Kitchen refurbishment in Brighton

Thinking about kitchen refurbishment in Brighton?

If the kitchen in your Brighton flat is compact and well planned, there is little to gain from moving anything; new surfaces, a new sink and better lighting can do most of the work.

A kitchen fitted ten or fifteen years ago in a Brighton home may have good units let down by a chipped laminate worktop, faded doors and a stained sink. Homes right across Brighton are covered, as are nearby places such as Hove, Portslade and the villages in between.

What is in a typical job?

Your written quote lists everything included. For kitchen refurbishment, that normally means:

Old worktops removed and new laminate, wood or stone worktops fitted
Tiled, glass or panel splashback fitted once the new worktops are in
Sink and tap replaced on the existing supplies and waste
Free survey visit to check every carcass for water damage, level and fixings
New handles drilled and fitted, with hinges and drawer runners adjusted or replaced
New doors, drawer fronts, end panels and plinths fitted to the existing units

What does kitchen refurbishment cost in Brighton?

Typical kitchen refurbishment prices for homes in Brighton, including VAT and adjusted for the South East. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.

What does kitchen refurbishment cost in Brighton?
Typical project	Guide price
New doors, worktops and handles on sound unitsCarcasses kept, everything you see replaced	£2,900–£6,900
Refresh plus sink, tap, splashback and lightingA full visual refit without moving services	£4,600–£10,400
Partial refit with some new units and appliancesDamaged units swapped, new appliances fitted	£6,900–£16,100

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%.

What kind of kitchens do we fit in Brighton?

Typical homes in this part of East Sussex include Regency townhouses and flats, Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and seaside bungalows. Regency and Victorian houses split into flats often have small kitchens in former reception rooms, while 1930s semis usually have a compact kitchen at the back.

Seafront flats without lifts, permit parking and steep streets in the coastal towns can make delivery and waste removal slower, so access needs planning. East Sussex has hard water, so limescale builds up on taps, kettles and boiling water taps, and a filter or softener is worth considering.

What rules apply to kitchen refurbishment in Brighton?

Refurbishing a kitchen in England needs no planning permission or Building Regulations approval in itself, though a listed home may need listed building consent before historic features are removed. Swapping light fittings or adding sockets on existing kitchen circuits is not notifiable under Part P but must meet BS 7671; a new circuit is notifiable. A gas hob must be disconnected and reconnected by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Listed Regency buildings, conservation areas and homes inside the South Downs National Park may need consent for a new external vent, and flat owners usually need freeholder consent.

Planning ahead

Choose handles after the doors and confirm the hole spacing, because drilling new doors for the wrong size of bar handle cannot be undone neatly.
If you let a property in Brighton, book the refurbishment between tenancies and choose durable finishes such as laminate worktops and wipe-clean splashbacks.
In an older house in East Sussex, ask for the walls behind the worktop to be checked for level, as a new straight worktop can show gaps the old one hid.
Keep appliances that fit their housings, but check that any new integrated appliance matches the existing gap and door-fixing method.

Questions about kitchen refurbishment in Brighton

How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Brighton?

For new doors, worktops and handles on sound units, budget around £2,900 to £6,900 including VAT in Brighton. That reflects typical costs in the South East; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Can you measure up in Brighton before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Brighton. We measure the room, check the walls, floor and service positions, then send 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.

Will a refurbished kitchen look like a new one?

It can come very close, because doors, worktops, handles and the splashback make up most of what you see. The differences show inside the cupboards and in the layout, which stays the same. Matching new end panels, plinths and cornice to the doors matters, because old panels left in place give the age of the kitchen away.

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.

Also covering nearby towns

Close to Brighton? We cover these nearby towns too: