Kitchen renovation versus kitchen extension: which problem are you solving
Before quoting on a kitchen renovation we always ask: does the existing kitchen footprint actually work, and you just want it to look better? Or is the footprint constraining how the family lives? If it's the former, renovation is the right answer — keep the walls, replan the layout, fit new joinery, replace finishes. £18,000–£60,000 will deliver an extraordinary transformation within the existing space. If it's the latter — small, dark, separated from the dining room, no door to the garden — then a kitchen extension (£75,000–£170,000) is the right answer despite the higher cost, because no amount of cabinetry fixes a 8m² kitchen with one window. We model both options when there's any doubt, with rough costs and value impact, so the decision is informed rather than default. Plenty of clients have come to us asking for an extension and gone home with a £45,000 renovation that solved the actual problem.
Layout: triangle, island, galley — what works in a London kitchen
Layout choice is constrained by room geometry, not by trend. A traditional Victorian rear kitchen (typically 3.5×4m before any extension) is too narrow for a true island — clearance between island and run needs to be 1.0–1.2m for usable circulation, leaving the island itself just 0.6–0.8m wide, which is unworkable. Better: a galley layout (two parallel runs, 1.0m between), or an L-shape with a peninsula serving as informal eating bar. In an extended rear kitchen (5×6m+) an island works and becomes the social heart of the room. In a side-return kitchen (often 6–7m long but only 3m wide) a long single run with a tall pantry block at one end usually works best. We design 3–4 alternative layouts during the initial design phase, walk through each with a 3D model and a usage simulation, and select with the client. The right layout is worth far more than the right finish.
Cabinetry: hand-built versus modular, painted versus stained, frame versus frameless
Cabinetry is 30–50% of total kitchen cost and the single biggest spec decision. Three broad routes: modular off-the-shelf (Howdens, IKEA Method, Wickes) at £100–£250 per unit; semi-bespoke (deVOL Real Kitchens, Magnet, Wren in-frame) at £450–£900 per unit; fully bespoke hand-built (our in-house workshop, Plain English, Pluck, Plain Kitchens) at £1,200–£3,500 per unit. Aesthetically: in-frame painted Shaker remains the most popular London kitchen style; slab-front handleless in matte lacquer is the contemporary alternative; rustic in oiled oak is rising in market share. Frameless construction is industry standard now for modular and most semi-bespoke; in-frame is structurally stronger and visually more refined for high-spec kitchens. We supply and install all three tiers, with workshop direct-build available for the most cost-effective premium option (we cut out the retailer margin and pass it to the client as either savings or higher spec).
Worktops: stone, composite, wood — and the under-mount sink reality
Worktop selection drives both visible aesthetic and functional performance. Quartz composite (Silestone, Caesarstone, Compac) is the workhorse — non-porous, heat-resistant to 150°C, stain-resistant, ~£300–£500/m² installed in 20mm or 30mm. Granite remains popular for its grain variety, similar price band. Marble is gorgeous and stains in a heartbeat — only specify if you're comfortable with patina. Dekton (Cosentino's sintered stone) handles heat to 300°C and direct hob exposure but is expensive at £700–£900/m². Solid wood (oak, walnut) needs oiling and is cheaper at £180–£280/m² but stains and wears around the sink. Stainless steel for industrial-look kitchens, £400–£600/m². We template after kitchen units are installed (not before — door alignment and unit settlement matter), fabricate in 5–7 days, install in half a day. Under-mount sinks need worktop choice that can be cut accurately — most quartz, granite and Dekton handle it; solid wood is harder.
Appliances: integrated versus freestanding, induction versus gas, the real spec differences
Appliance choice affects layout, cost and daily use. Hob: induction has overtaken gas in London new specs — faster boil, easier clean, safer with children, but requires 32A 230V circuit (we run new from consumer unit). Standard 600mm induction £400–£900; flexible-zone induction £900–£2,500; gas (where retained or required) £350–£1,200. Oven: single 600mm at £400–£1,200, twin or compact-plus-main at £1,500–£3,500 (Bosch Series 8, Siemens iQ700, Miele, NEFF Slide&Hide for hands-free interaction). Extractor: ceiling-mounted recessed at £600–£1,800; downdraft pop-up at £1,800–£3,500; concealed in-cabinet at £400–£900. Refrigeration: integrated fridge-freezer at £900–£2,500 to match cabinetry; American-style freestanding at £1,200–£3,500. Dishwasher: integrated standard 600mm at £450–£1,200. We co-ordinate first fix electrics and plumbing to the agreed appliance schedule before plasterboard goes up.
Lighting design: layered, dimmable, properly thought through
Most kitchen renovations under-spec lighting. The base case is wrong: a central pendant or 4–6 ceiling downlights are not enough. A proper kitchen lighting design has four layers. Ambient: 4–6 LED downlights at 3000K colour temperature, on a dimmer, spaced for even daylight-equivalent illumination. Task: under-cabinet LED strip (warm white, 3000K) above the worktop, switched separately, providing shadow-free task light at counter level. Feature: pendant or pendants over the island or table, dimmable, statement aesthetic at 2700K for evening warmth. Accent: in-cabinet glass-front lighting, plinth lighting, picture lights as appropriate. All circuits separately controlled and dimmable, ideally on smart switches (Lutron, Crestron at high end, IKEA Tradfri or Philips Hue at lower budget). Total lighting budget on a £35,000 kitchen renovation typically £2,500–£4,500 — well-spent given how much time you'll spend in the room.
The 3–5 week strip-out and rebuild: what actually happens
Week one: strip-out. Existing units removed, appliances disconnected and dismantled or stored, worktops broken out, tiling and plaster off the walls if specified. Floor is protected. Existing electrics and plumbing isolated and stripped to first-fix. By end of week one the room is a shell. Week two: first fix. New wiring (typically 12–18 circuits from new circuits at the consumer unit), plumbing (mains-to-sink, dishwasher waste, washing machine if relocated), gas if hob is gas, UFH if specified, ventilation ductwork. Walls patched and skimmed if needed. Week three: cabinetry install. Units delivered flat-packed or pre-built depending on supplier, installed level and plumb (this is craft work — 1mm of level error compounds across an 8-unit run), end panels and cornice fitted. Week four: worktop install (templated end of week 3, fitted mid-week 4), splashback, tiling, second fix electrics and plumbing, appliance install. Week five: lighting commissioning, snagging, final clean, handover. We work clean — daily site clean, dust extraction at all cutting, full pre-handover clean by professional cleaners.
