Home › Guides › How to set a kitchen budget
How to set a kitchen budget
Quick answer: List every cost, not just units and worktops: fitting, plumbing, electrics, plastering, flooring, lighting and waste removal. Add a contingency of around ten to fifteen percent. Costs vary widely, so use real quotes, not national averages.
Some links here are affiliate links: we may earn a small fee if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Costs people forget
- Fitting labour, and whether the fitter or you supply the units
- Plumbing, gas and electrics, including moving the sink or hob
- Plastering, tiling and decorating once the units are in
- Flooring and trims
- Lighting and extraction
- Removing the old kitchen and waste
- Delivery and storage
What pushes the price up
- Bespoke or rigid units instead of flat-pack
- Stone and composite worktops instead of laminate
- Integrated appliances and premium brands
- Moving the sink, hob or boiler
- Structural changes such as knocking through
Where to save
- Keep the layout and services where they are
- Spend on the worktop and drawers you use daily, and save on the end panels and cornices
- Buy appliances in sales, and compare the same model across retailers
- Do the decorating yourself
Add a contingency
Old houses often hide damp, poor wiring or uneven floors behind units. Use our kitchen budget planner to add up your quotes and include a contingency.
For the order of spending, read the order of work.
Some links here are affiliate links: we may earn a small fee if you buy, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend on a kitchen?
It depends on the size, the specification and where you live, so national averages are not much use. Get three itemised quotes for your own room.
Does a new kitchen add value?
A kitchen in good order helps a home sell, but you rarely recover the full cost. Spend to suit how long you will stay.
Should I use finance?
Only if you understand the total cost. Compare the full repayment, and be wary of offers that tie you to one supplier.
Keep reading
- How to compare kitchen fitter quotes
- Flat-pack vs rigid vs bespoke kitchens
- Kitchen worktops compared
- Kitchen renovation: the order of work
- How to plan a kitchen layout
- Small kitchen ideas that work
Checked 12 November 2026. Prices, products and regulations change, so check the official or supplier page before you rely on anything here.