How much does kitchen fitting cost? Labour-only prices

Fitting a kitchen on a labour-only basis usually costs around £200 to £350 a day per fitter in the UK, or roughly £1,000 to £3,000 for a standard kitchen, based on 2026 UK trade cost data. Where you land inside that range comes down to one thing more than any other.

That thing is scope. Most quotes quietly bundle different jobs under the words "labour only", which is why one fitter says £900 and the next says £3,000 for what looks like the same kitchen. Get clear on scope and the price stops being a mystery.

What does labour only actually mean when fitting a kitchen?

Labour only means you pay the fitter to install units, worktops and fittings you have already bought. It covers the carpentry and assembly, not the plumbing, electrics, gas, tiling or plastering a full kitchen usually needs. Those are priced separately.

The alternative is supply and fit, where a company sells you the kitchen and installs it in one price. Labour only puts you in control of what you buy and where, but it also makes you the person joining up the trades. That is fine on a simple swap. It gets harder the moment walls, services or worktops start moving.

How much does a kitchen fitter charge per day?

A kitchen fitter charges roughly £200 to £350 a day across most of the UK, or about £35 to £55 an hour. In London and the South East, day rates commonly run £300 to £450, reflecting higher demand, travel and parking.

Independent UK cost guides put the national average close to £300 a day, or around £37 an hour. Most experienced fitters would rather price the whole job than sell you a day, because a fixed job price protects you both: they are paid fairly for their speed, and you are not exposed if the work runs long.

How much does it cost to fit a whole kitchen, labour only?

Fitting a standard kitchen, labour only, typically costs £1,000 to £3,000, with most straightforward jobs landing near the middle. A simple like-for-like swap sits lower, while larger kitchens, stone worktops and heavy tiling push toward the top.

Be careful comparing quotes here, because "labour only" is not a fixed definition. Some guides use it to mean the fitter alone, and quote from around £800 to £2,500. Others fold in plastering, painting and tiling and quote £2,000 to £6,000. Neither is wrong, they are just measuring different jobs. The number of units, and how much plumbing and electrics have to move, are what really shift the figure.

What is included in a kitchen fitting quote, and what is not?

A labour-only quote usually covers assembling and installing the carcasses, doors, drawers, worktops and handles. It rarely includes connecting plumbing or gas, electrical work, tiling, plastering or waste removal. Those bring in a plumber, a Gas Safe engineer, a Part P electrician and often a tiler.

Two things catch people out. Stone and quartz worktops are not fitted by the kitchen fitter, they are templated and installed by a specialist fabricator, usually as a separate visit once the units are level. And clearing the old kitchen plus skip hire is often quoted apart from the fitting itself. Ask which of these sit inside the price and which do not.

Does flat-pack or rigid change the fitting cost?

Yes. Rigid units arrive pre-built, so they fit faster, while flat-pack units have to be assembled on site first. Flat-pack can add roughly 30 to 50% to fitting time, so a three-day rigid install can stretch to four or four and a half days.

If you are paying a day rate, that extra time is extra money, which often cancels out the saving on cheaper flat-pack units. If you are paying a fixed job price, it still matters, because a longer install is a longer kitchen out of action.

How long does it take to fit a kitchen?

Most kitchens take around 5 to 10 working days to fit, though a simple swap can be done in 3 to 5. The timeline stretches when tiling, plastering, new flooring or moving services are involved, because those trades work in sequence rather than all at once.

That sequencing is the real reason a kitchen is rarely a one-day job. Electrics and plumbing rough in first, units and worktops go next, then tiling and finishing follow. If you want to see how the stages line up, our guide to the order a kitchen goes back together in walks through it step by step.

How do you get an accurate kitchen fitting price?

The most accurate price comes from a fixed quote against a clear scope, not a day-rate guess. Pin down exactly what the fitter is doing, and who is handling the plumbing, electrics and tiling, before anyone starts. A vague scope is what turns a tidy quote into a run of extras.

That is the thinking behind a fully managed kitchen renovation with Beams. You get vetted builders, one fixed price agreed up front, and payments released against milestones rather than open-ended day rates, so the figure you agree is the figure you pay, backed by a 12-month workmanship warranty. Get a free estimate and see what your kitchen should cost before anyone lifts a tool.

Common questions about kitchen fitting costs

Do kitchen fitters do plumbing and electrics?
Some handle basic plumbing like connecting a sink or dishwasher, but anything gas or electrical that needs certifying should go to a Gas Safe engineer and a Part P registered electrician. It keeps the work safe, signed off and insurable.

Do kitchen fitters charge VAT?
Only if they are VAT registered, which is required once turnover passes £90,000. A smaller sole trader below that threshold may not add VAT at all, so always check whether a quote includes it before you compare.

Can I supply my own units and just pay for fitting?
Yes, that is exactly what labour-only fitting is. The one rule that saves grief: make sure every unit, worktop, handle and appliance is on site and checked before the fitter starts, because a missing panel can stall the whole job.