrician: A legal must-have for any work involving wiring, new sockets, lighting, or connecting appliances.
Gas Safe Engineer: Absolutely essential if you’re installing or moving a gas hob or oven.
Plumber: The specialist who’ll handle connecting your sink, taps, dishwasher, and washing machine.

A detailed quote should separate these labour costs, giving you a clear view of who is doing what and for how much. Vague descriptions like "General Labour" can hide inefficiencies, so always ask for a specific breakdown.

Understanding Material and Appliance Costs

Once the labour is accounted for, the next biggest factor is the cost of the actual "stuff" – the units, worktops, and appliances that make up your kitchen. This is where your personal style really comes to the forefront, and where you have the most direct control over the total spend.

We cover this in much more detail in our guide to the full kitchen renovation cost in London, but here’s a quick overview of how your choices affect the bottom line.

Worktops

Laminate: By far the most budget-friendly choice. Modern laminates come in a huge array of finishes and can look fantastic.
Solid Wood: A classic for a reason. It offers a warm, natural feel but does need a bit of upkeep (oiling) to stay looking its best.
Granite & Quartz: These are the premium options. They're incredibly durable, look stunning, and will sit at the higher end of the price range.

Appliances

Freestanding: Usually the more affordable route. They’re also simpler to replace if something goes wrong down the line.
Integrated: These are hidden behind cabinet doors for a clean, seamless look. That sleek finish generally comes with a higher price tag.

By understanding what each of these items costs, you’re no longer just a spectator. You become the director of your own project. It gives you the confidence to talk to your contractor, make smart adjustments, and ensure the kitchen you get is one you love and one that fits your budget perfectly.

What Drives Your Final Kitchen Cost Up or Down?

Ever looked at two kitchens that seem roughly the same size and wondered why one cost a fortune and the other was surprisingly affordable? The final number on your quote isn't just plucked out of thin air. It’s a direct reflection of the choices you make, and understanding these factors is the key to keeping your budget in check.

Think of it this way: you can buy a basic car that gets you from A to B, or you can add all the extras—leather seats, a sunroof, a premium sound system. Your kitchen is no different. Every decision, from the cabinet material to the style of the handles, plays a part in the final tally.

Size and Layout Complexity

Let's start with the most obvious one: the size of your kitchen. A larger room simply needs more of everything—more cabinets, more worktop, more flooring. It stands to reason that a compact galley kitchen in a Fulham flat will cost less to fit out than a sprawling, U-shaped kitchen in a Dulwich family home.

But size is only half the story. The complexity of the layout is just as important, and this is where costs can really start to vary.

Simple Layouts: A straightforward L-shape or galley kitchen is relatively quick and easy for a fitter to install. Fewer complicated cuts and less fiddly work mean lower labour costs.
Complex Layouts: As soon as you add an island, a breakfast bar, or have to work around awkward nibs and alcoves, the job becomes more time-consuming. This requires more skill and precision, which naturally pushes the installation price up.

If you want to make a big impact without a big bill, one of the best things you can do is keep your existing layout. As soon as you start moving things around, the costs can climb faster than you’d expect.

Moving a sink just a few feet might sound simple, but it means rerouting both the hot and cold water supply and the waste pipe. That's a significant bit of plumbing work that just doesn't exist if you're swapping an old sink for a new one in the same spot.

Cabinetry and Material Choices

Your choice of kitchen units will have one of the biggest impacts on your budget. The price gap between standard, off-the-shelf flat-pack units and a fully bespoke, handmade kitchen can easily run into thousands of pounds.

Flat-pack kitchens from major retailers are a fantastic way to keep a lid on costs. They are mass-produced, and while they do require assembly on-site (which can add a little to the labour time), their initial price makes them a very popular choice.

At the other end of the scale, bespoke cabinetry is crafted by joiners to fit your space to the millimetre. This gives you complete freedom in design and unmatched quality, but it comes with a premium price tag. There’s also a great middle ground: semi-custom kitchens, where you pair standard-sized carcasses with custom-made doors to get a high-end finish without the full bespoke cost. When looking at your quote breakdown, remember that specific fixtures like a premium kitchen 3 way mixer tap can also influence both the final price and the everyday usability of your new space.

Structural Work and Major Changes

This is where your project can go from a simple kitchen refit to a full-blown construction project—with the budget to match.

