Kitchen fitting and installation costs in London
Kitchen fitting costs depend on the cabinets and worktops being installed, the room preparation and the service connections included. Keep the fitting quotation separate from the kitchen products you buy, then add each cost once to build the project budget.
Prepared by Vayton Construction Ltd · 12 October 2026 · Updated 28 October 2026
How much does kitchen fitting cost?
As an initial UK reference, typical labour-only prices are £2,000 for 8 cabinets and 3 appliances, £3,500 for 12 cabinets and 3 appliances, and £5,000 for 16 cabinets and 3 appliances. These are national planning examples, not Vayton prices or fixed London quotations.
| UK example | Typical labour-only price |
|---|---|
| 8 cabinets + 3 appliances | £2,000 |
| 12 cabinets + 3 appliances | £3,500 |
| 16 cabinets + 3 appliances | £5,000 |
London access, preparation and service alterations can change the price. The figures above are shown with no VAT adjustment, so check each quotation’s inclusions and VAT basis before comparing.
Figures checked 12 October 2026.
Kitchen prices from actual quotation schedules
Supply-and-fit and fitting a customer-supplied kitchen can produce very different totals. These two historical schedule items show the difference. Both were part of larger coordinated projects, not standalone kitchen offers.
| Package and date | Price including VAT | Included / priced elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| Standard kitchen supply and installation · July 2026 | £5,400 £4,500 plus £900 VAT | Standard-size units, panels, plinths, handles, laminate worktops, standard sink/tap, installation and basic splashback. Plumbing, drainage, electrical work and other project costs were separate schedule items. Final design and appliance schedule remained to be approved. |
| Customer-supplied kitchen installation and opening works · June 2026 | £7,800 £6,500 plus £1,300 VAT | Kitchen fitting, agreed splashback work, wider window and revised door openings with lintels and making good. Client supplied units, worktops, appliances, sink, tap and accessories. This is more than a cabinet-fitting price. |
These are dated quotation examples from our director’s earlier business. They are not completed Vayton projects or current offers. Client names and addresses are omitted.
Do not use the kitchen-supply example’s labour allocation as a standalone fitter’s price. Mobilisation, services and finishing were shared across the wider contract. For your quotation, include cabinet numbers, product drawings, worktop type, appliance schedule and every change to walls or services.
Kitchen fitter day rate in London
A UK kitchen fitter typically charges £280–£360 a day, and London and South East rates are usually higher. This is national budgeting context, not a published Vayton day rate. Confirm the person or team covered, working hours, expected days and whether supervision, tools, parking and waste are included.
A day rate does not establish the cost of the finished kitchen. Ask which tasks the fitter will do and which need a separately priced specialist. If work is agreed on dayworks, record the people, dates, hours and authorised tasks so the charge can be checked against the agreed rate.
Kitchen fitting cost per unit
A typical UK installation price is around £120 per cabinet. It is not a complete kitchen price. Cabinet type, assembly, drawer systems, tall housings, end panels, fillers, plinths and the room’s condition can change the fitting work. Worktops, preparation and service connections need their own agreed scope.
Ask for the supplier’s numbered cabinet schedule to be priced, then identify the work outside that schedule. Dividing a whole-project quotation by the number of cabinets can be misleading when it also includes removal, tiling, plumbing or electrical work. Compare the same installation boundaries before comparing a per-unit figure.
31A Saltram Crescent: kitchen from our director’s previous project-management experience for Modernation Ltd, completed July 2025. Photography: AZ Real Estate. This guide’s cost figures are not the price of this project.
What does a kitchen fitting quotation include?
| Part of the project | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Kitchen products | Cabinets, doors, handles, panels, worktops and appliances: list what you supply and what the contractor supplies. |
| Preparation | Removal, disposal, wall and floor repairs, protection and any changes to the layout. |
| Cabinet fitting | Assembly where needed, setting out, levelling, fixing, door adjustment and finishing panels. |
| Worktops | Material, joins, cut-outs, templating and any separately appointed specialist fitting. |
| Services and finishes | Plumbing, electrical and gas work where relevant, extraction, tiling, flooring and decoration. Agree each responsibility. |
Ask for clear inclusions, exclusions, provisional items and the VAT treatment. A fitting price should not be compared with a supply-and-fit total until both cover the same work.
A practical example: fitting a customer-supplied kitchen
Say you have ordered 10 cabinets, a laminate worktop, a sink, a tap and three appliances, and intend to keep the present layout. This is an illustrative brief, not a completed Vayton project or a price offer.
Send the supplier’s itemised plan and confirm whether the cabinets arrive assembled. List the removal and waste work, wall preparation, worktop joins, sink cut-out, appliance connections and any tiling separately. Keeping the layout does not prove that existing pipes, wiring or surfaces are suitable, so those still need checking.
A missing end panel, a delayed appliance or a separately templated worktop can change the fitting sequence. Before booking the start, ask which items are essential and who resolves shortages. If fitting is split over several visits, agree the work included on each visit and whether an additional return charge would apply.
Use the kitchen installation checklist before fittingWhat can increase the cost?
Moving the sink or appliances, changing circuits, correcting uneven walls, altering openings and fitting specialist worktops add work beyond straightforward cabinet installation. In a London flat, include the floor level, lift or stair access, loading arrangements, permitted hours and the route for removing waste.
For a wider refurbishment, identify floor finishes, plastering and decoration in the same work schedule. A useful budget separates contractor works, purchased products, separately appointed specialists and a contingency for unresolved conditions.
Kitchen installation questions
Can Vayton fit a kitchen I buy myself?
Yes. Send the supplier’s drawings and product schedule, and we will agree the fitting work, preparation and supply responsibilities in your quotation.
Does the fitting price include plumbing and electrics?
Only when those works are expressly included in the agreed scope. List appliance connections, new circuits, pipe changes and specialist appointments before comparing prices.
Can I get a price before choosing every finish?
You can start an enquiry with the layout, approximate dimensions and the work you need. Mark unselected items clearly, so any allowance or later price adjustment is understood.
How long will the installation take?
The programme depends on preparation, the size and complexity of the kitchen, product deliveries and specialist visits. Worktop templating and fitting may follow the cabinet installation. Tell us your required completion date and any supplier lead times.
Prepare your kitchen enquiry
Send the project postcode, supplier drawings, cabinet and appliance list, photographs if available, preferred timing and an outline of what stays or moves. Tell us whether you will live in the property during the work.
Kitchen fitters and installation in London Quotation checklist
Plan the fitting before the deliveries.
Send your kitchen layout and the work you need. Speak directly with us about a clearly defined installation package.
Request a quotation