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General

How much does a kitchen renovation cost?

Most kitchen renovations cost about $15,000 to $22,000 for a budget job, $25,000 to $45,000 for a mid-range renovation and $45,000 or more for a high-end kitchen. A cabinet refresh that keeps the layout costs less, from about $8,000.

Cabinet refresh: respray, wrap or new doors, same layout:$8,000–$20,000 per kitchen

Updated 19 October 2026 · 2 min read · GST basis not confirmed by sources. Check GST on every quote.

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On this page
  1. How a kitchen renovator works out the price
  2. What it costs, by scenario
  3. What changes the price
  4. What's usually included, and what isn't
  5. Metro and regional differences
  6. Licensing and compliance
  7. Before you accept a quote, check
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sources and method

How a kitchen renovator works out the price

A kitchen renovator usually quotes a fixed price for the job, built from cabinetry, benchtops, appliances, trades and installation. Cabinetry is the biggest single item. Canstar puts it at 30 to 40 per cent of the budget and labour at 25 to 30 per cent, while a renovator's blog puts labour at 40 to 50 per cent, so ask what your quote counts as labour. The hourly rate has to cover more than wages. The Fair Work minimum for a Level 3 employee under the Building and Construction General On-site Award is $29.45 an hour from 1 July 2026, and the price also pays for tools, insurance, licences and paperwork.

  1. Design and measure, then agree the layout and finishes
  2. Demolition and removal of the old kitchen
  3. Plumbing and electrical rough-in, moved or new
  4. Cabinetry, supply and installation
  5. Benchtops and splashback, measured by the square metre or by the job
  6. Appliances and fittings, supplied by you or by the renovator
  7. Painting, flooring and finishing, then GST on the total

Worked example: Mid-point component prices from one compiled national guide, for a custom-cabinet kitchen with a stone benchtop (illustrative, not a quote)

Custom cabinetry from a cabinet maker
$19,000
Stone benchtop
$4,800
Appliance package (oven, cooktop, rangehood, dishwasher)
$6,000
Tiled splashback
$800
Plumbing rough-in
$3,000
Electrical rough-in
$2,500
Demolition and disposal
$2,000
Total
$38,100 (illustrative). It sits inside the mid-range band. Flooring, painting and permits are extra.

What it costs, by scenario

Low, typical and high prices. Built on 19 October 2026 from two compiled cost guides (Canstar and a national price guide), a Finder guide, a renovator's blog, an older Airtasker marketplace guide, the Fair Work award and state regulator pages. Where the sources disagree we use the range they share. Most sources do not say whether GST is included.

  • Cabinet refresh: respray, wrap or new doors, same layout (per kitchen)

    This rests on one source, a national price guide's cosmetic refresh tier. The same guide puts a cabinet respray, wrap or resurfacing alone at $2,000 to $10,000. Other sources do not price this tier separately.

    Low
    $8,000
    Typical
    $14,000
    High
    $20,000

  • Budget renovation: basic or flat-pack cabinets, new benchtop and appliances (per kitchen)

    Canstar puts budget at $15,000 to $25,000, Finder at $10,000 to $22,000 and the national guide at $12,000 to $25,000. We keep to the range most of them share. The typical figure is the national guide's.

    Low
    $15,000
    Typical
    $18,000
    High
    $22,000

  • Mid-range renovation: semi-custom cabinets, stone or laminate benchtop, some trade changes (per kitchen)

    The national guide gives $25,000 to $45,000 and Canstar $25,000 to $35,000. Finder and a renovator's blog both run to $45,000. An older Airtasker guide puts the median new kitchen at $26,800.

    Low
    $25,000
    Typical
    $35,000
    High
    $45,000

  • High-end renovation: custom cabinets, premium stone, layout changes (per kitchen)

    A renovator's blog starts high-end at $45,000, and Finder and Canstar start theirs at $35,000. The typical and high figures rest on one source, the national guide's premium tier. That guide also lists a luxury tier of $70,000 to $150,000.

    Low
    $45,000
    Typical
    $60,000
    High
    $80,000

  • Laminate benchtop, supplied and installed (per m²)

    Airtasker and Finder both start laminate at about $350 a square metre. The national guide runs to $560, and its typical figure is $440. Stone, timber and marble cost more.

    Low
    $350
    Typical
    $440
    High
    $560

  • Appliance package: oven, cooktop, rangehood and dishwasher (per kitchen)

    This rests on one source. Canstar gives a much wider $2,000 to $25,000 for appliances, and Finder says ovens alone run from about $380 to over $15,000.

    Low
    $3,000
    Typical
    $6,000
    High
    $10,000
Low, typical and high prices by scenario
ScenarioLowTypicalHigh
Cabinet refresh: respray, wrap or new doors, same layout (per kitchen)This rests on one source, a national price guide's cosmetic refresh tier. The same guide puts a cabinet respray, wrap or resurfacing alone at $2,000 to $10,000. Other sources do not price this tier separately.$8,000$14,000$20,000
Budget renovation: basic or flat-pack cabinets, new benchtop and appliances (per kitchen)Canstar puts budget at $15,000 to $25,000, Finder at $10,000 to $22,000 and the national guide at $12,000 to $25,000. We keep to the range most of them share. The typical figure is the national guide's.$15,000$18,000$22,000
Mid-range renovation: semi-custom cabinets, stone or laminate benchtop, some trade changes (per kitchen)The national guide gives $25,000 to $45,000 and Canstar $25,000 to $35,000. Finder and a renovator's blog both run to $45,000. An older Airtasker guide puts the median new kitchen at $26,800.$25,000$35,000$45,000
High-end renovation: custom cabinets, premium stone, layout changes (per kitchen)A renovator's blog starts high-end at $45,000, and Finder and Canstar start theirs at $35,000. The typical and high figures rest on one source, the national guide's premium tier. That guide also lists a luxury tier of $70,000 to $150,000.$45,000$60,000$80,000
Laminate benchtop, supplied and installed (per m²)Airtasker and Finder both start laminate at about $350 a square metre. The national guide runs to $560, and its typical figure is $440. Stone, timber and marble cost more.$350$440$560
Appliance package: oven, cooktop, rangehood and dishwasher (per kitchen)This rests on one source. Canstar gives a much wider $2,000 to $25,000 for appliances, and Finder says ovens alone run from about $380 to over $15,000.$3,000$6,000$10,000