Knocking down a wall to create a modern, open-plan kitchen-diner is a brilliant way to transform a home, but it’s a serious undertaking. This isn't a job for a standard kitchen fitter alone. It involves architects, structural engineers to calculate the correct steel beam (RSJ) needed, and building control approval to ensure it's all done safely.

The work itself—installing the steel, plastering, re-routing all the electrics and plumbing—can easily add £5,000 to £10,000 or more to your project before you’ve even thought about buying a single cabinet.

Seeing the Budget in Action: Example Kitchen Projects

Three kitchen designs: compact galley, medium with island, and large kitchen-diner, with prices.

Numbers on a page are one thing, but what does a budget actually look like in a real London home? To give you a clearer picture of how kitchen fitting costs break down, we've outlined three common project scenarios we see all the time.

These examples show what’s realistically achievable at different price points. You'll see the typical trade-offs homeowners make and understand where spending a bit more can truly elevate the final result.

Small Project: A Compact Galley Kitchen Refresh in a Clapham Flat

Let's start with a classic London scenario: a tired, narrow galley kitchen in a Victorian conversion flat in Clapham. The main goal here is a modern facelift for better looks and usability, but without the cost and hassle of moving walls or changing the layout.

The owners chose a 'supply and fit' package for a stress-free, coordinated process. To make their budget work harder, they went for high-quality flat-pack units from a reputable brand. The smartest trade-off they made was choosing a premium laminate worktop that brilliantly mimics stone, saving them thousands compared to quartz or granite.

Here’s a realistic look at the budget for this kind of job:

Project Goal: Modernise an 8-unit galley kitchen.
Location: Clapham, SW4.
Total Project Cost: Around £12,500.

Cost Breakdown:

Supply of Kitchen Units (Flat-Pack): £3,000
Laminate Worktops: £900
Appliances (Mid-Range): £2,500
Sink & Tap: £350
Tiling (Splashback): £600
Flooring (LVT): £750
Labour (Fitting, Electrics, Plumbing): £3,500
Waste Removal & Sundries: £900

By sticking to the existing footprint, they dodged the expense of rerouting plumbing and electrics. That clever saving on the worktop freed up cash for dependable mid-range appliances and, crucially, a professional installation for that sharp, clean finish.

Medium Project: A Mid-Range L-Shaped Kitchen in a Balham Terrace

Now, let's step it up a notch. Imagine a family in a three-bedroom Balham terrace house with a dated L-shaped kitchen. They want a complete overhaul to create a more functional family hub with better storage and a small breakfast bar for casual meals. This is the bread-and-butter of London kitchen renovations.

This budget allows for a few noticeable upgrades. They opted for semi-custom cabinets—standard carcasses paired with upgraded shaker-style doors, which gives a much more expensive, bespoke look. A warm, characterful solid wood worktop and sleek integrated appliances complete the streamlined feel.

To help you see exactly where the money goes, here is a typical breakdown for a project of this size.

Sample Budget Breakdown for a Medium London Kitchen (£22,000)

This table shows how a typical £22,000 budget is allocated, demonstrating the balance between materials, appliances, and the essential labour that brings it all together.

Expense Item	Estimated Cost	Percentage of Budget
Supply of Kitchen Units	£6,000	27%
Solid Wood Worktops	£2,500	11%
Integrated Appliances	£4,500	21%
Sink & Tap	£600	3%
Tiling & Splashback	£1,200	5%
Flooring & Decorating	£1,700	8%
Labour & Project Management	£4,500	20%
Skip Hire & Sundries	£1,000	5%

As you can see, the budget allows for investment in the high-touch, high-impact elements while keeping overall costs in check.

A mid-range budget is all about smart decisions. Here, the client put their money into the things they see and touch every day—the cabinet doors and worktop—while avoiding the major expense of changing the layout.

This approach achieves that perfect sweet spot between day-to-day practicality and those desirable design touches, creating a kitchen that genuinely improves how you live in your home.

Large Project: A High-End Kitchen-Diner Extension in a Dulwich Family Home

Finally, let's look at the top end of the scale. This project in a semi-detached Dulwich home involves the kind of transformation many London families dream of: knocking through a wall to create a vast, light-filled, open-plan kitchen-diner with a statement island and bi-fold doors.

This is a major undertaking. The budget reflects not just the premium materials but also the significant structural work involved. We're talking bespoke cabinetry, a stunning quartz worktop with a waterfall edge on the island, and a full suite of top-tier integrated appliances.

