A new kitchen is exciting. Getting a quote for one is not always so exciting. One fitter says £2,000. Another says £8,000. You start wondering if they even looked at the same room.
So let’s clear this up properly. This guide breaks down the true kitchen fitting cost across the UK, using verified pricing data from trusted trade sources, not guesswork. No inflated numbers, no vague “it depends” and nothing left out.
By the end, you’ll know roughly what to budget, why prices swing so much, and where the real costs hide.
How Much Does It Cost to Fit a Kitchen? Quick Answer:
If you want the short version, here it is.
The average cost of fitting a kitchen in the UK sits between £1,700 and £3,000 for labour only. Based on real homeowner quotes. family-sized kitchen at around £3,500, which includes fitting units, worktops, and basic finishing work.
If you’re also buying the kitchen itself (units, worktops, appliances), the full new kitchen installation cost typically lands between £6,000 and £15,000+, with high-end and bespoke kitchens going well beyond that.
That’s a wide range. Good news: the rest of this article explains exactly why.
Extra Reading: How Much Does a Howdens Kitchen Cost?
Kitchen Fitting Cost: Labour Only Breakdown
Labour is usually charged one of two ways: a day rate, or a price per unit.
Day rate: A skilled kitchen fitter in the UK typically charges £250 to £350 per day, according to Checkatrade. Some experienced fitters, especially those working in pairs, charge £450 to £500 per day between them. London and the South East sit at the higher end. Smaller towns and rural areas often come in lower, though rural jobs can add travel costs.
Price per unit: Some fitters quote per cabinet instead, usually £100 to £150 per unit, according to Checkatrade and MyJobQuote. This model works well for simple, dry-fit jobs, but most fitters roll it into one fixed quote once they’ve seen the full job.
For a standard kitchen, MyJobQuote’s data shows the kitchen fitting labour cost typically runs between £1,700 and £3,000. That figure covers removing old units, fitting new cabinets and worktops, and general finishing. It usually doesn’t cover rewiring, replumbing, or plastering, so always check what’s actually included before you sign anything.
Extra Reading: Kitchen Designer Cost
How Much to Fit a Kitchen: Time and Timeline
Most standard kitchens take 5 to 10 days to fit, according to MyJobQuote. Checkatrade quotes a slightly longer average of around 10 days for a typical family kitchen. Bespoke kitchens take longer, often 10 to 15 days of actual fitting work, though the full project (design, ordering, delivery, and finishing) can stretch to several months.
If your fitter finishes in two days flat, that’s either a small kitchen or a reason to ask a few more questions.
Price to Fit a Kitchen: What Pushes the Cost Up
The price to fit a kitchen rarely stays at the low end once real life gets involved. Here’s what tends to move the number:
- Moving the sink, hob, or appliances: Every metre a pipe or cable has to travel adds cost.
- Old wiring or plumbing: Homes with outdated systems often need upgrades before a kitchen can go in safely.
- Structural changes: Knocking through a wall or altering layout adds building work on top of fitting.
- Worktop material: Laminate is budget-friendly. Granite and quartz cost significantly more to supply and fit.
- Location: Labour in London and the South East runs higher than in the Midlands or North, based on Checkatrade’s regional data.
None of this is a scare tactic. It’s just how kitchens work. Pipes and wires don’t negotiate.
Kitchen Installation Cost UK: Trades You’ll Actually Need
A kitchen fitter rarely works alone on a full installation. Depending on the job, you may also need:
- An electrician: for lighting, extractor fans, and appliance wiring
- A plumber: to connect taps, sinks, and dishwashers to the mains
- A gas engineer: if you’re disconnecting or connecting gas appliances
According to MyBuilder’s 2026 cost data, electricians typically charge £250 to £350 per day, while plumbers charge £180 to £300 per day. Combined with the kitchen fitter’s own rate, MyBuilder estimates total kitchen fitter labour costs across all trades at roughly £2,200 to £4,600 for a standard project.
This is the part people forget to budget for. A kitchen fitter can hang your cabinets beautifully, but they generally won’t touch your gas supply, and you wouldn’t want them to.
Kitchen Worktop Installation Costs
Worktops are often where a “reasonable” budget quietly becomes an expensive one. According to MyBuilder, typical supply costs per metre look like this:
- Laminate: £20–£50 per metre
- Granite: £250–£500 per metre
- Solid wood cabinets: £150–£500 per unit
Fitting adds to these figures, and heavier materials like granite or quartz take longer to cut and install, which naturally increases labour time. If you want the marble look without the marble bill, it’s worth asking your fitter about composite alternatives.
Plumbing and Electrical Costs for a Kitchen
Beyond the day rates already mentioned, plumbing and electrical work for a kitchen usually covers:
- Connecting new taps, sinks, and waste pipes
- Wiring for ovens, hobs, and extractor hoods
- Installing new sockets and lighting circuits
These costs rise fastest when appliances move location, since that means new pipe runs or cable routes rather than simple reconnections. If your current layout works, keeping the sink and cooker roughly where they are is one of the easiest ways to control costs.
Average Cost for Fitting a Kitchen: By Kitchen Size
To put real numbers against real kitchens, based on combined data from Checkatrade and MyJobQuote:
| Kitchen Size | Labour-Only Cost (approx.) |
| Small (under 10m²) | £1,500–£2,200 |
| Medium (10–16m²) | £2,200–£3,000 |
| Large (16m²+) | £3,000–£4,600+ |
These are UK averages, not fixed prices. Your actual quote depends on layout, condition of the room, and the trades involved.
Bespoke Kitchens: A Different Cost Bracket
Bespoke kitchens sit in their own category entirely. According to Checkatrade, a bespoke kitchen can cost anywhere from £20,000 to £75,000, with cabinetry alone often running £12,000 to £25,000. Fitting is usually charged at around £275 a day per fitter, and jobs are typically done in pairs since bespoke joinery takes precision, not shortcuts.
This is where working with an experienced team matters most. Bespoke cabinetry doesn’t forgive rushed measurements or guesswork, and getting it wrong once usually costs more than getting it right the first time. Companies that specialise in tailored kitchen design, such as ABL Design and Build, typically handle the coordination between designers, fitters, and trades as part of the process, which removes a lot of the back-and-forth homeowners otherwise manage themselves.
How to Keep Kitchen Fitting Costs Sensible
A few practical ways to avoid budget surprises:
- Get an itemised quote. Know exactly what’s included before work starts.
- Keep your layout similar. Moving plumbing and gas is the fastest way to add cost.
- Choose pre-assembled units carefully. They cost more upfront but often save fitting time.
- Budget for disposal. Skip hire for an old kitchen averages around £320 for a week, per Checkatrade.
- Ask about drawers versus doors. Drawers look great but cost more across a full run.
Final Thoughts
So, how much does it cost to fit a kitchen? For most UK homes, labour alone sits between £1,700 and £4,600, and a full kitchen installation typically runs £6,000 to £15,000 or more once units, worktops, and appliances are included. Bespoke projects go higher, but they also go further in terms of design and longevity.
The safest way to get an accurate number is still the simplest one: get a written, itemised quote from a fitter who has actually seen your kitchen. Averages are a starting point, not a promise.