Breaking Down the Budget: Understanding the Costs of Your Kitchen Extension Project

The benefits of kitchen extensions 

Extending and installing a new kitchen is among the most popular home renovation projects. 

Kitchens are the heart of a home and greatly impact the value of a home. New kitchens are a joy to use and boost a home’s value if and when you decide to sell. 

Many homeowners use a kitchen extension to increase their ground floor space, opening up the kitchen and living room to create a larger open-plan space. 

Combining kitchens and living spaces creates a wide, open and modern space filled with natural light. Extras such as bifold doors and lantern windows bring the outside in to change the dynamic of the ground floor. 

• Kitchen extensions open up the ground floor with more space, light and ideas. 
• New kitchens are in high demand, especially when paired with an extension. 
• By building a kitchen extension, you can combine kitchen and living areas into one large open place space. 
• Building a rear extension provides an ideal opportunity to replace and upgrade the kitchen.
• If you want a new kitchen, it might be worthwhile to extend simultaneously. 
• If you want a rear extension, installing a new kitchen will be cheaper than completing the projects separately.

Kitchen extension design ideas 

Check out this Ideal Homes article if you’re looking for kitchen extension design ideas. You’ll notice many large open plan spaces that combine kitchen, living and dining areas to create a well-lit modern space. 

Kitchen extensions are typically built at the rear of the home. Permitted Development enables homeowners to extend outwards by a generous 3m for a semi-detached house or 4m for a detached house. 

You can double the allowance by gaining Prior Approval. See this guide to Permitted Development for more info. 

The average cost of kitchen extensions 

Kitchen extensions are among the more expensive types of extensions because they involve reworking the kitchen or, more typically, installing a brand new kitchen. 

Extending with a rear extension is usually cheaper than a side return, but a side return or wraparound extension is a superb choice for terraced homeowners.

The average costs of kitchen extensions are as follows (not including the cost of the kitchen itself): 

Extra kitchen extension costs

Kitchen extensions are an ideal opportunity to add lantern and skylight windows, bifold doors, floor-to-ceiling windows and other unique features. 

The following extra costs may apply to a kitchen extension project: 

Overall, it’s sensible to budget at least £30,000 to £50,000 for an average-sized kitchen extension. Costs in London and the South East may be as much as 20% higher. 

Factors affecting the cost of a kitchen extension 

The primary factors affecting the cost of a kitchen extension are the extension size, location and the kitchen itself. While it might be possible to retain some elements of the old kitchen, such as worktops, it’s usually necessary to totally rework or replace the kitchen. 

Installing a new kitchen 

New kitchens vary from a minimum of £3,000 or so to £20,000 or more. Large, modern kitchens with medium to high-end appliances typically cost over £15,000. 

Extra features such as islands, quartz worktops and integrated kitchen appliances significantly increase costs. Of course, any added extras will add value to the kitchen and the home.

Creating an open plan space

Kitchen extensions often form part of a large open plan space that joins onto the living room. Open plan spaces are in high demand but aren’t always straightforward to build. 

For example, structural supports and RSJ beams will be required to support the upper floors if you need to knock down supporting walls.

Interior design costs

Kitchen extensions should be carefully designed while navigating Permitted Development, Building Regulations, etc. 

Fast Plans offers a professional drawings and design service, including measured survey, drawings with unlimited revisions, and planning management if required. 

Our cost-saving packages provide you with everything you need to start your kitchen extension.

Summary: How much does a kitchen extension cost?

Kitchen extensions are hugely popular. Not only do they increase ground floor space, opening up the kitchen and living room to more natural light and unique design opportunities, but they also boost property value by up to 20%. 

Fast Plans, as a company that offers house extensions, technical drawings, and loft conversion services in London, have made it easy for you to add value to your home.  Our professional drawings and design service provide you with everything you need to start your kitchen extension. 

Fast Plans offer: 

• A fully measured site survey within just one week. 
• First design draft within just two weeks. 
• Designs and drawings with unlimited revisions. 
• Full engineer’s calculations and drawings. 
• All drawings and details required for the local authorities. 
• Management of the planning process where necessary. 

Contact us today to discover how we can help get your kitchen extension started.