Kitchen Renovation Cost London: Full Refit Price Guide (2026)
•10 min read
A full kitchen renovation in London in 2026 typically costs between £6,000 and £50,000, depending on kitchen size, specification tier and whether the layout is changing. A budget flat-pack refit of a small galley kitchen starts around £6,000 to £10,000, a mid-range refit with rigid or built cabinets and laminate or composite worktops typically runs £12,000 to £28,000 depending on kitchen size, and a premium bespoke kitchen with quartz or solid wood worktops in a larger open-plan kitchen-diner can run from £30,000 to £50,000 or more. This guide breaks down the real cost drivers behind these figures, including cabinet and worktop material choice, appliance specification, and the added cost of a structural knock-through, before you request quotes.
Kitchen renovation cost in London by specification tier
Kitchen renovation cost splits into three broad specification tiers, and kitchen size affects each tier differently depending on whether the layout stays within the existing footprint or opens into a larger space. A budget flat-pack refit keeps the existing layout and plumbing positions largely in place, fits flat-pack cabinets assembled on site, and specifies a laminate worktop and standard appliances. A mid-range refit strips the kitchen back to bare walls and floor, fits rigid or built (pre-assembled) cabinets that hold their shape better under years of daily use, and specifies a laminate or composite worktop with a fuller run of integrated appliances. A premium bespoke refit goes further again, with cabinetry made to measure for the room rather than fitted from standard cabinet widths, a quartz or solid wood worktop, and a higher specification of integrated appliances, often within a larger open-plan kitchen-diner created by a knock-through.
Kitchen size changes the total less than most people expect once plumbing, electrics and worktop fabrication are accounted for, since a lot of the cost in any kitchen renovation is in the first-fix work and the trades rather than purely the run of units. A small galley kitchen and a larger open-plan kitchen-diner sit at different price points within each tier, which the table below sets out separately, and the gap between them widens more in the premium tier, where a bigger room means a longer stone worktop run, more cabinetry and, often, an island or peninsula that a galley layout simply doesn't have room for.
London kitchen renovation cost by tier and size (2026 guide)
Bespoke cabinetry, quartz or solid wood worktop, island
Figures are general London market guidance only, not a fixed Lian Construction quote. Request a free survey for pricing specific to your kitchen.
Cabinet and worktop material cost comparison
Cabinetry is the first major cost variable in any kitchen renovation. Flat-pack units, supplied in flat panels and assembled on site, are the most affordable option and a reasonable specification for a rental property or a tight first-refurbishment budget, though the carcasses and hinges tend to show wear faster under years of daily opening and closing than a pre-built alternative. Rigid, or built, cabinets arrive fully assembled from the factory and hold their shape and alignment better over time, making them the sensible mid-range choice for a family kitchen that needs to withstand daily use without doors and drawers working loose. Bespoke cabinetry, made to measure for the specific room rather than assembled from standard modular widths, costs the most, but makes the best use of an awkward galley footprint or an unusual run, and is generally the right choice where the kitchen is intended to last well beyond the next decade.
Worktop material tracks a similar cost curve, and is usually priced and fitted per linear metre of run rather than as a flat figure, since a larger kitchen simply needs more worktop. Laminate is the most affordable option, typically £40 to £90 per linear metre supplied and fitted, and has improved considerably in appearance in recent years, though it can't take direct heat from a hot pan and scratches more easily than a harder material. Solid wood worktop typically costs £120 to £220 per linear metre, looks warm and can be sanded back if it marks, but needs regular oiling and isn't the most practical choice directly around a sink unless properly sealed and maintained. Quartz and other engineered stone worktops sit at the top of the range, typically £250 to £450 per linear metre once templated and cut to the installed cabinet run by a specialist fabricator, and are considerably more resistant to heat, scratching and staining than either alternative, which is why they're the most requested upgrade where budget allows.
Appliance cost: integrated vs freestanding
Appliance specification is a genuinely large swing factor in a kitchen renovation budget, and it's worth pricing separately from cabinetry and worktops rather than assuming it's a minor add-on. A budget package of integrated appliances, covering an oven, hob, extractor, fridge-freezer and dishwasher built in behind matching cabinet fronts, typically costs £2,000 to £3,500. Moving up to a mid-range or premium integrated package, with a larger-capacity oven, a better extraction rate, and higher-end refrigeration and dishwashing, typically runs £4,000 to £8,000 or more, and the fronts need ordering to match the cabinetry supplier, which is worth factoring into the programme rather than treated as a last-minute choice.
