Cost guide
Kitchen extension cost: two budgets, not one
A kitchen extension is really two projects sharing a site. There is the building work, and there is the kitchen itself. Keeping those two budgets visible and separate is the single best way to stay in control of the total, and it is how we quote them.
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The two budgets side by side
| Building work | Kitchen and fit out |
|---|---|
| Foundations, slab, drainage moves | Units, worktops and handles |
| Walls, roof, structural opening | Appliances and extraction |
| Glazing, doors and rooflights | Sink, tap and waste |
| First fix electrics and plumbing | Splashbacks, tiling and lighting choices |
| Plaster, screed, underfloor heating | Installation and final connections |
The building side is largely fixed by the house. The kitchen side is where you genuinely control the number.
Services are the hidden cost in kitchens
A kitchen has more services per square metre than any other room in the house. Extraction to outside, dedicated circuits for appliances, water and waste for sink, dishwasher and sometimes a washing machine, plus heating that has to work around continuous runs of units. Move the kitchen to the new end of the plan and every one of those services has to travel with it.
Extraction deserves particular attention. A recirculating hood is cheap and mediocre. A ducted run to an outside wall works properly and needs to be designed in before the ceiling goes up, not negotiated afterwards.
Underfloor heating suits kitchens well because it frees up wall space, but it needs to go in with the screed. That is a decision made at the start of the job, not at the end.
How to keep the cost sensible
- Keep the sink and drainage near the existing stack where the layout allows
- Spend on worktop and on the doors you touch every day, save on carcass brand
- Use one large rooflight rather than several small ones for both light and cost
- Order the kitchen early, because lead times, not builders, are what usually delay handover
- Decide on appliances before first fix so the electrics are right first time
Living through it
The question everyone asks second, after the price.
- Step 1
Before we start
We help you set up a temporary kitchen, normally in a dining room or utility, with the fridge, kettle and microwave on a working circuit.
- Step 2
Shell stage
The extension is built outside the existing wall, so your kitchen carries on working while the noisy structural work happens beyond it.
- Step 3
Break through
The short disruptive phase. We agree the date in advance and get the opening formed and made safe quickly.
- Step 4
Fit out
Old kitchen out, floor down, new kitchen in. This is the only period without a working kitchen and we keep it as short as the programme allows.
Kitchens and carpentry under one roof
We have a joinery workshop in Biddenden, so bespoke islands, pantry joinery and awkward end panels are made rather than bodged. Free site visit, a fixed price written quote and a 5 year workmanship guarantee across 40+ years of trading.
FAQs
Common questions
Should the builder supply the kitchen too?
Either works. Keep the two figures separate so you can see what the building work costs and what the kitchen costs, whoever supplies it.
How long will we be without a kitchen?
Only during the fit out phase near the end, not for the whole build. We set up a temporary kitchen before we start and give you the dates in writing.
Does a kitchen extension need building regulations approval?
Yes. Extensions are notifiable work, and the electrics and drainage in a kitchen are inspected as part of it.
Can you fit a kitchen I have bought elsewhere?
Yes, and we will check the plan against the built dimensions before the order goes in, which is when errors are still free to fix.
Is an island always possible?
It needs services in the floor and enough clearance either side to be usable. We will tell you at design stage if the room is too narrow rather than let you find out at installation.
What most often delays a kitchen extension?
Appliance and worktop lead times, and late decisions on layout. Both are inside your control and we flag them at the start.
Ready to price your kitchen extension cost: two budgets, not one in Kent?
Free site visit, fixed-price written quote and a 5 year workmanship guarantee — backed by 40+ years on the tools and our workshop in Biddenden.
"We had our loft insulated and boarded. From start to finish the process was smooth, professional and stress-free. Malcolm upgraded the insulation and …"
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Free site visit, fixed price written quote, 5 year workmanship guarantee.