What is a realistic budget for my kitchen?

In short, how long is a piece of string?

When considering a kitchen, most people would have a “wish list” with the latest appliances, quartz worktops and a top quality kitchen with all the latest gadgets which is understandable. The question is though, what can you / would you like to spend? I always use a car analogy. For example, if you had £6,000 to spend on a car, would you go to a Mercedes dealer where the average price is £30,000 or, vice versa, if you had £30,000 to spend, would you go to a second hand dealer where the average price is £10,000? They are both cars after all. You need to have a budget in mind and then discuss with Bella Kitchens what can be achieved within that budget. There is no point in us designing something for you if we have no idea what you want to spend.

Here are some examples of where your money can be spent.

Kitchen Units

Flat Pack

Flat pack kitchen units are always your cheapest option, however, do not be out off by the idea. As in all things, there are good and bad flat pack kitchens. Bella’s Eco Kitchens range is true value for money with solid 8mm backs making it a very sturdy option, unlike some of the DIY chains that are very poor in design and quality. Eco Kitchens have all Blum hinges and soft close drawers as standard and a 1000mm base unit can start for as little as £140.00 Including VAT.

Rigid Kitchens

Rigid Kitchens also vary widely in quality. Again, a big kitchen “ shed “ supplying rigid kitchens in most areas could be perceived as good value but the units will be different sizes or made out of square and will have a limited life span. I would consider either Keller or Nolte Kitchens for a rigid kitchen. These are premium brands offering the latest kitchen designs and styles using only the best fittings and accessories. There is also a huge range of size options, making your kitchen truly unique to you. A Keller kitchen or Nolte Kitchen will stand the test of time and will actually work out cheaper in the long run. A 1000mm base unit would start from £300 Including VAT.

Worktops

Laminate

aminate worktops are a very good option. They are the most cost effective and due to the advances in modern technology, they can look and feel like a much more expensive option. The average cost of laminate supplied and installed would be approximately £1200 Including VAT.

Quartz

Tip: You can bring down the cost by changing the thickness from 30mm to 20mm.

Granite

Granite worktops are priced more or less in line with quartz with many similar qualities. Just remember, granite is a natural stone which will have variants in colour and pattern, two things that are not really a factor with quartz.

Dekton

Dekton quartz is the very latest in worktop technology and is the only worktop that you can place hot pans directly on and also cut directly on, although they recommend you don’t do this for the sake of your knives, not the top! Obviously you will pay for the privilege of having the latest thing with prices starting at around £6000. Corian has certain feature benefits like moulded upstands, a seamless kitchen with no visible joints and also moulded sinks; however, it does have its downsides. It has a very soft surface and by its very nature is prone to scratching although scratches can be polished out. For this reason, this is not a good worktop for people that want low maintenance tops. It is also a costly option with prices starting at around £5000 +.

Wooden

Wooden worktops look stunning when first installed; however, as a living product it requires quite high levels of maintenance to keep up its appearance, so again, not for people that don’t fancy having to maintain their worktops. Average cost would be £1800 - £2200 installed.

Appliances

Appliances are where you really can spend thousands. In an average kitchen, you would have the following items;

• Microwave
• Oven
• Extractor
• Fridge Freezer
• Integrated Dishwasher
• Integrated Washing Machine

Depending on make and model, these appliances could cost £2000 or they could cost £8000, it really is as varied as that.

Installation

Some people may think that they will save money having their builder fit their new kitchen and then get their own electrician, plumber etc, then the plumber doesn’t turn up so the builder can’t install some of the units or the electrician can’t put the sockets above where the hob is going etc. Before you know it, this has all contributed toward you going over budget. In my opinion, you should always use a specialist kitchen company such as Bella Kitchens because it will work out far less expensive and with no hassle!

Bella Kitchens work with these products week in, week out. We have the correct tools for the job and we have every trade covered in house so we project manage every aspect of your kitchen installation which gives people the confidence that it will be installed on time and within budget.

Average install costs are between £2000 and £4500 depending on the size of the project.

In short, a quality kitchen from Bella Kitchens could cost from as little as £8000 supplied and installed to £50,000+, it is quite literally down to you and your budget but your dream kitchen certainly does not have to cost the earth.

Tags: Kitchen

Category: Kitchens