What moves the price most
- Layout changes: moving sinks, hobs or ovens across the room hits plumbing and ventilation; external walls may need lintels and insulation upgrades
- Services: new circuits, RCBO protection, underfloor heating and extraction routed to outside air all add verifiable cost
- Units and worktops: carcass quality, soft-close hardware, and quartz or composite worktops are long-life items; doors and finishes can be upgraded later
- Appliances: integrated vs freestanding, induction vs gas, boiling-water taps — specify early so worktops and wiring suit
- Finishes: flooring level changes, skirting, decoration and making good adjacent rooms
Indicative bands (illustrative, not a quote)
Figures vary sharply with room size, access and specification. Many London homeowners see:
- Refresh: doors/worktops/splashback and appliances on existing positions — lower tens of thousands depending on brands and electrics
- Full strip-out and replace: new layout, units, surfaces and services — commonly mid–upper tens of thousands into six figures for large open-plan spaces with structural alterations
Always obtain itemised quotes; if one price is far below others, check what is excluded (waste, certification, commissioning).
Where quality pays off
Waterproofing behind trays and baths, adequate extraction, and accessible isolation valves save expensive remedial work. Good task lighting and enough sockets reduce awkward extension leads and future chasing.