Kitchen Fitting Cost UK (2026)
Labour, extras and what your quote should includeCompare kitchen fitting quotes in three parts: the fitter’s labour; supporting trades, preparation and finishing; and the kitchen products. Check whether each is included or priced separately. This UK guide separates labour-only fitting from supplied-and-fitted packages, so you can compare quotations for the same work.
FAMILY-KITCHEN FITTING LABOUR
£2,000–£6,000
Published family-kitchen fitting labour reference. Confirm which preparation and finishing tasks your own quote includes.
FULL-FITTING LABOUR REFERENCE
£1,500–£5,000
Separate published full-fitting labour reference. Check its stated scope rather than averaging it with another guide.
WORKTOP FITTING
£300–£1,000
Published separate worktop-fitting reference. Add it only when the work is excluded from the main fitting quote.
Reviewed and sourced for UK homeowners
Reviewed 22 September 2026. These are separate published labour references with different scopes, not a blended average or a RenoTally market survey. Check VAT, exclusions and the scope of your own quotation. Source context is recorded on our methodology page.
In this guide
Kitchen fitting costs at a glance
£2,000–£6,000 — Published family-kitchen fitting labour reference. The source’s £3,500 average is for its described fitting scope, not the supply of the kitchen products. Confirm which preparation and finishing tasks your own fitter includes.
£1,500–£5,000 — Separate published full-fitting labour reference. This is a separately published labour range. Its definition and inclusions differ from the family-kitchen reference above, so the figures should not be averaged.
£300–£1,000 — Published worktop fitting reference. This is a separate job-price reference, not an automatic extra. If worktop fitting is already in the whole-job quote, do not add it again.
These are source-specific benchmarks, not three prices to add together or a RenoTally market survey. One guide’s “fitting” may include a task another guide lists as an extra. Keep fitter labour, other specialist trades, waste, materials, VAT and contingency on separate lines.
Planning the complete room? Estimate my whole kitchen. The calculator covers units, surfaces, appliances, installation and other work; it is not a labour-only quotation.
Labour-only or supplied-and-fitted?
Labour-only usually means you source and pay for the kitchen units, worktop, appliances and fittings, then pay a fitter to install them. It does not automatically include every person who works on the room: electrician, plumber, gas engineer, plasterer, tiler and decorator may each be separate. Nor does it guarantee that removal, disposal, delivery, missing fittings or repairs are covered.
Supplied-and-fitted normally means one retailer or contractor quotes for both products and installation. It may be simpler to coordinate, but it is not automatically an all-in price. Check the exact cabinet range, worktop, appliances, installation scope, third-party trades, VAT and who takes responsibility when a component is missing or damaged.
A simple comparison before you sign
| Question | Labour-only fitter | Supplied-and-fitted package |
|---|---|---|
| Who buys the units and appliances? | Usually you. | Usually the supplier, according to the written specification. |
| Who checks measurements and compatibility? | Agree this explicitly. | Check the supplier’s survey and design responsibilities. |
| Who books specialist trades? | You or the fitter, if agreed. | Confirm whether they are included, subcontracted or excluded. |
| Who handles defects and missing items? | Responsibility may be split between retailer and fitter. | Ask who is your single point of contact. |
| Which is cheaper? | Either can be better value. Compare final VAT-inclusive totals for identical work. | |
What changes the fitting price?
Floor area alone is a poor measure of fitting effort. A compact room packed with awkward corners, tall units and integrated appliances can take longer than a larger room with a short, straight cabinet run.
- The number and type of units. Flat-pack cabinets need assembly; tall housings, corner mechanisms, wall units, panels, fillers and an island add time. A published guide gives approximately £120 per cabinet as a reference, but adding that rate to a whole-job fitting quote would double-count labour.
- The worktop and cut-outs. Laminate is not fitted in the same way as stone or solid-surface material. Ask whether templating, joins, sink and hob cut-outs, edging and installation are included.
- Whether the layout changes. Moving the sink, cooker or appliances can trigger new circuits, pipework, ventilation and making good.
- Condition behind the old units. Damp, rotten floors, uneven walls and outdated services may only become visible during strip-out. Put a process for approving extra work in writing.
- Access and location. Parking, restricted delivery, an occupied home and local labour rates affect the quote. Compare local written quotations rather than applying a universal postcode surcharge.
What a fitting quote should include
Start with a plan and a complete list of what is being supplied. Ask every fitter or package provider to mark each line included, excluded or provisional rather than relying on the words “fit new kitchen”.
| Work or item | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Survey and measurements | Who confirms final dimensions before you order cabinets and worktops? |
| Strip-out | Are old units, worktop and splashback removed? Who isolates services first? |
| Waste | Are carrying, skip and disposal charges included? |
| Cabinets | Are assembly, fixing, panels, fillers, handles, cornices, plinths and island included? |
| Worktop | Who measures, templates, cuts, joins, seals and fits it? |
| Appliances and sink | Does the price cover fitting only or safe connection and commissioning? |
| Electrics, plumbing and gas | Which named trade performs each task, and is its charge included? |
| Preparation and finishes | What is allowed for walls, plaster, flooring, tiling, painting and making good? |
| Price and schedule | Is VAT included, which items are provisional, and what triggers a variation? |
Ask what electrical inspection, testing and certification will be provided. England’s Approved Document P sets out the domestic electrical-safety framework. A person carrying out gas work must be on the Gas Safe Register and qualified for the appliance concerned.
