Are you pricing installation or the complete kitchen?

A headline fitting price is difficult to assess without its scope. One proposal may cover assembly and positioning of customer-supplied cabinets. Another may include removal, worktops, service alterations and decoration. Neither total tells you much until the included work is clear.

This guide explains cost drivers rather than presenting an unsupported London average. A property assessment and an agreed specification are needed for a project-specific figure.

If you are still deciding whether to retain the existing kitchen, first compare kitchen refurbishment and replacement. A partial update and a complete strip-out need different specifications.

The main factors affecting kitchen installation cost

Layout and service positions

Moving a sink, dishwasher or hob can introduce work beyond cabinet fitting. Ask what needs rerouting, what can stay and whether the proposed arrangement is practical before ordering. Keeping the layout may avoid alterations, but existing connections still need assessment for the new equipment.

Cabinet quantity and fitting detail

Count the units and identify their type. Tall housings, corner mechanisms, integrated doors, filler panels and decorative details create different fitting tasks. Confirm whether assembly is included and provide the final supplier's plan, rather than asking installers to price from a photograph alone.

Room size is only part of the picture. A compact kitchen with many adjustments can involve more detailed work than a straightforward run of units in a larger room.

Worktop specification

Specify the material, thickness, joins, edges, upstands and sink or hob cut-outs. Ask whether measuring, fabrication, delivery and fitting are included or supplied under a separate quotation. If the chosen worktop requires a later measurement or fitting visit, establish who coordinates it.

Appliances and connections

Provide exact appliance models, including anything being reused. Dimensions, installation clearances and connection requirements should be checked against the design. A change of appliance after ordering can affect its housing, surrounding units or services.

Allow for suitably qualified trades where needed. HSE states that anyone employed to work on domestic gas appliances must be Gas Safe registered and competent for that work. Gas connection costs should not disappear into an undefined “appliance fitting” allowance.

Condition of walls, floors and existing services

Removing the old kitchen may reveal preparation that was not visible during the survey. Ask which repairs are included, what remains uncertain and how additional work will be agreed. Avoid treating every possible defect as an automatic extra before anyone has inspected it.

Access and deliveries in London

Tell the installer about stairs, lift restrictions, parking, loading arrangements and storage space. For flats, check any building requirements affecting deliveries or working hours. Ask which practical costs apply to your address; a London location alone does not explain an unspecified surcharge.

Which costs are easy to overlook?

Check removal of the old kitchen, waste collection, floor preparation, splashbacks, decorating and making good around altered services. Confirm who purchases small fittings and who handles missing or damaged components. An item excluded from one quote still needs a place in your overall budget.

Electrical changes may also require a particular compliance route. GOV.UK lists new electrical circuits and replacement consumer units among work requiring notification unless handled through an appropriate competent-person scheme. Ask the electrician what applies to the proposed work and whether relevant testing, documentation and fees are included.

Is VAT included?

GOV.UK says most building work on houses and flats is standard-rated at 20%, with exceptions for qualifying work. Ask whether VAT applies to each supplier's quotation and whether the stated total includes it. Do not add VAT twice to an inclusive price or assume that every supplier's tax position is identical.

Request a clear total payable and a list of any provisional allowances. An allowance is a budget provision for an item that is not fully settled; ask what assumption it uses and how the final charge will be established.

How to compare kitchen installation quotes fairly

1. Issue one specification: use the same dated layout, appliance list and finish schedule for each quotation.
2. Check supply responsibilities: identify what the installer supplies and what you purchase separately.
3. Resolve exclusions: obtain prices for necessary work missing from the headline figure.
4. Clarify uncertainties: record allowances, survey limitations and any work priced only after strip-out.
5. Agree change control: ask for the cost and schedule effect before authorising additional work.

As a comparison example, a quote covering cabinets only cannot be judged against one covering cabinets, worktops and electrical alterations simply by looking at the lower total. First bring both to the same scope.

For the preparation sequence, see how to plan a kitchen installation in London. For the timing question, the guide to how long kitchen installation takes explains the programme separately.

How can you control the budget?

Settle the layout and appliance choices early, ask about retaining suitable service positions, and distinguish essential work from optional finishes. If the price exceeds your budget, request a revised specification showing exactly what changes.

Keep a separate contingency based on the uncertainties identified at the survey, rather than assuming every project needs the same percentage. Agree payment stages and the treatment of variations in writing. Budget for any practical arrangements you need while the kitchen is unavailable.

To discuss a whole-room project, use our kitchen renovation service. Bring the design, appliance details and access information so the proposed scope can be assessed before a price is agreed.