How Much Does a Fitted Kitchen Really Cost? A Full Renovation Breakdown

Why "Kitchen Cost" Usually Means More Than the Units

Cabinetry is the part of a kitchen renovation homeowners think about first, and it's the part most kitchen retailers quote most prominently — Xeeni Kitchens' own ranges, for example, start from roughly £2,200 for 12 units in a high-gloss or matt finish, rising to £8,500+ for premium finishes like cottage classics. But units are only one of five segments that make up the total cost of getting a working kitchen. Worktops, tiling, removal of the old kitchen, and installation all add to the figure — and they're often where a budget goes wrong, because they're easy to underestimate or forget entirely.

Segment 1 — Units and Cabinetry

This is the segment most homeowners already have a sense of, and it scales primarily with finish and specification:

• High gloss / matt (entry level): from around £2,200 for a 12-unit kitchen
• Oaks & woods, whites & ivory: from around £2,800–£3,600
• Grey tones, custom painted: from around £3,500–£6,500
• Statement colours, striking & vibrant designs: from around £7,000–£8,000
• Cottage classics (premium, traditional detailing): from around £8,500

What drives cost within this segment: finish and door style, handleless vs. handled construction, and the total number of units required for your layout.

Segment 2 — Worktops

Worktop cost varies more than almost any other segment, because material choice has such a wide range:

What drives cost within this segment: the material itself, edge profile (a simple pencil edge vs. a bullnose or waterfall edge), the number of cut-outs needed for sinks and hobs, and templating (a precise on-site measure before the worktop is cut, standard practice for stone worktops in particular).

Segment 3 — Tiling

Tiling is one of the most commonly underestimated segments, partly because it's priced by area rather than by unit, which makes it easy to overlook at the budgeting stage.

• Labour only: typically £25–£50 per m² for standard wall tiling
• Splashback areas specifically: often £70–£90 per m², reflecting the extra cutting required around sockets, hobs, and extractor points
• Materials: standard tiles from a few pounds per tile up to £70–£150 per m² for natural stone
• A small kitchen splashback project: often starts around £250 in total
• Pattern complexity: a herringbone or other decorative layout can add roughly 30–40% to labour time compared with a simple grid pattern

London and South East pricing typically runs meaningfully above national averages for both materials and labour — worth factoring in specifically if you're budgeting in or around the city.

Segment 4 — Old Kitchen Removal and Disposal

This segment is genuinely easy to forget when budgeting, because it doesn't produce anything visible in the finished kitchen — but it's a real cost that needs planning for.

• Skip hire: a 6-yard skip suitable for a standard kitchen strip-out typically costs £230–£300 for the hire period
• Council permit (if the skip needs to sit on a public road): typically an additional £30–£70
• A dedicated kitchen removal service (cabinets, sink, and worktop removed and taken away): often £150–£450 all-in
• Man-and-van waste removal as an alternative to a skip: often £150–£220 for a medium kitchen's worth of waste

One practical note: electrical appliances generally cannot go into a standard skip and need separate WEEE recycling — worth confirming with whoever is managing removal so nothing gets left behind on collection day.

Segment 5 — Installation and Labour

Installation typically covers fitting the units, worktop templating and fitting, and — where applicable — coordinating with plumbing and electrical trades for sink, tap, and appliance connections. In many quotes, this is bundled into the overall price rather than itemised separately, which is worth asking about directly (see the checklist below).

A Worked Example: Total Cost for a Representative Kitchen

The table below illustrates how the five segments might combine for a mid-size, 12-unit kitchen with a mid-range worktop and a modest splashback — clearly an illustrative example, not a quote, since real costs depend on your specific kitchen size, layout, and property access.

Appliances, plumbing/electrical work beyond standard connection, and any structural changes (moving a wall, relocating a gas or water point) sit outside this range and should be quoted separately.

What's Usually Included in a Kitchen Quote (and What to Check Isn't Missing)

A quote that's missing two or three of these isn't necessarily a bad quote — but it's not comparable to one that includes them, and the gap needs to be added back in before you compare totals.

Ways to Manage the Cost Without Compromising the Result

• Choose a mid-tier worktop material (solid wood or entry-level quartz) paired with a premium cabinet finish — often reads as more considered than a plain cabinet finish with an expensive worktop
• Use a simpler tiling layout (straight grid rather than herringbone) to reduce labour cost while keeping material quality high
• Phase an island addition for a later project stage if the core kitchen budget is tight
• Ask specifically whether removal and disposal is included — it's a small line item that's easy to forget until it's missing