In 2026, fitting a kitchen (labour only, not the units, worktops or appliances) typically costs between about £1,500 and £4,500 in the UK, depending on kitchen size. Kitchen fitters charge roughly £150 to £360 a day, and prices in London and the South East run higher: one 2026 UK price guide puts a standard kitchen at £2,100 to £3,900 for fitting alone in the South East. Plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling and removing the old kitchen are usually extra, so always ask for an itemised quote.
The ranges below come from several published 2026 UK price guides, which do not all agree. We have shown the spread rather than picking one number, and we explain why quotes differ.
A kitchen fitter takes a delivered kitchen and turns it into a working room. In a typical fitting-only quote that means:
What a fitter does not usually cover is a longer list than most people expect, which is where budgets slip. More on that below.
Labour is driven by the number of units, the complexity of the worktops and how many trades are involved. These are typical fitting-only figures:
| Kitchen size | Typical scope | Fitting labour (UK guide) | Time on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | About 5 to 10 units, same layout | £1,500 to £2,500 | 3 to 5 days |
| Medium | 10 to 15 units, worktop templating, appliances | £2,500 to £3,500 | 5 to 8 days |
| Large or premium | 15+ units, island, tall larders, premium worktops | £3,500 to £4,500 | 8 to 12 days |
Another UK guide puts a standard kitchen at £1,700 to £3,000 for fitting alone elsewhere in the UK, and £2,100 to £3,900 in London and the South East. A third, based on Checkatrade data, lists an average fitting price of £5,200 (range £3,700 to £9,300), which usually reflects a fuller scope than labour alone. The gap between sources is the first lesson: two quotes can both be honest and still not be comparable.
Published day rates for a kitchen fitter in 2026 range from around £150 to £250 (a trade-focused cost guide) up to £280 to £360, averaging £320 (Checkatrade). A skilled fitter in Kent will usually sit towards the upper half of that spread, because demand is steady and good fitters are booked weeks ahead.
Day rate multiplied by days sounds simple, but most customers are better off with a fixed, itemised price for the whole job. A day rate puts the risk of delays on you.
This is where "kitchen fitting cost" and "what I actually paid" drift apart. Typical separate costs include:
| Extra | Typical 2026 UK range |
|---|---|
| Removing the old kitchen and disposal | £150 to £600 |
| Electrician (including certificate for notifiable work) | £300 to £1,000 |
| Plumber | £200 to £800 |
| Gas Safe engineer for a gas hob or cooker | Quoted per job |
| Tiling or splashbacks | £300 to £900, or £30 to £45 per m2 |
| Flooring, fitted | £20 to £60 per m2 |
| Plastering if walls change | Quoted per job |
| Laminate worktops, supplied and fitted | £300 to £800 |
| Solid wood worktops, supplied and fitted | £600 to £1,500 |
| Quartz or granite worktops, templated and fitted | £1,500 to £3,500 |
Two points matter more than the numbers. First, any work on a gas appliance must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and you can check an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. Second, if new electrical circuits are added, ask for the electrical certificate and keep it, because it matters when you sell. For more on how all these pieces add up to a full budget, see our kitchen renovation cost guide for Kent.
| Route | Who does what | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Showroom managed installation | One company designs, supplies and manages every trade | Check the quote is itemised and what the workmanship guarantee covers |
| Hire an independent kitchen fitter | You buy the kitchen, the fitter fits it, you arrange other trades | Gaps between trades, and no one accountable for the whole result |
| Fitting arranged by a large retailer | The retailer subcontracts the fitting | You may not meet the fitter before the job, and extras can appear later |
None of these is automatically wrong. What matters is knowing who is responsible when something does not line up. At Barkers we offer a fully managed installation service, with an in-house team covering design, surveying, electrics, plastering and decorating, so there is one point of contact from first consultation to final snagging. See more on our about page.
An average kitchen takes around five to ten working days to fit. A large or bespoke kitchen can take two to three weeks, especially with stone worktops, which add a templating gap of several days. Our guide to how long a kitchen renovation takes covers the whole timeline from design to snagging.
Yes, but be selective. Keeping the layout the same avoids most plumbing and electrical re-routing. Choosing laminate or a standard worktop avoids a specialist fabricator. Clearing the room and removing the old kitchen yourself can trim a few hundred pounds. What rarely saves money is cutting the survey or the design: mistakes at the measuring stage are the most expensive to fix. If you are still planning, our guide to kitchen designers explains what a good design service includes.
Our kitchen showroom in Maidstone has displays you can open and touch, and we handle design, supply and installation under one roof. Visit us at Units G10-G12, Powerhub Business Centre, Maidstone, ME16 0ST, or call 01622 925992.
Fitting alone typically costs about £1,500 to £4,500 depending on the size of the kitchen, with higher prices in London and the South East. Plumbing, electrics, tiling and removal of the old kitchen are usually extra.
Published 2026 guides give a range of roughly £150 to £360 per day, with Checkatrade quoting an average of £320.
Not always. Many retailers sell units only. Showrooms that offer a managed installation include it as a separate, itemised line in the quote. Always check what the quote covers.
Around five to ten working days for an average kitchen, and two to three weeks for a large or bespoke one.
Only if gas appliances are being connected or moved. Any work on a gas hob or cooker must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
If the work involves new circuits or changes to the electrical installation, yes. Ask for the electrical certificate and keep it.
You save the labour, but mistakes with levelling, worktop joints and plumbing can cost more than the fitter would have. Gas and electrical work should still be done by qualified trades.
If you want a clear, itemised price for the whole job, book a free kitchen design consultation and talk to our team about your layout, appliances and budget. You can also call in any day: Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Barkers Home of Interiors
Units G10-G12, Powerhub Business Centre, Maidstone, ME16 0ST
01622 925992 | sales@barkersinteriors.com
Jamie Broughton
High Recommended🤩
5 stars isn’t enough for the fantastic team at Barkers. Super friendly, helpful and their installation service was faultless.
I love the way they designed our bathroom in store!
Keep up the great work!
– via Google
Abbey Smith
If like me, you’ve been struggling to visualize your perfect bathroom, pop down to the showroom! The display bathrooms are beautiful and the selection of products is vast. I came away from there knowing exactly what I wanted to achieve. All the staff are super friendly and helpful, nothing is too...
– via Google
Lucy Barratt
Great show room and very helpful staff. Good variety of options to look at. Booked a home visit for a design process.
– via Google