DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
New kitchen cost in the UK: what a full fitted kitchen really adds up to
The price on a kitchen showroom ticket is only the start. By the time you add fitting, worktops, appliances, plumbing, electrics and the bits nobody mentions, a new kitchen usually costs a lot more than the units alone. The real prices below come from actual prices, so you can see where the money genuinely goes.
The quick version
- The cabinets are often the smallest slice of the bill once labour, worktops and appliances are added.
- Worktops, splashbacks and appliances can quietly match or beat the cost of the units themselves.
- Most of this work carries 20% VAT, so check whether a quote includes it or not.
- The finished, fitted total is what to budget for, not the flat-pack sticker price.
What people actually paid
Real prices, in people's own words
- £2,000“His bill was around £2k”
- £2,000“His bill was around £2k”
- £3,300“I recently paid £3300 for rip out and install.”
- £3,300“I recently paid £3300 for rip out and install”
- £4,500“£3,439 kitchen fitter + £625 electrician + £500 plasterer. So that's about £4,500.”
- £10,000“a Wickes flat pack kitchen which cost just under £4000 totalled just under £10,000 all in”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
No two kitchens cost the same because no two are the same shape. A galley in a flat is a world away from a large open-plan room where walls come down and a steel goes in. The choice of units drives a big chunk of it, but so does the worktop material, the number of appliances being wired and plumbed, and whether the layout stays put or moves. Moving the sink or hob means new plumbing runs and electrics, and that pushes the labour up. Older houses throw up surprises too, like uneven walls or tired wiring that has to be sorted before anything looks good. That gap between the materials cost and the fitted, finished result is exactly where most people underestimate.
How to pay less
- Keep the sink, hob and appliances roughly where they are so you avoid new plumbing and electrical runs.
- Get three written quotes that each spell out units, worktop, appliances and labour separately, so you can compare like for like.
- Mix and match: a mid-range carcass with a nicer worktop or handles often looks dearer than it cost.
- Buy appliances yourself in the sales rather than through the fitter, and confirm the fitter is happy to install them.
Common questions
Does a new kitchen price usually include fitting?
Not always. A showroom or flat-pack price is often just the units, sometimes with a worktop. Fitting, plumbing, electrics, tiling and appliance installation are frequently quoted separately, which is why the finished total lands well above the sticker. Always ask what is and is not included before you compare.
What costs the most in a new kitchen?
It varies, but the biggest single hits tend to be the worktop, the appliances and the labour rather than the cabinets. Solid worktops, plenty of integrated appliances and any structural or layout changes are what stretch a budget. The real prices below show how the split actually falls.
Do I pay VAT on a new kitchen?
In most cases yes. Standard home improvement work carries 20% VAT on both materials and labour when the trader is VAT registered. Check whether the figure you have been given already includes it, as that one detail can change your comparison significantly.