Whole rooms
Kitchen fitting cost calculator
A new kitchen is the biggest single job most people tackle, and the one with the most moving parts: units, worktops, plumbing, electrics, appliances and finishing. Most first-timers save the most by project-managing it themselves and doing the unskilled stages, while handing the regulated work to registered trades.
- Full DIY
- £4,750
- Smart Hybrid
- £4,870
- Full Trade
- £6,000
Typical mid-range job, Midlands rates. Yours updates below.
Updated November 2026. Estimates based on typical UK prices.
Cost calculator
Price this job three ways
Answer a few questions and watch the numbers move. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Smart Hybrid saves £1,130 against a full trade job.
Smart Hybrid
You take on what you can, a trade handles the rest.
£4,870
- Materials
- £1,938
- Labour
- £2,730
- Extras
- £200
- Kitchen fitting£1,996
- Splashback tiling£113
- Plumbing — same positions£320
- Electrics — same positions£300
- You take on: rip out the old kitchen, decorating, laminate fitting.
- Everything else stays with a trade.
Turn this into a plan
Get the order of work, who to book and a budget tracker, all editable.
Order of work for this job
A typical order. Always confirm timing with whoever you book, since some steps can overlap.
- 1
Strip out
- Rip out the old kitchenYou · ~1.5 days
- 2
First fix
- Plumbing — same positionsBook a plumber · ~1 day
- Electrics — same positionsBook an electrician · ~1 day
- 3
Fitting
- Kitchen fittingBook a kitchen fitter · ~7.13 days
- 4
Tiling
- Splashback tilingBook a tiler
- 5
Flooring
- Laminate fittingYou
- 6
Decorating
- DecoratingYou · ~1 day
How we worked out the materials›
- Base units£6654.2 m of run ÷ 0.6 m per unit = 7 base units
- Wall units£3507 base units × 0.7 = 5 wall units
- End panels£1202 per run × 2 runs (l-shape) = 4 panels
- Plinth£504.2 m of run ÷ 3 m lengths = 2 lengths
- Laminate worktop£2404.2 m + 10% = 4.62 m ÷ 3 m lengths = 2 lengths
- Splashback tiles£1084.2 m × 0.6 m high = 2.52 m² + 10% wastage = 2.77 m²
- Tile adhesive£182.52 bag ÷ 4.5 bag per pack = 1 × £18 = £18
- Grout£122.52 bag ÷ 9 bag per pack = 1 × £12 = £12
- Sink£1101 × £110 = £110
- Kitchen tap£651 × £65 = £65
- Wall and ceiling paint£445.43 L needed → 1 × 5L + 1 × 2.5L = 7.5 L for £44
- Laminate flooring£15610.5 m² of floor + 10% wastage = 11.55 m²
Estimates only, based on regional averages. Always get 2 to 3 written quotes from local trades.
The price
What affects the cost?
- 1
Units and worktop
Flat-pack units cost a fraction of bespoke ones, and the worktop (laminate, solid wood, quartz) is often the biggest single swing.
- 2
Appliances
A basic oven, hob and extractor cost far less than integrated or premium models. Decide your appliance budget early.
- 3
Layout changes
Moving the sink, hob or radiator means new plumbing, gas or electrical runs. Keeping everything where it is keeps the price down.
- 4
Gas and electrics
A gas hob must be connected by a Gas Safe engineer. New circuits are notifiable electrical work, so they add trade cost whatever else you do yourself.
- 5
Floor, walls and finish
New flooring, tiled splashbacks and redecorating add up quickly. Doing them yourself is where DIY saves the most.
Be honest with yourself
Can you do this yourself?
You can do
- Strip out the old kitchen (once water, gas and electrics are isolated by someone qualified)
- Decorate the walls and ceiling before the units go in
- Assemble and fit flat-pack units, if you are patient and have a spirit level
- Fit wall units, kickboards, cornice and handles
- Tile the splashback and lay flooring
Leave to a pro
- Gas hob or cooker connection: Gas Safe engineer only
- New or altered electrical circuits (Part P, with a certificate)
- Moving or adding plumbing
- Cutting stone or quartz worktops (specialist tools and templating)
- Anything structural, such as removing a wall
The rules
In England, adding or altering a fixed electrical circuit in a kitchen is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations. Gas work must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Rules differ slightly in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
DIY guide
How to fit a kitchen, step by step
This is the order professionals work in. The aim is to do the dusty, messy work first and the delicate finishing last.
