Kitchen refurbishment · Scotland
Kitchen refurbishment in Edinburgh
We carry out kitchen refurbishment across Edinburgh, from the city centre to the suburbs, with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote as standard.
When does kitchen refurbishment make sense in Edinburgh?
Plenty of homeowners in Edinburgh 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.
If you have bought a house in Edinburgh with a dated kitchen that still works, refreshing the doors, worktop and sink is often the quickest way to make it feel like your own.
What does kitchen refurbishment in Edinburgh include?
After the survey visit we write the scope down. For kitchen refurbishment in Edinburgh it usually covers:
- 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 Edinburgh?
The figures below are guide prices for Edinburgh, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across Edinburgh and Glasgow. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Costs in Edinburgh and Glasgow sit close to the national guide.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| New doors, worktops and handles on sound unitsCarcasses kept, everything you see replaced | £2,600–£6,100 |
| Refresh plus sink, tap, splashback and lightingA full visual refit without moving services | £4,100–£9,200 |
| Partial refit with some new units and appliancesDamaged units swapped, new appliances fitted | £6,100–£14,300 |
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 Edinburgh
The housing mix across Edinburgh includes Victorian tenement flats, Georgian New Town flats, stone villas and post-war council-built houses, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Tenement flats often have a small kitchen off the hall, while Georgian flats may have kitchens in former bedrooms or reception rooms with tall ceilings.
Edinburgh's mains water is soft, so limescale is rarely a problem and taps, sinks and boiling water taps stay cleaner for longer. Common stairs without lifts, controlled parking and cobbled streets in older parts of the city mean deliveries and stair carries need planning before fitting day.
Tenement and Georgian flats often have kitchens in small rooms, and opening one 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. Stone villas and bungalows on the edge of the city more often suit a larger supply-and-fit kitchen.
Rules for kitchen refurbishment in Edinburgh
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.
The Old and New Towns form a World Heritage Site with many listed buildings, so new vents or internal changes may need consent, and tenement neighbours may need to agree.
Before you start
- Measure replacement doors against your carcasses rather than the old doors, as widths, hinge positions and drawer box sizes vary between ranges.
- Check whether the hinges and drawer runners can be reused; worn or mismatched fittings can stop new doors from sitting straight.
- 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.
- If several units are damaged, the layout no longer suits you or services need moving, a full new kitchen may be better value.
- If you let a property in Edinburgh, book the refurbishment between tenancies and choose durable finishes such as laminate worktops and wipe-clean splashbacks.
- Before booking a refurbishment for your Edinburgh home, empty the sink cupboard and check the base for swelling or soft spots, as it decides whether that unit stays.
Questions about kitchen refurbishment in Edinburgh
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in Edinburgh?
For new doors, worktops and handles on sound units, budget around £2,600 to £6,100 including VAT in Edinburgh. That reflects typical costs in Edinburgh and Glasgow; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of Edinburgh?
Yes. We carry out kitchen refurbishment across Edinburgh. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
Can I keep my existing appliances during a refurbishment?
Usually, yes. Built-in ovens, hobs and integrated appliances can stay if they work well and suit the existing housings. If you replace one, the new appliance must match the housing dimensions and door-fixing method, and a larger oven or an induction hob may need a new cooker circuit. We check model numbers and sizes at the survey, before you buy anything.
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.