Kitchen refurbishment · Scotland
Kitchen refurbishment in the Highlands
We carry out kitchen refurbishment across the Highlands, from Inverness to the smaller towns, with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote as standard.
Why kitchen refurbishment for a Highlands home?
Plenty of homeowners in the Highlands 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 the Highlands 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 the Highlands include?
After the survey visit we write the scope down. For kitchen refurbishment in the Highlands 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 the Highlands?
The figures below are guide prices for the Highlands, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across Scotland. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Labour rates in Scotland are generally lower than in London and the South East, so these ranges are a little below the national guide.
| 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 the Highlands
Across the Highlands you will often find stone crofthouses, Victorian villas, post-war council-built houses and timber-framed kit houses, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Older crofthouses often have a small kitchen in a lean-to, while Victorian villas in Inverness and Nairn tend to have separate kitchens with room to open up.
Mains water across the Highlands is soft, though many remote homes rely on private supplies, which may need testing and filtering before a boiling water tap goes in. Long distances, single-track roads and winter weather can affect delivery and fitting days, so lead times and worktop lengths need planning well in advance.
Many rural Highland homes are off the gas grid, so the kitchen may be planned around induction, LPG or an oil-fired range. Crofthouses and older cottages tend to have thick walls and small windows that shape the layout and lighting.
Rules for kitchen refurbishment in the Highlands
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 buildings and conservation areas may need consent for a new external vent or changes to historic features.
Before you start
- 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.
- Open the sink cupboard and look for swollen board or staining; water-damaged carcasses should be replaced, not hidden behind new doors.
- Keep appliances that fit their housings, but check that any new integrated appliance matches the existing gap and door-fixing method.
- Collect appliance model numbers before the survey so housing sizes and door-fixing kits can be checked against anything you plan to keep or replace.
- Plan meals for the days the worktop and sink are out in your Highlands home; a kettle, a microwave and a washing-up bowl in another room make those days easier.
Questions about kitchen refurbishment in the Highlands
How much does kitchen refurbishment cost in the Highlands?
For new doors, worktops and handles on sound units, budget around £2,400 to £5,600 including VAT in the Highlands. That reflects typical costs in Scotland; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of the Highlands?
Yes, across the mainland Highlands, including Inverness, Fort William, Thurso and Wick. We do not currently cover Skye or the other islands. 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.
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.
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.
Kitchen refurbishment in towns across the Highlands
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Kitchen refurbishment in Inverness
- Kitchen refurbishment in Fort William
- Kitchen refurbishment in Nairn
- Kitchen refurbishment in Thurso
- Kitchen refurbishment in Wick
- Kitchen refurbishment in Alness
- Kitchen refurbishment in Dingwall