A new kitchen installation replaces your old units, worktops and appliances with a new layout fitted to your room, including the plumbing, electrics, tiling and finishing needed to leave a complete, working kitchen.
From a first conversation about a new kitchen to the day the site is cleared, homeowners in Reading deal with us directly. We come out to measure up at no cost, explain the choices in plain terms and send a written quote. For context, comparable work in the South East usually falls within £9,000–£24,500 including VAT, and it is available across RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG6.
- Guide price
- £9,000–£24,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- RG1, RG2, RG4, RG6 and RG30
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Berkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Kitchens prices in Reading
What should you budget for a new kitchen in Reading? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in the South East sit about 12% above the national guide, so the range here is £9,000–£24,500 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Value kitchen | Standard units and laminate worktops in a small or medium room, keeping the existing layout. | £5,600–£10,000 |
| Mid-range kitchen | Better units, some layout changes, built-in appliances and a choice of worktops. | £10,000–£22,500 |
| Premium kitchen | High-end units, stone worktops, an island and premium appliances in a larger room. | £22,500–£45,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Length of units and the size of the room
- Unit range, door finish and worktop material
- Appliances, including built-in and premium models
- Tiling, flooring and any wall removal or replastering
Scope of the work
- Measured survey and layout planning for your room
- Plumbing for sink, dishwasher and washing machine
- Electrics and new circuits by qualified electricians, with certificates
- Units, worktops and appliances fitted, levelled and adjusted
- Splashbacks or wall tiling to your chosen design
- Making good, extractor ducting and a final clean
Building in Reading
Reading's Victorian terraces often show the town's patterned red and silver-grey brickwork, while Windsor, Maidenhead and Newbury mix Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian houses. Bracknell grew as a post-war new town with planned estates, Slough has a great deal of interwar and post-war housing, and newer developments sit on the edge of most towns.
Period terraces lend themselves to side-return extensions and dormer lofts; post-war and new-town homes often need replacement windows, roofline renewal and extra space. Larger detached houses commonly take on kitchen extensions, bifold doors and landscaping.
None of this holds for every street in Reading, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a new kitchen rather than assuming from its age alone.
Permissions for a new kitchen in Reading
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Reading comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
Internal work such as a new kitchen, bathroom, flooring, plastering or decorating does not need planning permission in England, unless the house is listed, when listed building consent may be needed even for internal changes.
Some internal work is covered by Building Regulations: new electrical circuits and work in bathrooms (Part P), new drainage, structural changes, extractor ventilation and any new window. Notifiable work is certified by a registered installer or by building control.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Survey and measure
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Price and scope agreed
After the survey we send a quote for a new kitchen that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Getting ready
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
Finish and handover
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Frequently asked questions
What should I do to prepare for my kitchen fitting?
Before fitting starts, empty all cupboards and drawers, clear worktops and remove anything from the walls. Plan where you will make drinks and simple meals for a week or two, and agree where deliveries will be stored, as units take up a lot of space. Make sure we can access the stopcock, fuse board and gas meter. We confirm the delivery date and start date in advance.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Do I need a new extractor fan?
A kitchen needs effective extraction to remove steam, cooking smells and grease, and building regulations set minimum rates for new or altered kitchens. A ducted extractor that vents outside is the most effective, while recirculating hoods filter the air and return it to the room. We check whether a duct can reach an outside wall and recommend a hood that suits your hob and room size.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from a new kitchen, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Can I move my sink or cooker to a new position?
Moving the sink, hob or cooker is usually possible but adds cost, because waste pipes, water supplies, gas and electrics have to be rerouted. Sinks need waste pipes to fall towards the drain, so the position of the outside wall matters. Hobs may need a new circuit or gas run and a suitable extractor route. We check what is practical during the survey and price each change separately.
Nearby towns
Homes across RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG6 in Reading are within our coverage, as are those in Lower Earley, Wokingham and Crowthorne. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.

