Kitchen refurbishment · Scotland
Kitchen refurbishment in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Our kitchen refurbishment work covers the whole of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen, Peterhead and Inverurie.
Why kitchen refurbishment for an Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire home?
Plenty of homeowners in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have kitchens with solid carcasses and tired fronts, and a refurbishment lets them keep the layout they are used to while replacing everything they see each day.
A kitchen fitted ten or fifteen years ago in an Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire home may have good units let down by a chipped laminate worktop, faded doors and a stained sink.
What does kitchen refurbishment in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire include?
Here is what usually goes into kitchen refurbishment, adjusted to your Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire kitchen after we have measured it:
- Free survey visit to check every carcass for water damage, level and fixings
- New doors, drawer fronts, end panels and plinths fitted to the existing units
- Old worktops removed and new laminate, wood or stone worktops fitted
- New handles drilled and fitted, with hinges and drawer runners adjusted or replaced
- Sink and tap replaced on the existing supplies and waste
- Tiled, glass or panel splashback fitted once the new worktops are in
- Under-cabinet and ceiling lighting updated by an electrician and tested to BS 7671
- Damaged units or tired appliances swapped where the rest of the kitchen is sound
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in Scotland. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Prices in Scotland usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| New doors, worktops and handles on sound unitsCarcasses kept, everything you see replaced | £2,400–£5,600 |
| Refresh plus sink, tap, splashback and lightingA full visual refit without moving services | £3,800–£8,500 |
| Partial refit with some new units and appliancesDamaged units swapped, new appliances fitted | £5,600–£13,200 |
Guide ranges assume the existing layout and services stay in place with laminate or wood worktops; stone worktops, moved services, new circuits, flooring and plastering are priced as separate lines. Prices include VAT at 20%.
Kitchens in homes across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
The housing mix across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire includes granite tenement flats, granite villas, post-war council-built houses and farm cottages, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Granite tenement flats often have a small kitchen off the hall, while villas and bungalows across Aberdeenshire tend to have a separate kitchen beside the dining room.
Mains water across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is soft, so limescale is rarely a problem and taps, sinks and boiling water taps stay cleaner. Tenement flats without lifts mean carrying units up common stairs, and rural farm tracks can be narrow for delivery lorries.
In a granite tenement flat, the kitchen is often a small room off the hall, and opening it into the living room needs a building warrant if the wall is load-bearing, and can need one even if it is not, where the change affects the escape route or fire separation in a flat. Many rural bungalows are off the gas grid, so cooking is often electric.
Rules for kitchen refurbishment in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
In Scotland, replacing doors, worktops, a sink or light fittings in a house does not normally need a building warrant, and most electrical work in a house does not either, but it must meet the building standards and BS 7671, so ask for an electrical certificate. A listed building may need listed building consent before historic features are removed. Gas hobs are disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Homes in the Cairngorms National Park, listed granite buildings and conservation areas may need consent for new external vents, and tenement owners may need neighbours' agreement.
Before you start
- Stone worktops are templated once the old tops are off and fitted about one to two weeks later, so plan for a gap without full worktops.
- Check whether the hinges and drawer runners can be reused; worn or mismatched fittings can stop new doors from sitting straight.
- Measure replacement doors against your carcasses rather than the old doors, as widths, hinge positions and drawer box sizes vary between ranges.
- If several units are damaged, the layout no longer suits you or services need moving, a full new kitchen may be better value.
- Photograph the inside of a few cupboards, including the hinges and drawer boxes, so replacement doors and fronts can be matched to your existing carcasses.
- Plan meals for the days the worktop and sink are out in your Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire home; a kettle, a microwave and a washing-up bowl in another room make those days easier.
Questions about kitchen refurbishment in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
For new doors, worktops and handles on sound units, budget around £2,400 to £5,600 including VAT in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. That reflects typical costs in Scotland; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?
Yes. We carry out kitchen refurbishment across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen, Peterhead, Inverurie and Fraserburgh. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
How do you check whether my kitchen units are sound?
At the survey we check the carcasses one by one. We look for swollen or flaking board around the sink, dishwasher and kettle area, staining from old leaks, sagging shelves, damaged hinge holes, loose wall fixings and units that have dropped out of level. Sound carcasses are kept, and damaged ones are listed on the quote as replacements so nothing is left to chance later.
How long will I be without a kitchen during a refurbishment?
Usually two to seven days on site. New doors and handles can often be fitted in a day or two with the kitchen usable between visits. Replacing worktops, the sink and the splashback takes longer, and stone worktops add about one to two weeks between templating and fitting. Ask about a temporary worktop so the sink can stay in use during that gap.
Is it worth refurbishing a kitchen rather than replacing it?
Often, yes, if the carcasses are sound and you are happy with the layout. A refurbishment keeps the hidden structure and spends the budget on what you see. It stops being good value when several units are water-damaged, when you want to move the sink, hob or walls, or when the units are an unusual size that new doors will not suit.
Kitchen refurbishment in towns across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Kitchen refurbishment in Aberdeen
- Kitchen refurbishment in Peterhead
- Kitchen refurbishment in Inverurie
- Kitchen refurbishment in Fraserburgh
- Kitchen refurbishment in Stonehaven