The kitchen is one of the most used rooms of the house; it’s become a cross-functional area used for more than just cooking the family meals, and over the years has earned its name as the heart of the home. However, when it comes to doing a kitchen renovation, costs can quickly add up. So what is the average cost of a kitchen in the UK, and what can you expect when budgeting for the change?
Things to Consider When Buying a Kitchen
When it comes to making any big change in your home, doing thorough research, and having a plan is essential. Not only should you be taking the size and shape of your kitchen into consideration, but you need to look at all the nuances that make a kitchen work, the costs of materials and the installation before you begin.
On paper, changing your kitchen may seem like a relatively straight forward project: you take the old cabinets out and you put the new cabinets in. But, if you’re looking to completely redo your kitchen, you need to take the time to reflect on how the space works for you and how you can optimise its use for your future.
Making the Space work for You
When purchasing a new kitchen, you’re buying more than just new door fronts and worktops. Whether you’ve got a galley, an L-shape or an island, you need to consider the placement of the three key working zones: the hob, sink and fridge. As well as this, ask yourself, what do you use the space for and how will this space serve you for the future – especially if this is the last kitchen renovation you plan on doing in your home.
Consider if you should raise the placement of the oven as you get older, eliminating bending and lifting, contemplate corner and pull-out units with carousels as well as deep drawers to store crockery so you are not lifting overhead and choose timeless kitchen doors to see you through trends, giving the space longevity of style.
All of these contributing elements is what will make your kitchen work going forward; it’s also these aspects that will bump the price of your kitchen, but if you get it done right, you’ll only have to do it once. Always remember, that there is a lot more to think about with a new kitchen than you may realise.
How Much Does a New Kitchen Cost?
So how much does a new kitchen cost in the UK? All in all, a completely new kitchen (a full makeover) could cost you upwards of £7,000. You can expect it to be more if you go for high-end products and lower if you can source cheaper materials, but it’s best to earmark 7k for the entire project and have a separate contingency pot covering any ad hoc issues that may arise. If you’re not updating appliances, floors, walls, or getting fancy with storage solutions, then a new kitchen suite can cost you approximately 3k.
Removing your Old Kitchen
Don’t forget to include the price of removing your old kitchen when you’re searching for quotes. You could remove the old cabinets and kitchen doors yourself if you wanted to save costs, however hiring someone to do this for you can be quicker, easier, and safer. You could also contemplate selling parts of your old kitchen to offset some of the cost – ask your kitchen remover to carefully take off the carcasses so that you can sell on, even if you only make a small amount of money. If they’re of no use to anyone then these can be ripped out quickly. As part of your kitchen planning stage weigh up if your preference is time efficiency versus cost-effectiveness.
New Kitchen Parts and Materials
The biggest outlay you will likely see is the cost of the new kitchen suite itself, so that’s the new kitchen doors, units, and worktop. As mentioned, this can cost around £3,000 for a good-standard suite. From there is where you will see the costs creep up with additional accessories such as pull-out corner units, splashbacks, new sinks and taps, and flooring.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the mounting costs for a full makeover, flooring and tiles is where you can cut corners, so to speak. Even with the kitchen being a high-traffic room, laminate or vinyl flooring is a great durable option and is usually half the price of tiles, stone, or limestone. You can also use tile stickers on the walls for a quick upcycle if expensive tiles are not your top priority in your kitchen renovation.
Additional Kitchen Appliances
When purchasing a new kitchen, a lot of people choose to also update their appliances, so the entire room is completed in one go with everything being brand new. This is more of a nice to have than a necessity, but good to budget in if you do go for them, especially if you’re changing the layout of the kitchen or going from freestanding appliances to built-in.
The Installation of Your New Kitchen
Even though the cost of a new kitchen can sometimes be overwhelming, it’s important that you don’t scrimp on hiring a kitchen installer. You don’t want to fall at the last hurdle and have your expensive new kitchen damaged or poorly installed for trying to cut the cost of labour. A good tradesperson is worth their weight in gold.
Everyone on iknowa.com is vetted so you’re only working with the best tradespeople that you can trust.
Your kitchen supplier could also offer an installation service, but we would recommend finding someone with good reviews on iknowa.com to conduct this service, so you feel more comfortable paying out for professional fees.
Unexpected Costs to Consider When Buying a Kitchen
If you can manage it, it is strongly recommended to have back-up funds when renovating your kitchen as you never know what could happen. There could be water or pipework damage that’s hidden behind the cabinets; the kitchen may need new electrical work (especially if you’re moving the working design); and then there are labour costs, delays to timelines and the fluctuating price of material, so it’s better to be prepared.
A great tip when having a full kitchen renovation, and something that is often overlooked, is the additional costs for food to eat while the project is ongoing. You may have budgeted for the project itself, but have you considered the knock-on effect to your disposable money if you must eat out more because you don’t have the facilities at home? If this is you, learn more about how to live in your house renovation in our help and advice section. A full kitchen refit can take approximately 3-5 days so it’s something to factor into your plans.
A kitchen project can feel like a tremendous task but if you plan properly, work with the right local professionals and budget accordingly, you can add value to your home and have a great space to eat and entertain in.
Build better with iknowa
KitchenPlanning Permissionproject management tips
