A full kitchen refurbishment goes further than fitting new units into an existing shell — it usually involves stripping the old kitchen back to bare walls and floor, moving or adding plumbing and electrics, sometimes underfloor heating, then tiling and decorating around the new layout. Treating all of that as one lump price makes it impossible to know what's actually included.
The specification should walk through the job in the order it actually happens: strip-out, first-fix services, floor build-up, then finishes, with the trade responsible for each stage named.
Strip-out scope and disposal
The quote should state exactly what's being removed — units, worktop, tiling, flooring, and whether any plastered surfaces are coming off too — and confirm disposal is included, since a full kitchen strip-out generates a genuine skip's worth of waste that needs pricing, not assuming.
If the layout is changing, confirm whether any non-structural stud walls are being removed and how that's sequenced with the electrics and plumbing that may run through them.
First-fix plumbing and electrics
New pipework for a moved sink, dishwasher or water-fed fridge, and new circuits for sockets, lighting and any electric hob, should be listed as first-fix items with the qualified trade named — a Part P registered electrician for the electrics, and confirmation of Gas Safe registration if a gas supply is being moved or altered.
Underfloor heating, if included, needs its own first-fix stage before flooring goes down, and the quote should confirm the heating type (electric mat or water-fed) and who commissions and tests it.
Floor build-up and level changes
The quote should state the floor build-up — screed, insulation, damp-proof membrane if relevant, and finished floor level — particularly where a kitchen extension or reconfiguration means matching levels with an adjoining room. A mismatch in floor level between kitchen and hallway is a common issue on older Kent properties with solid and suspended floors meeting at a threshold.
Tiling and decoration sequencing
Tiling can't usually start until the worktop is fitted and the upstand line is known, so the sequence should confirm tiling happens after cabinetry and worktop, before final decoration. Decoration (painting walls and ceiling) is most efficiently done before final unit fitting in some sequences and after in others — the quote should state which, so you know what to expect.
What cheap kitchen refurbishment quotes leave out
Making good to walls and ceiling junctions once old units and tiling are removed, extraction ducting routes to outside air, and confirmation of who's responsible for coordinating appliance delivery dates with the fitting schedule are commonly missing. If the refurbishment involves any structural opening (removing a wall between kitchen and dining room, for example), a structural engineer must be involved and the quote should confirm building control sign-off is included, not assumed.
Common questions
Does a kitchen refurbishment quote need to include skip hire?+
It should state clearly whether strip-out disposal is included, since a full kitchen strip-out produces a meaningful volume of waste that costs real money to remove, and this is an easy line to leave off a quote by omission.
When should tiling happen relative to the worktop fit?+
Tiling generally follows the worktop fit, since the upstand line and any gaps around the worktop edge need to be known before tiles are set. A quote that has tiling scheduled before the worktop template is likely to need rework.
Who needs to be involved if a wall is coming out for an open-plan kitchen?+
A structural engineer must assess any load-bearing wall removal and the work needs building control sign-off. The quote should state clearly whether this coordination is included in the price or arranged separately.
Get your kitchen refurbishment properly sequenced
One team handling strip-out, first-fix services, flooring and finishes on a single coordinated timeline.