What Affects the Cost of a New Kitchen?

"How much does a new kitchen cost?" is the first question everyone asks, and the honest answer is: it depends — genuinely, not as a dodge. Two kitchens the same size can be worlds apart depending on the units, the worktops, whether the layout changes and what turns up behind the old one. That's why you won't find prices or budget bands on this site. A number plucked from the air would either scare you off or mislead you, and neither helps you. What we can do is be completely clear about what drives the cost, so you can make informed choices — then give you a proper written quote for your actual kitchen. This page is the first part; the quote is the second.

This is usually the single biggest factor, and it's entirely your call. Entry-level ranges, mid-range shaker, painted timber and premium in-frame units sit at very different points. Worktops swing it too: laminate, solid timber, stone and quartz are different materials with different looks, lifespans and upkeep. None is "right" — it's about what you want and how long you want it to last. You choose the kitchen; have a look at the suppliers we fit for where to buy it.

More units and more worktop cost more to buy and take longer to fit — that part's obvious. The bigger variable is whether the layout changes. Putting new units roughly where the old ones stood is one job. Moving the sink, hob or appliances means re-routing plumbing and electrics, which brings in more work. Reworking the flow of the room is more again. We work within the existing structure of your home; if you're tight on space, our small kitchen fitting page covers getting the most from a compact room.

This is the one nobody can see coming, and it's where older Lancashire houses earn their character. Once the old kitchen is off the walls, you sometimes find tired wiring, dated plumbing, damp, or plaster that's past saving. We can't always spot it on day one — but when something does turn up, you hear about it the same day, with options and a price, so you decide. It never just appears on the final invoice. That's the no-surprises part of how we work, and it's deliberate.

The finishing choices add up, usually pleasantly, because they're the bits you enjoy. Integrated appliances cost more than freestanding but give a seamless look. Upgraded worktops, a feature splashback, under-cabinet lighting, a boiling-water tap, nicer handles — each is optional, each moves the figure, and each is yours to decide once you can see what matters to you and what doesn't.

Who fits the kitchen shapes both the cost and the experience. A retailer's own fitting is convenient, but it ties you to their schedule and their subcontractor. An independent, family-run team like ours fits the kitchen you've bought from any supplier, takes on the whole room as one job, and gives you one point of contact throughout. There's more on how that works on our kitchen supply partners page.

When you're ready, one of us comes out, measures up and talks through the options for your room. You get a written, itemised quote — not a ballpark — and it's fixed before anything is ripped out. The figure you agree is the figure you pay; it only changes if you decide to change the scope, and then only with your say-so first. You can see the kind of work it pays for on our Blackburn kitchen refurbishment and Sunnyhurst kitchen fit-out, part of our kitchen fitting and renovation work across Blackburn, Darwen and East Lancashire.