How to Price a Kitchen Renovation in Australia
A kitchen is the priciest room in the house and the easiest to underquote. Here's how to price a kitchen renovation across cabinetry, stone, appliances and labour so the number holds and your margin's in there.
The kitchen is where renovation budgets go to grow. Cabinetry, stone, appliances, plumbing, electrical and tiling all in one room, with prices that swing from flat-pack to bespoke depending on a single conversation with the client. Underquote the demolition or forget the waste, and a good job turns into a break-even one. This guide breaks a kitchen quote into its parts, sets out 2026 costs, and shows where the margin usually leaks.
What a kitchen quote covers
Kitchens fall into three broad tiers, and knowing which one you're quoting keeps your number in the right ballpark before you price a single line:
- Budget ($10,000–$25,000) — a cosmetic refresh: flat-pack cabinets, laminate benchtops, basic appliances and simple tiling, with the layout left alone.
- Mid-range ($25,000–$50,000) — where most Aussie kitchens sit: semi-custom or custom cabinetry, engineered stone, quality appliances and minor layout changes.
- High-end ($50,000+) — bespoke joinery, natural stone, integrated appliances and often structural work, with precision labour to match.
Whatever the tier, the quote itself should cover cabinetry, benchtops, appliances, splashback and tiling, plumbing, electrical, demolition and waste, plus your own project-management time. Itemise every one — assumptions about appliance brands or tapware finishes are what turn into costly variations.
Kitchen material costs in 2026
The big swings all live in the materials. The same kitchen layout can double in price on cabinetry and benchtop choice alone, so price from current supplier quotes rather than a rule of thumb:
| Component | Budget / entry | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetry | Flat-pack $5,000–$15,000 | Custom joinery $15,000–$40,000+ |
| Benchtop | Laminate $50–$150/lm | Engineered stone $400–$800/lm installed |
| Appliances | $2,000–$5,000 | Integrated package $15,000–$40,000+ |
| Splashback & tiling | Ceramic $20–$50/m² | Glass or feature tile $100–$300/m² |
Natural stone benchtops like marble or granite can push past $1,000/lm, and site access matters too — a fifth-floor apartment with no lift adds real hours to every material run. Don't forget the demolition: budget $1,000–$3,000 for a skip and removal, with a 6m³ bin running around $500–$700.
Working out labour
Labour is usually 30–40% of the total on a kitchen, split across your subbies and your own time. Get firm quotes from the trades and remember their GST sits in your pricing:
- Electrician — $90–$130/hour; a reno needs roughly 15–25 hours for new GPOs, lighting and appliance circuits ($1,500–$3,000). All work to AS/NZS 3000.
- Plumber — $80–$120/hour; moving sinks, dishwashers and taps runs 10–20 hours ($1,000–$2,400).
- Cabinet installer or joiner — $70–$100/hour, or a rate per cabinet; a full install is often 2–4 days ($1,600–$3,200).
- Tiler — $50–$80/m² for the splashback and any floor, plus materials.
- Demolition — $40–$60/hour per person; two hands for a day or two adds up fast.
Your own project-management time is skilled work, not a freebie. Coordinating trades, chasing suppliers and running the client is real hours — put them in the quote.
Contingency and protecting your margin
Adding up materials and labour is not the quote — it's the cost. Two lines separate a profitable kitchen from a break-even one:
- Contingency of 10–15% — old cabinets hide rot, outdated wiring needs replacing and supply runs late. Build the buffer in rather than springing surprise add-ons on the client.
- Profit margin of 20–30% on top of direct costs — this covers overheads, admin and actually growing the business, not just breaking even.
- The easy-to-forget extras — site protection, drop sheets, dust barriers, temporary utilities and the post-reno clean can add $500–$1,500 on their own.
Common mistakes that eat your margin
- Not visiting the site. Uneven floors, old wiring and hidden asbestos only show up in person. Inspect before you price a single number.
- Quoting off stale supplier prices. Stock and pricing at the trade counters move constantly. Pull current numbers for every item the day you quote.
- Forgetting waste disposal. Skip hire and tip fees add up quietly. One skip beats a string of tip runs, but either way it belongs in the quote.
- Ignoring non-billable time. Travel, tool wear, paperwork and client calls all cost you. Leave them out and they come straight off your margin.
- A vague client brief. Assumptions about appliance models, tapware finishes and grout colours become variations. A clear written scope prevents the argument later.
Pro tips for a kitchen quote that wins
- Inspect the site for hidden issues like rot or old wiring before you commit to a price.
- Get current pricing on every material — kitchen costs move faster than most.
- Add the 10–15% contingency as a visible line so surprises don't cost you the argument.
- Itemise every cost, from demolition to dust sheets, so nothing slips through.
- Confirm appliance models and finishes with the client in writing.
- Charge for your own project-management time — it's skilled work.
ServiceYak keeps your cabinetry, benchtop, appliance and trade rates in a reusable kit, so you can itemise a kitchen quote across every tier and send a clean PDF the same day you visit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Australia?
Most kitchens land between $20,000 and $45,000. A smaller cosmetic refresh can sit near $15,000–$25,000, while a bespoke high-end kitchen with natural stone and integrated appliances can push past $70,000 — and well past $100,000 for custom builds in Sydney or Melbourne.
What's the biggest driver of kitchen renovation cost?
Scope and material choice. A like-for-like swap of cabinets and benchtops is far cheaper than relocating plumbing, adding GPOs or moving walls — and custom joinery with stone can be several times the price of flat-pack and laminate.
How much margin should I build into a kitchen quote?
Aim for 20–30% profit on top of your direct costs, plus a 10–15% contingency for the hidden problems old kitchens like to hide. The first is your business; the second keeps a bad surprise from becoming your problem.