Handyman tips
Kitchen Fitting Cost: Day Rates and What Changes It
What UK kitchen fitters charge by the hour and by the day, what the fitting bill usually includes, and how to compare two quotes.
· Handyman Manchester
Fitting a kitchen is a separate cost from buying one. The published guides give different figures for it, so this post shows what two of them say and what to check on your own quote. The figures are UK-wide, not Greater Manchester prices.
What the guides say
- Homebuilding & Renovating, updated in November 2024, puts the average cost of fitting a standard family kitchen at around £3,000, and the day rate of a kitchen fitter alone at around £250 to £350.
- The Federation of Master Builders (FMB), updated in January 2026, says the average cost for a kitchen fitter is around £35 an hour, with day rates that tend to range from £120 to £200.
The two day rates do not match. Rates vary by area, by the fitter's experience and by what the day covers, so use them to check whether a quote is in a sensible range, not to price your job.
What can be extra
Homebuilding says that if the fitting price does not include worktops, you should budget at least another £500, and more depending on the type and size. The FMB lists extras such as tiling, flooring and appliances, and says the price depends on location, the size and shape of the kitchen and the number of components.
The FMB also notes that the old kitchen has to be removed before the new one goes in, and that your installer will generally take care of this. Ask whether removal and disposal are in the price.
Questions to ask any kitchen fitter
- Is the price fixed, or an estimate?
- Does it include removing and disposing of the old kitchen?
- Are worktops, plumbing, electrics, tiling and flooring included?
- How many days will the work take, and can you have that in writing?
- Can you fit a kitchen bought from another supplier?
How we price
We fit kitchens bought from any supplier, or just the part you need: worktops, doors, tiling, regrouting, laminate flooring, plumbing in appliances and new sockets. We quote a fixed price before we start, with no call-out charge. See our kitchen fitting service or ask for a quote. For how quotes work in general, read how handyman pricing works in Manchester.