The structural changes, like installing an RSJ steel beam to support the new opening, are a huge part of the cost. But the pay-off is immense—a complete reimagining of the ground floor. This isn't just a new kitchen; it's an investment in lifestyle and a significant boost to the property's value.

Project Goal: Create an open-plan kitchen-diner with an island, involving structural changes.
Location: Dulwich, SE22.
Total Project Cost: Approximately £55,000+.

Cost Breakdown:

Structural Work (incl. RSJ): £8,000
Bespoke Kitchen Units & Island: £15,000
Quartz Worktops: £7,000
Premium Appliances: £8,000
Bi-Fold Doors: £5,000
Labour (Full Team): £9,000
Electrics & Lighting: £1,500
Plumbing & Underfloor Heating: £1,500

Planning for Hidden Costs and Project Timelines

An infographic outlining kitchen renovation steps and potential hidden costs like skip hire and permits.

You’ve got your quotes, and the big numbers are all accounted for. But anyone who’s been through a renovation will tell you that the initial estimate is just the beginning. The smoothest projects are the ones where you're prepared for the costs you can't see yet.

Think of these not as "hidden" costs—a good contractor isn't trying to pull a fast one—but as variables. They’re the expenses that can only be accurately priced once work begins or are separate from the main fit-out itself. It's a bit like booking a holiday; you pay for the flight and hotel, but you still have to budget for taxis and meals when you get there.

What Are These Extra Costs?

Some of these additional expenses are pretty standard, but they might not appear on an initial high-level quote. Knowing about them ahead of time means your total budget will be far more realistic. If you want a full checklist, our guide to the hidden costs of renovating in London is a great place to start.

Here are a few common ones to plan for:

Waste Removal: Tearing out an old kitchen creates a mountain of debris. You'll need to budget for skip hire or a waste collection service, which can run into several hundred pounds.
Parking & Permits: This is a big one in London. Tradespeople often need parking permits or have to pay daily charges, and this cost is usually passed on. It’s always best to ask about this upfront.
Making Good: Once the old units are gone, the walls and floor underneath are rarely in pristine condition. Plastering, levelling a subfloor, and re-decorating are vital for getting that sharp, professional finish.

Budgeting for the Truly Unexpected

Then there are the real unknowns—the things you find when you start pulling things apart. In London’s older properties especially, opening up a wall can reveal anything from dodgy old wiring to a patch of damp that needs sorting.

You absolutely must set aside a contingency fund. We always recommend 10-15% of your total project cost. This isn’t just ‘if we need it’ money; treat it as a dedicated part of the budget. If you get lucky and don't have to touch it, you've got a nice little surplus at the end.

How Long Will It All Take?

Time is just as important as money. Knowing how long you’ll be without a functioning kitchen helps you plan your life around the work.

A straightforward replacement, where we’re putting a new kitchen into the same layout, usually takes 1 to 2 weeks. That covers the entire process from start to finish.

A typical schedule looks something like this:

Days 1-2: The old kitchen comes out, and we get the room prepped.
Days 3-5: First-fix electrics and plumbing go in. If any plastering is needed, it happens now.
Week 2: The exciting bit! Cabinets and worktops are installed, then we move to the second fix to connect up your sink and appliances.
Final Days: This is where it all comes together with tiling, flooring, and the final paint touches.

If your project involves bigger changes, like taking down a wall or moving a doorway, the timeline will naturally be longer. A more complex job can easily stretch to 3 to 5 weeks or more, all depending on the scale of the structural work. This is where having a great project manager you can talk to makes all the difference in keeping things on track.

Achieving a Flawless Finish with a Professional Team

You can spend months picking out the perfect worktops and cabinet doors, but the single decision that will define your project's success is choosing who will build your kitchen. Great design is one thing; expert execution is what brings it to life and ensures it lasts. This is the point where the spreadsheets and mood boards give way to skilled hands.

Working with a professional, full-service team like ours at All Well Property Services fundamentally changes the experience. Instead of the headache of juggling multiple contractors and quotes, you get one transparent, fixed price for the entire job. It removes that nagging anxiety that often comes with wondering how much kitchen fitting will really cost once all the different trades are factored in.

The Value of an Integrated Team

The secret to a project that runs on time and on budget is a seamless workflow. Trying to coordinate a separate plumber, electrician, and fitter yourself can feel like herding cats, with one delay causing a domino effect. When your main contractor has their own dedicated team of certified tradespeople, the whole process just clicks into place.