Freestanding appliances of a broadly comparable specification are typically cheaper than the integrated equivalent, since there's no bespoke housing, matching door front or precise carcass sizing to account for, and a freestanding fridge-freezer or dishwasher can usually be swapped out later without touching the cabinetry around it. A freestanding package typically costs £1,500 to £5,000 depending on specification, though the finished look reads differently from an integrated kitchen, and a freestanding fridge-freezer in particular needs enough clearance space designed into the layout from the outset, rather than squeezed in once cabinetry is already fixed. Whether appliances are supplied by us or by the client affects how the quote is structured either way, and we set this out clearly at the survey stage.
The added cost of a knock-through for an open-plan kitchen-diner
One of the most requested changes in London's Victorian and Edwardian terraces is opening the wall between the kitchen and the adjoining dining room or reception room to create a single open-plan kitchen-diner. Where that wall is load-bearing, which it usually is in a period terrace since it typically carries the joists for the floor above, the knock-through needs a steel beam sized by a structural engineer and signed off by building control, rather than being treated as a simple opening. As our knock-through and steel beam cost guide sets out, a structural knock-through requiring a steel beam typically costs £1,800 to £4,500 or more, depending on the span of the opening and the load being carried, and this is a cost that sits on top of the kitchen fit-out figures above rather than included within them.
Budgeting for a knock-through alongside a kitchen renovation means planning two overlapping but distinct processes: the structural work, with its own engineer's calculation, building control application and steel fabrication lead time, and the kitchen fit-out itself, which typically follows once the opening and beam are in place and the ceiling line above is made good. Sequencing these together properly, rather than booking a kitchen fitter before the knock-through has even been signed off by building control, is the difference between a smooth programme and a kitchen fit-out standing idle waiting for structural work to catch up. Where the wall being opened is shared with a neighbouring property, most relevant in converted flats and maisonettes, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 can also apply, which typically adds several weeks to the timeline.
Relocating plumbing and gas runs, and where the sign-off boundary sits
Keeping the sink, hob and dishwasher in their existing positions is one of the biggest levers on cost in a kitchen renovation, in the same way it is in a bathroom renovation. In a London house with a suspended timber floor, common in Victorian and Edwardian terraces, relocating a sink waste run or extending a gas supply to a new hob position typically adds £600 to £1,200, since pipework and gas pipe can be routed between the joists, with floorboards lifted and relaid once the work is done. In a London flat, particularly a purpose-built or ex-council block with a solid concrete floor slab between storeys, the same relocation typically adds £1,200 to £2,500 or more, since cutting a deep chase into a structural slab isn't something a responsible contractor does, and the pipework or gas run instead needs a boxed duct, a raised section of floor, or, where the change affects a shared soil stack or riser, freeholder or managing agent consent before work can even start.
Gas is a distinct boundary within this work, and it's worth being clear about it from the outset. Our electricians and plumbers handle the first and second fix work around a new kitchen layout, including running new circuits, positioning sockets above worktop height, and extending pipework to a new sink or appliance position. Where a hob or oven runs on gas, though, moving or extending the gas pipework and the final connection and certification of the appliance itself must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, not by Lian Construction directly. We coordinate this as part of the overall programme, sequencing the Gas Safe engineer's visit alongside the rest of the second-fix trades so it doesn't hold up the wider job, but the actual gas connection and the certificate confirming it's been done safely comes from that qualified third party. Electrical work in a kitchen is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, and is tested and certified by a qualified electrician as part of the same job.
Timeline expectations for a kitchen renovation
A like-for-like kitchen replacement, fitting new units, worktop and appliances within the same footprint without moving plumbing, gas or structural walls, typically takes one to two weeks once strip-out starts. Where the layout is changing, with the sink or hob moving position, new tiling and flooring throughout, three to four weeks is more realistic once first-fix plumbing and electrics, boarding, tiling and worktop templating are all sequenced in properly.