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What changes the price

  • Cabinetry. Custom cabinets from a cabinet maker cost far more than flat-pack. One guide puts custom cabinetry at $12,000 to $35,000.
  • Benchtop material. Laminate starts near $350 a square metre. Stone, porcelain and marble can cost several times that.
  • Appliances. A basic package and a premium one differ by thousands of dollars, and integrated appliances need matching cabinetry.
  • Layout changes. Moving the sink, cooktop or walls means plumbing, electrical and sometimes structural work.
  • Size. Finder shows cost rising with floor area. Airtasker puts a small kitchen under 8 square metres at $10,000 to $20,000.
  • Who installs. Installation by the cabinet supplier, a builder or separate trades is priced differently. Ask who is responsible if a trade runs late.

What's usually included, and what isn't

Usually included

  • Removal of the old kitchen, cabinets and benchtop
  • Supply and installation of the cabinets and benchtop in the quote
  • Plumbing and electrical connections for the sink, cooktop and appliances
  • Fitting of the appliances listed in the quote
  • Clean-up and removal of waste at the end of the job

Often extra

  • Appliances you supply yourself, and the cost of moving or connecting gas
  • Flooring, painting and splashback unless the quote lists them
  • Council or certifier fees. One source puts building permits at about $500 to $1,500
  • Structural work such as removing a load-bearing wall
  • Repairs found once the old kitchen is stripped out

Metro and regional differences

Metro: Capital cities have more renovators, so there is more competition, but wages and parking and travel time push labour prices up, and larger homes and kitchens add to the total.

Regional: Our sources do not give separate regional figures, so treat the ranges as a national guide. Outside the cities, a longer drive and a smaller pool of trade workers can add to labour and delay the job, and cabinets and appliances may travel further to reach you.

Licensing and compliance

Kitchen work usually involves building, plumbing and electrical trades, so ask for each licence number and check it on the regulator's register.

New South Wales: Building Commission NSW says a written contract is needed above $5,000 including GST and home building compensation cover above $20,000, and that you need the right licence or certificate for plumbing, draining or gasfitting work.

Victoria: Energy Safe Victoria licenses electrical workers, and a registered electrical contractor or licensed electrician must give you a Certificate of Electrical Safety.

The Building and Plumbing Commission regulates domestic building, and from 1 July 2026 Home Warranty insurance applies to work worth more than $20,000 on a home of three storeys or less (it was $16,000 before then).

Queensland: the QBCC says building work valued over $3,300 needs a QBCC licence.

It lists a Builder restricted to kitchen, bathroom and laundry class and a Carpentry class, and plumbers and drainers register notifiable plumbing work with it.

Western Australia: only people with plumbing licences from the Plumbers Licensing Board may do plumbing work, and Building and Energy says home indemnity insurance is needed for residential building work valued over $20,000.

The ACT: Access Canberra inspects building sites and licenses plumbers, and the Construction Occupations Registrar licenses builders, though the planning site says carpenters and bricklayers do not currently need a licence.

South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory: we could not open the plumbing or electrical regulator pages, so we have not stated their rules here.

Check the licence with the state or territory regulator before work starts.

Before you accept a quote, check

  • Does the quote list cabinets, benchtop, appliances, plumbing, electrical and installation as separate lines?
  • Are the appliances included, and which brand and model?
  • Who does the plumbing and electrical work, and will you receive the required certificates?
  • What benchtop material and thickness is priced, and what is the rate if the size changes?
  • What is the payment schedule, and how much is the deposit?
  • Does the quote say whether GST is included?
  • What happens to the price if hidden damage is found?

Frequently asked questions

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Australia?

Most budget to mid-range kitchen renovations cost about $15,000 to $45,000 across our sources. Canstar quotes hipages for a $15,000 to $40,000 average, and the national guide shows $12,000 to $45,000 for budget to mid-range.

How much of the cost is cabinetry?

Canstar puts cabinetry at 30 to 40 per cent of the budget, and the renovator's blog says custom cabinets can take 30 to 40 per cent. Cabinets are usually the largest single item.

How much does a new benchtop cost?

Laminate starts at about $350 a square metre in Airtasker and Finder. The national guide gives $300 to $560 for laminate, $960 to $1,550 for porcelain or sintered stone and $800 to $2,500 for marble, supplied and installed.

Can I keep my cabinets and just change the doors?

Often, if the carcasses are sound. The national guide prices a respray, wrap or resurfacing at $2,000 to $10,000, which is much less than new cabinets. That is one source, so get quotes.

Do I need a permit?

It depends on the work and your council. One renovator's blog puts building permits at about $500 to $1,500 for a standard kitchen renovation. Ask your renovator or council.

Is a cheaper quote always better?

Compare the same scope first. A much lower price can leave out appliances, plumbing, electrical work or clean-up.

Sources and method

Built on 19 October 2026 from two compiled cost guides (Canstar and a national price guide), a Finder guide, a renovator's blog, an older Airtasker marketplace guide, the Fair Work award and state regulator pages. Where the sources disagree we use the range they share. Most sources do not say whether GST is included. How we calculate our guides.

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