How much does a kitchen cost in the UK? 2026 prices
Short answerCabinets and doors for a mid-sized L-shaped kitchen of 11 units cost from £1,249 to £3,268 at Wickes, IKEA and DIY Kitchens in September 2026, including VAT. Typical totals are £1,534 at Wickes, £1,634 at IKEA and £1,910 at DIY Kitchens. Howdens is a rough estimate of about £3,287. Worktops, appliances, sink, delivery and fitting are extra.
Key facts
- The cheapest cabinets for Kuote's 11-unit reference kitchen cost £1,249 at IKEA, with METOD cabinets and HAVSTORP beige fronts, excluding worktops, appliances, sink, handles, delivery and fitting.
- Wickes prices the same kitchen from £1,413 to £1,636 across 23 ranges, with a typical total of £1,534.
- DIY Kitchens prices the same kitchen from £1,506 (Carrera) to £3,268 (Helmsley) across 27 ranges, with a typical total of £1,910.
- Howdens is a rough guide of about £3,287 for its Bridgemere Linen range, estimated from a real trade estimate because Howdens does not publish prices online.
- An integrated dishwasher costs from £295 to £1,099 at Wickes and £275 to £908 at DIY Kitchens.
How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK?
Cabinets and doors for a mid-sized L-shaped kitchen cost from £1,249 to £3,268 at Wickes, IKEA and DIY Kitchens, including VAT. That is Kuote's reference kitchen: 11 cabinets, about 3.7 m of base units and 2.3 m of wall units. The totals leave out worktops, appliances, the sink and tap, handles, plinth, cornice and end panels, delivery and fitting.
The reference kitchen has a sink base unit, two 600mm base units, a 500mm base unit, a 3 drawer unit, a built under oven housing, a 70/30 fridge freezer tower and four wall units. Each total includes the doors or drawer fronts and the parts each shop sells with the cabinets, such as legs, fixings and hinges where they are sold separately. Wickes, IKEA and DIY Kitchens prices were checked on 17 September 2026, and the Howdens estimate on 15 September 2026.
How much do kitchen units cost at each shop?
The typical price for the reference kitchen is £1,534 at Wickes, £1,634 at IKEA and £1,910 at DIY Kitchens. The table shows the cheapest, typical (median) and dearest range at each shop.
| Shop | Ranges priced | Cheapest | Typical | Dearest | Match to the reference kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wickes | 23 | £1,413 | £1,534 | £1,636 | Close |
| IKEA | 12 | £1,249 | £1,634 | £1,963 | Close |
| DIY Kitchens | 27 | £1,506 | £1,910 | £3,268 | Like for like |
| Howdens (estimate) | 1 | about £3,287 | about £3,287 | about £3,287 | Rough guide |
The Howdens figure is an estimate from a real Howdens trade estimate for one range, Bridgemere Linen, because Howdens does not publish prices online. Treat it as a rough guide of about ±15%. Some units in the reference kitchen are matched only to the nearest unit type Howdens sells, so it is not a like-for-like total. To check a Howdens price properly, Kuote compares a real Howdens quote line by line.
Which shop is cheapest for kitchen units?
IKEA has the cheapest reference kitchen we priced: £1,249 with METOD cabinets and HAVSTORP beige fronts. That is £164 (12%) less than the cheapest Wickes range, Dakota White Matt Slab at £1,413, and £257 less than the cheapest DIY Kitchens range, Carrera at £1,506.
The cheapest shop depends on the door style you want. For a shaker kitchen, IKEA starts at £1,410, Wickes at £1,522 and DIY Kitchens at £1,573. For a handleless kitchen, Wickes starts at £1,534, IKEA at £1,634 and DIY Kitchens at £1,910. For more on this, see where to buy the cheapest kitchen units in the UK.
How much does each kitchen unit cost?