Worked kitchen fitting examples
These are illustrative quote-building exercises, not sampled jobs or a RenoTally quotation. The fitter amounts resemble the small and medium examples in one published guide; the other lines are deliberately explicit assumptions. All figures below are assumed before VAT solely to show the calculation.
| Allowance | Small like-for-like kitchen | Medium kitchen with some service changes |
|---|---|---|
| Core fitting labour, including cabinet/worktop fitting and removal in this example | £2,000 | £3,500 |
| Separate waste allowance | £250 | £250 |
| Separate plumbing allowance | £300 | £600 |
| Separate electrical allowance | £500 | £900 |
| Illustrative subtotal before VAT | £3,050 | £5,250 |
| If every line attracts 20% VAT | £3,660 | £6,300 |
| Plus 10% contingency on the VAT-inclusive total | £4,026 | £6,930 |
Neither column includes units, worktop material, appliances, new flooring or major structural work. If your fitter already includes a connection, removal or disposal, delete the duplicated line. If your quote already includes VAT, do not add VAT again.
Day rate or fixed price?
Both approaches exist. A day rate can help with a short, uncertain repair or extra task, but it is a poor substitute for an agreed total when the job is a complete installation. Separate published 2026 guides give different day-rate references: about £150–£250 per day in one and £250–£350 in another. They may reflect different contractor mixes, locations and assumptions, so do not treat the midpoint as a national tariff.
If someone quotes by the day, ask how many working days are allowed, which tasks are included, whether a second person is needed, who pays for delays caused by missing materials, and what happens if the estimate is exceeded. A written programme is more useful than a promised number of days without a scope.
VAT and contingency
GOV.UK says most work on existing houses and flats by builders and similar trades is charged at the standard 20% VAT rate, though specific reliefs exist. Ask each supplier whether its figure is inclusive of VAT and whether it is VAT-registered; do not apply a blanket 20% to a consumer-facing price that already includes it.
A contingency is money you reserve, not an extra fee you automatically hand to the fitter. A starting 10–15% buffer is sensible while the room’s condition and exact specification remain uncertain. Agree in writing that every variation needs a description and a price before the extra work is authorised.
Estimate my whole kitchen → Choose the cabinet run, worktop, appliance tier, region and service changes. The headline result covers the whole kitchen, not installation alone. Read how RenoTally’s estimates are calculated for the model and its limits.
Seven questions for every fitter
- What exact tasks and products are included, and what is excluded?
- Does the figure include removal, disposal and making good?
- Who buys the kitchen and checks every component before the start date?
- Who carries out plumbing, electrical and any gas work, and what documentation will I receive?
- Is worktop fitting and templating included, especially for stone or solid-surface products?
- Is the total VAT-inclusive, and how will unforeseen work be priced and approved?
- What are the start date, realistic sequence, payment stages, guarantees and contact point if something goes wrong?
Give the same plans and scope to every contractor. A short itemised comparison will reveal whether one quote is actually cheaper or merely omits more work. If this kitchen is part of a larger renovation, RenoTally Pro can keep the kitchen allowance beside your other project budgets and trade quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Is £3,500 enough to fit a kitchen?
One published guide gives £3,500 as a midpoint for its family-kitchen fitting example. It is a useful labour planning reference, but not a promise that £3,500 covers cabinets, appliances, electrical changes, waste and VAT. Check every inclusion first.
Does labour-only include plumbing and electrics?
Not automatically. Some fitters coordinate specialist trades; others quote only for their own installation work. Ask who is responsible for each connection and whether the cost is inside the written total.
Does supplied-and-fitted mean there can be no extras?
No. It tells you who supplies the kitchen and arranges installation, not exactly which preparation, service changes or repairs are included. Check exclusions and provisional sums before signing.
Can I save money by keeping the existing layout?
Often, because fewer sink, hob, drainage and electrical positions need to change. You may still need work to correct hidden problems or bring installations up to an appropriate standard.
How long will I be without a working kitchen?
One published fitting guide suggests roughly two working weeks, but an entire renovation can run longer. Ask for the sequence of strip-out, first-fix services, fitting, worktop installation and commissioning.
Should I choose the cheapest quote?
Only after confirming it covers the same specification and work as the others. An excluded worktop, electrician or waste collection can outweigh an apparent saving.
Related renovation guides
If you are changing the floor or splashback too, use our flooring calculator for quantities and fitting allowances, and our tile calculator for tile quantities and estimated material cost. Read the complete kitchen renovation cost guide for a whole-room budget, Flooring Cost UK, Painting and Decorating Cost UK and House Renovation Cost UK.
Sources and limitations
Sources and methodology: read how our estimates work for the source context, assumptions and limitations behind these planning references.
The market guides use different scope and VAT conventions. RenoTally’s examples make their assumptions explicit; they are not an average of completed jobs. Always confirm local prices, tax treatment and safety requirements with the relevant professionals. Last reviewed: 22 September 2026.