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.
Across Essex, people look into a new kitchen to replace something worn out, to make the house work better for them, or to get it ready for a sale. We cover Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Colchester and Chelmsford and the smaller towns around them, working to the rules that apply in England. Expect a guide of £8,400–£23,000, VAT included, in the East of England, and every quote follows a free visit.
- Guide price
- £8,400–£23,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 weeks on site
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 5% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 23
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Kitchens prices in Essex
These are guide costs, not quotes. For a new kitchen in Essex the range is £8,400–£23,000, VAT included, reflecting prices in the East of England that are about 5% above the national guide. Once we have visited for a free survey, you get a firm figure for the scope you approve.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Essex |
|---|---|---|
| Value kitchen | Standard units and laminate worktops in a small or medium room, keeping the existing layout. | £5,200–£9,400 |
| Mid-range kitchen | Better units, some layout changes, built-in appliances and a choice of worktops. | £9,400–£21,000 |
| Premium kitchen | High-end units, stone worktops, an island and premium appliances in a larger room. | £21,000–£42,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Length of units and the size of the room
- Unit range, door finish and worktop material
- Moving the sink, hob or other services to a new position
- Tiling, flooring and any wall removal or replastering
What’s included?
- Measured survey and layout planning for your room
- Plumbing for sink, dishwasher and washing machine
- Electrics and new circuits by qualified electricians, with certificates
- Gas connections by a suitably registered engineer where needed
- Splashbacks or wall tiling to your chosen design
- Making good, extractor ducting and a final clean
Homes in Essex
Essex ranges from timber-framed and weatherboarded cottages in the north, some with decorative pargeting, to Victorian terraces in Colchester, Chelmsford and Southend. Basildon and Harlow were built as post-war new towns, much of the south-east has interwar suburbs and bungalows, and large new estates continue to appear around Chelmsford and Braintree.
Terraces and semis commonly suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and many bungalows can take a loft room. New-town homes often need cladding, window and roofline renewal, while timber-framed cottages call for lime plaster and repairs that respect the original frame.
Essex is one of the driest counties in England, and London Clay in the south shrinks in dry spells, so trees and foundation depth matter.
Planning and building rules in Essex
Because Essex falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
How does the job run?
We look at the job
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a new kitchen properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Your fixed price
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Dates and permissions
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a new kitchen are in place before the first day on site.
On site to finish
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
What you can expect from us
Questions about a new kitchen in Essex
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
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.
How long does it take to fit a kitchen?
Fitting a kitchen typically takes one to three weeks on site, depending on its size and how much the layout changes. Strip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, and any plastering come first, then units, worktops, appliances and tiling. Stone worktops are templated once the base units are in and usually fitted a week or two later. We give you a day-by-day plan before we start.
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.
How much does a new kitchen cost?
A mid-range kitchen of around 5–7 linear metres of units costs £8,400–£23,000 supplied and fitted. Value kitchens in smaller rooms cost less, and premium kitchens with stone worktops, an island and high-end appliances cost more. Moving the sink or hob, new electrics and replastering also affect the total. As a guide, allow roughly £1,000–£2,800 per linear metre of units plus fixed fitting costs. We confirm a fixed price after the survey.
Towns in Essex
These are the towns in Essex where you can book a free survey for a new kitchen. Each has its own page with guide prices and coverage details.