A single 600mm base unit costs from £92 at IKEA, £110 at DIY Kitchens and £119 at Wickes. Prices below are the typical (median) price for one unit with its door or drawer fronts, across every range at each shop.
| Unit | Wickes | IKEA | DIY Kitchens | Howdens (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 600mm sink base unit | £119 | £114 | £144 | about £290 |
| 600mm base unit | £124 | £127 | £144 | about £290 |
| 500mm base unit | £107 | £190 | £132 | about £498 |
| 600mm 3 drawer base unit | £263 | £201 | £355 | about £290 |
| 600mm built under oven housing | £84 | £103 | £96 | about £95 |
| 600mm 70/30 fridge freezer tower | £309 | £285 | £382 | about £562 |
| 600mm wall unit | £110 | £111 | £135 | about £252 |
| 500mm wall unit | £102 | £158 | £124 | about £216 |
Tall units and drawer units swing the most. A 70/30 fridge freezer tower runs from £285 to £744 across DIY Kitchens ranges, a gap of £459 for the same unit type.
What is not included in a kitchen unit price?
Worktops, appliances, the sink and tap, handles, plinth, cornice, end panels, delivery and fitting are all extra. Kuote doesn't price delivery or fitting, so get those as separate lines on your quote. The table shows the price range for common extras at the shops where Kuote has prices.
| Extra | Wickes | DIY Kitchens | Howdens (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate worktop (per length, usually 3 m) | £59 to £310 | £94 to £324 | Not priced |
| Quartz worktop (per m²) | Not priced | £232 to £930 | about £292 to £351 |
| Integrated dishwasher | £295 to £1,099 | £275 to £908 | Not priced |
| Built-in single oven | £195 to £1,999 | £178 to £1,519 | Not priced |
| Induction hob | £229 to £3,000 | £168 to £1,603 | Not priced |
| Stainless steel sink | £56 to £599 | £69 to £638 | about £202 to £604 |
| Mixer tap | £30 to £386 | £98 to £246 | about £155 |
Appliances can add more than the cabinets. A single induction hob at Wickes has a typical price of £974. See kitchen worktop prices for laminate, wood and stone for more on worktops.
Why do two quotes for the same kitchen differ so much?
Two quotes differ mostly because of the range, the door style and what each quote includes. At DIY Kitchens alone, the same 11 cabinets cost from £1,506 (Carrera) to £3,268 (Helmsley), a gap of £1,762. In-frame ranges there cost £3,123 to £3,268.
Build also differs. Wickes cabinets are flat-pack with 15mm sides, and soft close hinges are an extra. DIY Kitchens and Howdens cabinets are rigid, built in the factory, with 18mm sides.
Quotes also bundle different things: one may include worktops, appliances or fitting and another may not. Learn how to compare kitchen quotes like for like before you pick one, or read how to check if your kitchen quote is too high.
How we priced this
We priced the same 11 cabinets in every range at each shop, using public prices including VAT. DIY Kitchens prices are converted to include VAT. Howdens figures come from a real trade estimate and are shown as a rough guide. Read how Kuote compares kitchen prices for the full method.
Check your own kitchen quote
Your kitchen will not match the reference kitchen exactly. Upload your quote to Kuote and see the same units priced at Howdens, Wickes, IKEA and DIY Kitchens, line by line.
Frequently asked questions
How much do kitchen units cost for an average kitchen?
For 11 cabinets in a mid-sized L-shaped kitchen, typical totals are £1,534 at Wickes, £1,634 at IKEA and £1,910 at DIY Kitchens, including VAT. Howdens is a rough estimate of about £3,287. These totals leave out worktops, appliances, sink, handles, delivery and fitting.
Which shop is cheapest for kitchen units in the UK?
IKEA had the cheapest reference kitchen we priced, at £1,249 with HAVSTORP beige fronts. The cheapest Wickes range was £1,413 and the cheapest DIY Kitchens range was £1,506.
What is not included in a kitchen unit price?
Our totals cover cabinets with doors or drawer fronts only. Worktops, appliances, the sink and tap, handles, plinth, cornice, end panels, delivery and fitting are extra, and Kuote doesn't price delivery or fitting.
Why do two quotes for the same kitchen differ so much?
The range and door style change the price most. At DIY Kitchens the same 11 cabinets cost from £1,506 to £3,268, and quotes also differ in what they include, such as worktops or fitting.
How much does a kitchen worktop cost in the UK?
A laminate worktop costs from £59 to £310 per length at Wickes and £94 to £324 at DIY Kitchens. Quartz at DIY Kitchens costs £232 to £930 per m².