This integrated approach means you never have to chase anyone or second-guess their credentials. It’s our job to make sure the right expert is on-site at precisely the right moment.

NICEIC-Approved Electricians: All the wiring for your new oven, induction hob, sockets, and feature lighting needs to be safe and legally compliant. Our electricians ensure it’s all certified.
Gas Safe Registered Engineers: This is non-negotiable. Any work involving a gas appliance, like a hob or a boiler relocation, must be handled by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It’s a matter of law and, more importantly, your family’s safety.
Skilled Plumbers and Joiners: From perfectly mitred worktop joints and level cabinets to plumbing that won't give you problems down the line, our fitters are masters of the details that make a kitchen look and feel right.

Having a single point of contact through a dedicated project manager is invaluable. It means you get straightforward daily updates, you aren't living in a mess, and you have the peace of mind that an experienced professional is sweating the small stuff so you don’t have to.

An Investment in Quality and Peace of Mind

At the end of the day, hiring a professional team isn't an expense; it's an investment. It’s about more than just slotting cabinets onto a wall. It’s about making sure every hidden pipe, every electrical connection, and every final lick of paint is completed to a standard you can trust.

This commitment to quality gives you a stunning, durable kitchen you'll love for years to come, and it adds real, tangible value to your property. By choosing a professional team, you’re not just buying a kitchen—you’re investing in a stress-free process and a flawless result.

Your Kitchen Fitting Questions Answered

No matter how much you plan, a few questions always crop up right at the end. It's completely normal. When you’re about to invest a significant amount in a new kitchen, you want to be certain. Here are some quick, straightforward answers to the questions we get asked most often by homeowners.

How Can I Lower My Kitchen Cost Without Sacrificing Quality?

You want to bring the cost down without ending up with a kitchen that falls apart in a few years. It's all about making smart choices where it counts.

The single biggest saving you can make is by keeping your existing layout. Deciding not to move your sink, oven, or other major appliances means you avoid the costly work of re-routing plumbing and electrics. That one decision can genuinely save you thousands.

Look at clever material swaps, too. Modern high-quality laminate worktops can mimic natural stone or wood brilliantly, but for a fraction of the price. If the shells of your cabinets are still solid, why not just replace the doors and handles? It’s a trick of the trade that gives you a fresh, new look for much less. Finally, keep an eye out for seasonal sales to source your own appliances. A good fitter will always be happy to point out where to spend for durability and where you can safely save a bit of cash.

How Long Does a Typical Kitchen Installation Take?

This really depends on what we're starting with. For a standard, like-for-like replacement where the new kitchen goes into the same layout as the old one, we’re typically looking at one to two weeks. That's usually enough time to strip out the old units, handle the plumbing and electrics, fit the new cabinets and worktops, and then finish up with tiling and decorating.

However, if you're planning something more ambitious—knocking down a wall, adding a kitchen island, or completely changing the plumbing—you'll need to be more patient. For these bigger jobs, it’s realistic to expect a timeline of three to five weeks, sometimes more.

A project's complexity is a huge factor in the final cost. It's not just about more materials and labour; a longer timeline can bring its own hidden costs and disruption to your daily life.

Do I Need to Hire Separate Plumbers and Electricians?

Not if you work with a full-service company like All Well Property Services. In fact, one of the biggest benefits of our approach is that we manage and coordinate all the certified tradespeople for you. This includes our own NICEIC-approved electricians and Gas Safe registered engineers.

It completely takes the stress out of the equation. You don't have to worry about finding, vetting, and scheduling different people. Everything is done seamlessly, under one roof, which prevents the kind of delays and communication headaches that can plague a project.

Is It Cheaper to Buy a Kitchen from a Big-Box Store?

Those big DIY retailers often have very tempting price tags on their kitchen units, but you have to look at the whole picture. The initial low cost can be a bit of a mirage. Once you add on delivery charges, the separate fitting cost, and any tweaks needed to make it fit your space, the final price can end up being very similar to what an independent supplier would charge.

The real difference often comes down to the quality of the fit. A specialist kitchen company lives and breathes installations; their fitters are highly experienced. Large retailers, on the other hand, often subcontract the work out. To make a fair comparison, always get detailed, like-for-like quotes that spell out every single cost.

Ready to get a clear, fixed-price quote for your London kitchen renovation? The team at All Well Property Services provides professional project management and certified trades to deliver a flawless finish with minimal stress. Start planning your project today.