Tools you'll need
- Spirit level (long and short)
- Cordless drill and driver
- Jigsaw and hole saw
- Stud and pipe detector
- Tape measure and pencil
- Mitre saw (for worktop joins and cornice)
- Clamps
- Silicone gun
Materials
- Units, doors and handles
- Worktop and edging
- Plinth, cornice and end panels
- Fixings, wall plugs and adjustable feet
- Sealant
- Splashback tiles or upstand
- Paint and flooring
- 1
Measure up and plan the layout
~1 dayMeasure every wall, window and doorway, and mark where water, waste, gas and sockets are. Draw the layout to scale and check each unit and appliance fits with room to open doors and drawers.
Tip: Most suppliers offer a free design service. Take their plan, then check every measurement yourself.
- 2
Order and check deliveries
~1 dayOrder units, worktop and appliances together so colours and batches match. When they arrive, open every box and check for damage before you sign. Store units flat and dry.
- 3
Isolate services and strip out
~1 dayHave water, gas and electrics isolated and capped by qualified people. Then remove the old units, worktop, sink and appliances, taking care with pipes and cables behind them.
Never disconnect gas yourself. Cap the supply with a Gas Safe engineer.
- 4
First fix: plumbing and electrics
~2 daysYour plumber and electrician run new pipework and cables to the planned positions while the walls are bare. This is the stage to add extra sockets and a dedicated supply for the oven or hob.
- 5
Make good walls and decorate
~2 daysRepair plaster, then paint the walls and ceiling and lay the floor where it will be visible. It is far easier now than working around fitted units.
- 6
Fit the wall units first
~1 dayMark a level line and fit the wall units before the base units get in the way. Start from a corner, fix into studs or with the right fixings for your wall, and check level and plumb after every unit.
Tip: Screw a temporary timber batten to the wall at the unit bottom height. It holds each unit while you fix it.
- 7
Fit the base units
~1.5 daysStart at the highest point of the floor and work outward. Set each unit to level on its adjustable feet, then screw units together and to the wall. Cut openings for pipes and cables before you fix in place.
- 8
Fit the worktop
~1 dayDry fit and scribe the worktop to the wall, cut and join corners with a jig or mitre, and seal every cut edge, especially round the sink and hob. Leave stone and quartz to the supplier or a specialist.
Tip: Seal cut ends of laminate and wood immediately. Raw edges soak up water and swell.
- 9
Second fix and appliances
~1.5 daysPlumber connects the sink, taps and dishwasher. Electrician fits sockets, switches and lighting. A Gas Safe engineer connects any gas hob or oven. Slide in the remaining appliances.
- 10
Finishing and snagging
~1 dayFit doors, handles, kickboards, cornice and the splashback. Run silicone along the worktop-wall joint and round the sink. Walk through with a list of anything that needs adjusting, and collect your electrical and gas certificates.
Learn from others
Common mistakes to avoid
- Fitting base units before wall units, then struggling to reach the wall
- Not checking the floor is level, which makes every door and drawer hang wrong
- Ordering appliances after the units, then finding the sizes do not fit
- Leaving the worktop edges unsealed around the sink
- Skipping the electrical certificate. You will need it when you sell
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK?
It depends mainly on layout and unit count rather than room size — a typical mid-range L-shaped kitchen with new units, worktop and appliances runs from around £4,750 doing the DIY-safe parts yourself to £6,000 fully trade-fitted. Enter your own layout above for an exact figure.
How much do kitchen units cost?
A mid-range 600mm base unit costs around £95. Wall units are usually a bit cheaper, and premium ranges run considerably higher — the calculator prices your exact base and wall unit count from your layout.
How much does a kitchen worktop cost per metre?
A mid-range laminate worktop costs around £120 per 3 m stock length. Solid wood and quartz cost significantly more — quartz in particular is templated and supplied by a specialist, so it’s always quoted separately.
Can I fit my own kitchen?
Partly — rip-out, decorating and flooring are safe DIY jobs, and building your own flatpack carcasses cuts the fitter’s time. But the fitting itself, plumbing, electrics and any gas hob connection stay with a trade in every column here.
How long does it take to fit a kitchen?
A straightforward kitchen fit typically takes a fitter 3–6 days depending on unit count and layout complexity, on top of separate plumbing, electrical and decorating time.
Ready to plan it?
Add this job to your renovation plan to get the order of work, who to book and a budget you can track.