{"id":7338,"date":"2026-06-25T08:18:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T08:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.buildteam.com\/blog\/?p=7338"},"modified":"2026-06-25T08:18:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T08:18:54","slug":"kitchen-extension-cost-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.buildteam.com\/blog\/kitchen-extension-cost-london\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does a Kitchen Extension Cost in London?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A kitchen extension in London costs roughly \u00a380,000 to \u00a3150,000 all-in<\/strong> in 2026 for a typical 20 to 30 m\u00b2 rear extension, at about \u00a32,800 to \u00a35,500 per m\u00b2<\/strong>, including the build, the new kitchen, glazing, fees and 20% VAT. The kitchen itself usually accounts for about a quarter to a third of the total budget<\/strong>, from \u00a315,000 for a mid-range fit-out to \u00a350,000 or more for a made-to-measure one. A small rear extension starts from around \u00a365,000; a large, high-specification kitchen-diner can pass \u00a3200,000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

A kitchen extension is the project most London families dream about: knocking through into an open-plan kitchen-diner that opens onto the garden. It is also where budgets most often go astray, because the kitchen itself is a large, separate cost that sits on top of the build. This guide sets out what a kitchen extension really costs in London in 2026, and answers the question almost no one else does clearly: how much of that budget is the kitchen, and how much should you spend on it. The figures are current, and the projects shown are our own.<\/p>\n

How much does a kitchen extension cost in London?<\/h2>\n

A typical London kitchen extension costs between \u00a380,000 and \u00a3150,000 all-in in 2026. The build alone runs at about \u00a32,800 to \u00a35,500 per square metre depending on specification, and the kitchen, glazing, professional fees and 20% VAT sit on top. The table below sets out the range by size and tier:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Project<\/th>\nSize<\/th>\nBuild rate (\u00a3\/m\u00b2)<\/th>\nAll-in total (build + kitchen + fees + VAT)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Small rear (basic)<\/td>\n15 to 20 m\u00b2<\/td>\n\u00a32,800 to \u00a33,200<\/td>\n\u00a365,000 to \u00a395,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Typical rear \/ full-width (mid)<\/td>\n20 to 30 m\u00b2<\/td>\n\u00a33,200 to \u00a34,200<\/td>\n\u00a380,000 to \u00a3135,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Large \/ high-spec rear<\/td>\n30 to 40 m\u00b2<\/td>\n\u00a34,000 to \u00a35,500+<\/td>\n\u00a3135,000 to \u00a3200,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wraparound (rear + side return)<\/td>\n25 to 40 m\u00b2<\/td>\n\u00a34,000 to \u00a35,500+<\/td>\n\u00a3120,000 to \u00a3200,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Most London kitchen extensions are 20 to 30 m\u00b2. These figures are in line with the wider market and with our guide to how much an extension costs in London<\/a>, where you can compare a kitchen extension against side return, loft and double-storey projects. Be wary of national guides quoting \u00a31,500 to \u00a32,500 per m\u00b2: those are UK-wide build-only rates that exclude both London’s premium and the kitchen itself.<\/p>\n

How much of the budget is the kitchen itself?<\/h2>\n

This is the part most cost guides skip, and it is where budgets slip. The kitchen fit-out, the units, worktops, island and appliances, typically accounts for about a quarter to a third of the total project cost, roughly 25 to 30%. On a mid-range 30 m\u00b2 kitchen extension, that means the shell is around 60% of the budget, the kitchen about 27%, and professional fees about 10%. The kitchen is a project within the project, and it is the line homeowners most often underestimate.<\/p>\n

A useful second rule of thumb comes from the kitchen industry itself: spend roughly 5 to 10% of your home’s value on the kitchen. On a \u00a3900,000 London home that points to a kitchen of \u00a345,000 to \u00a390,000, which is why made-to-measure kitchens are common here. The two measures answer different questions: the 25 to 30% tells you the kitchen’s share of the extension, the 5 to 10% tells you what the market expects for a home of your value. The fit-out tiers in London look like this:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Line item<\/th>\nBudget \/ flat-pack<\/th>\nMid-range<\/th>\nHigh-end \/ made-to-measure<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Units \/ cabinetry<\/td>\n\u00a31,500 to \u00a33,000<\/td>\n\u00a33,000 to \u00a36,000<\/td>\n\u00a36,000 to \u00a320,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Worktops (5 m run)<\/td>\nLaminate \u00a3200 to \u00a3600<\/td>\nQuartz \/ granite \u00a31,500 to \u00a34,000<\/td>\nMarble \/ Dekton \u00a31,800 to \u00a35,500+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Island<\/td>\n\u00a3500 to \u00a31,500<\/td>\n\u00a33,000 to \u00a38,000<\/td>\n\u00a38,000 to \u00a330,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Appliances<\/td>\n\u00a3800 to \u00a32,000<\/td>\n\u00a33,000 to \u00a35,000<\/td>\n\u00a37,000 to \u00a315,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fitting labour<\/td>\n\u00a31,500 to \u00a33,000<\/td>\n\u00a32,200 to \u00a34,600<\/td>\nHigher (made-to-measure)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tier total<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a38,000 to \u00a315,000<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a315,000 to \u00a335,000<\/strong><\/td>\n\u00a335,000 to \u00a360,000+<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

London kitchen fitting runs roughly 20 to 30% above the UK average, and cabinetry alone is usually 30 to 40% of a kitchen’s cost. One reliable way to save is to buy appliances directly from a retailer rather than through the kitchen company, which marks them up.<\/p>\n

\"Finished\n
The kitchen fit-out, units, worktops, island and appliances, is the part homeowners most underestimate: a quarter to a third of the whole budget.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

What does a kitchen extension cost, line by line?<\/h2>\n

A kitchen extension has more services than an ordinary room, more plumbing for the sink, dishwasher and often an island, more electrics for the cooker circuit, extractor and lighting, so first-fix services take a larger share than people expect. A realistic 2026 breakdown:<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Element<\/th>\nTypical cost<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Design and professional fees<\/td>\n7 to 15% of build cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Planning application (if needed)<\/td>\n\u00a3548 (England householder fee, from April 2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Structural engineer and steel<\/td>\n\u00a31,500 to \u00a36,500 (knock-through beam)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Construction shell<\/td>\nabout 60% of the project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kitchen fit-out<\/td>\nabout 25 to 30% of the project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Glazing (lantern, bifolds, sliders)<\/td>\n\u00a34,000 to \u00a315,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Electrics and plumbing (first and second fix)<\/td>\n\u00a35,000 to \u00a310,000+<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Building control<\/td>\n\u00a3800 to \u00a31,500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Party wall surveyors (per neighbour)<\/td>\n\u00a3800 to \u00a33,000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
VAT<\/td>\n20% on the whole project<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Contingency<\/td>\n10 to 20% of the total<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Many single-storey rear extensions are permitted development and need no planning fee, but check first. For help judging whether a quote is realistic and what it should include, read our guide to getting a realistic builder’s quote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What do the big-ticket items cost?<\/h2>\n