Worktop lead time is one of the more common reasons a kitchen programme runs longer than expected, particularly for quartz and other engineered stone, which is templated only once cabinets are fixed in their final position and then fabricated off site, typically adding one to two weeks between template and installation. Bespoke cabinetry carries its own lead time too, sometimes several weeks from order to delivery, which is worth factoring in at the design stage. Where a kitchen renovation includes a knock-through for an open-plan conversion, the programme extends further again, since the steel beam needs ordering and fabricating to size and building control inspections happen at set stages of the structural work, adding real time before the kitchen fit-out itself can begin. We set out a realistic, written programme at quoting stage once we know the specification and whether structural work is involved.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in London in 2026?
A budget flat-pack refit of a small galley kitchen starts around £6,000 to £10,000, a mid-range refit with rigid or built cabinets and laminate or composite worktops typically runs £12,000 to £28,000, and a premium bespoke kitchen with quartz or solid wood worktops in a larger open-plan kitchen-diner can run from £30,000 to £50,000 or more. The right figure depends on kitchen size, specification and whether the layout, plumbing or gas runs are changing.
What's the difference between flat-pack, rigid and bespoke kitchen cabinets?
Flat-pack cabinets are supplied in panels and assembled on site, and are the most affordable option, though the carcasses show wear faster under daily use. Rigid, or built, cabinets arrive fully assembled and hold their shape and alignment better over years of use, making them a sensible mid-range choice. Bespoke cabinetry is made to measure for the specific room, costs the most, and makes the best use of an awkward layout or an unusual run.
Is laminate, solid wood or quartz the better worktop choice?
It depends on budget and how the kitchen is used day to day. Laminate is the most affordable and has improved considerably in appearance, but can't take direct heat and scratches more easily. Solid wood looks warm and can be sanded back if marked, but needs regular oiling. Quartz and other engineered stone cost the most but are considerably more resistant to heat, scratching and staining, which is why they're the most requested upgrade where budget allows.
Do integrated appliances cost more than freestanding ones?
Generally yes, for a broadly comparable specification, since integrated appliances need a bespoke housing and a matching cabinet door front rather than simply standing in place. A freestanding package typically costs £1,500 to £5,000, against £2,000 to £8,000 or more for an integrated package depending on specification, though the finished look and later replacement flexibility differ between the two.
How much does a knock-through add to a kitchen renovation?
Where the wall between the kitchen and an adjoining room is load-bearing, a structural knock-through with a steel beam typically costs £1,800 to £4,500 or more, on top of the kitchen fit-out cost, depending on the span and load being carried. This figure matches our dedicated knock-through and steel beam cost guide and needs a structural engineer's calculation and building control sign-off before work starts.
Does moving the sink or hob cost more in a flat than in a house?
Yes. In a house with a suspended timber floor, relocating a sink waste run or gas supply typically adds £600 to £1,200. In a flat with a solid concrete floor slab, the same change typically adds £1,200 to £2,500 or more, since chasing a structural slab isn't done, and the work usually needs a boxed duct or raised floor section instead.
Who connects the gas supply to a new hob or oven?
A Gas Safe registered engineer, not Lian Construction directly. We coordinate the Gas Safe engineer's visit as part of the overall renovation programme, sequencing it alongside the rest of the second-fix trades, but the actual gas connection and the certificate confirming it's safe comes from that qualified third party.
How long does a kitchen renovation take?
A like-for-like replacement within the same footprint typically takes one to two weeks once strip-out starts. Where the layout is changing, three to four weeks is more realistic, and a knock-through or bespoke cabinetry can extend the programme further given steel fabrication, building control stages and cabinetry lead times. We give a firm, written programme once we've surveyed the kitchen.
Can Lian Construction give me a fixed quote for a kitchen renovation?
Yes. We survey the kitchen and provide a written scope broken down by cabinetry, worktops, appliances, plumbing, electrics and any structural work, so the figures in this guide can be replaced with a price specific to your kitchen before work begins.
Get a free, no-obligation quote from Lian Construction
Send the site address, photos if available, and a short description of the work. Lian Construction surveys London properties in Kingston upon Thames and across all boroughs, then provides a clear written quote before any work starts.