Built-in Kitchens – How Much Do They Cost?
A fitted kitchen is one of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make…and since you’ll probably only buy two in your lifetime, it’s no wonder people lose touch with prices.
The cost of whole kitchens can be broken down under four main headings:
Furniture – Cabinets, moldings, handles, etc.
accessories – Oven, Hob, Hood, etc.
specialist countertop – Granite, Quartz, Corian, etc.
Facility – Carpentry, Plumbing, Electricity, etc.
To give you an idea of likely costs, consider these cost “bands,” which represent the lowest and highest likely cost based on quality/quantity:
- Furniture – £3,000 – £7,000
- Appliances – £2,500 – £4,000
- Countertop Specialist – £3,500 – £5,000
- Installation – £2,500 – £4,000
As you can see, it is now possible to assess your costs by choosing your own particular requirements. For example, you can buy furniture, appliances, and a granite countertop, but there is no installation cost (you can do it yourself).
So if you intend to buy all the items (furniture + appliances + specialist hob + installation) your kitchen is likely to cost you between £11,500 and £20,000.
Now, don’t fall into the trap that goes “I only have a small kitchen, so mine will be less than that”
The cost of an average kitchen generally does not depend on its size… Why?
- Most new kitchen designs contain a similar number of cabinets (average is 12)
- Larger kitchens will have 12 large cabinets
- Smaller kitchens will have 12 smaller cabinets
- A 300mm wide cabinet may be half the size of a 600mm wide cabinet… but it’s 80% of the cost.
- Therefore, smaller kitchens contain the same number of “slightly cheaper” cabinets, making the furniture about the same cost.
- Considering that most people will have the same appliance requirements regardless of kitchen size, the cost of appliances will be similar whether your kitchen is large or small.
- In addition, since a large part of the kitchen equipment depends on the number of cabinets, the installation cost is similar for large and small kitchens.
Small kitchens are not cheap to buy, it is more true that… large kitchens are more profitable! The cost of your new fitted kitchen is much more likely to be influenced by the quality of the products purchased than by its size.
The trick is to identify what you want most and spend your money accordingly.
For example, if you really want a fabulous high-gloss black granite countertop, you may need to cut down on the cost of appliances, buy cheaper furniture, or install it yourself.
On the other hand, you’ve got your eye on that new induction cooktop and you’d rather see it on top of a fabulous new glossy black laminate countertop than not have it at all.
As always, it’s worth shopping around… look for the best value for your money!
