Kitchen installation cost: what shapes the final price

What makes up the base price of kitchen installation

A straightforward kitchen installation is priced either by the hour, from 39 €, with a minimum of one hour and 30-minute steps after that, or as a fixed quote for the whole job once we have seen photos or a plan. For a full kitchen this is usually a fixed price, starting from around 600 € for a modest, single-run kitchen with no major plumbing or electrical changes.

That base price covers assembling and fixing the cabinets, levelling them against walls and floors that are rarely perfectly straight, fitting doors and drawers, and basic worktop fitting. It assumes the kitchen furniture itself is already on site, correct, and undamaged.

What pushes the price beyond the base figure is almost always one of four things: more cabinets and corner units than a standard run, a worktop that needs cutting and joining on site, plumbing or wiring that has to move or be added, and appliances that need to be built in rather than simply plugged in.

Cabinet count and how complicated the layout is

The number of cabinets is the clearest driver of hours. A simple run of six to eight wall and base units along one wall goes up faster than an L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen with corner cabinets, a kitchen island, or units that reach the ceiling and need a separate cornice piece.

Corner cabinets with carousel shelves, pull-out larders, and integrated bins all take longer to fit and adjust than a plain box unit, because everything has to align with the doors either side. In older Tallinn flats, walls are rarely square, so more cabinets usually means more time spent shimming and scribing rather than just screwing boxes together.

As a rough guide, a small galley kitchen might take a day, while a full U-shaped kitchen with an island can run to two or three days of work. This is exactly the kind of detail a fixed quote should reflect, which is why we ask for a floor plan or photos before naming a figure.

Worktop cutting and joining

Worktop work is priced separately from cabinet fitting because it needs different tools and more precision. Cutting a hob and sink cutout, mitring a corner join, and fitting edging strips all take time, and a mistake here is expensive to undo, particularly on laminate or solid wood worktops that show every cut.

A single straight run with one sink cutout is the cheapest scenario. Costs rise with every additional cutout, every mitred joint between two worktop sections, and any upstand or splashback that has to be scribed to a wall that is not quite flat.

Stone and composite worktops are usually templated and cut off-site by the supplier, in which case our part of the job is fitting and connecting rather than cutting, which is worth clarifying before you assume the price includes stone-cutting labour.

Water and electrical connections in the kitchen

Connecting a sink usually means fitting the tap, waste, and flexible supply hoses to the existing pipework, which is quick if the pipes are already in roughly the right place. It becomes a bigger job if the sink is moving, if old shut-off valves need replacing, or if a dishwasher connection has to be added.

Electrical connections for a hob, oven, extractor hood, or a new run of sockets behind the worktop are done by a qualified electrician, priced separately from the carpentry side, from 49 € per hour. An induction hob in particular often needs its own dedicated circuit, which is worth checking before installation day rather than after.

Plumbing work is priced from 45 € per hour on the same basis: call-out included in the bill if the work goes ahead, minimum one hour. If your kitchen plan moves the sink or dishwasher to a new wall, mention this when asking for a quote, since it changes both the plumbing and the worktop cutting.

• Sink tap, waste and supply hose connection to existing pipework
• Dishwasher and washing machine water and drain connection
• Hob and oven electrical connection, including a dedicated circuit if needed
• Extractor hood wiring and, where relevant, ducting to an outside wall
• New sockets or a relocated switch behind the worktop
• Replacing old shut-off valves that no longer seal properly

Appliance integration and final finishing

Integrated appliances such as a built-in fridge, dishwasher, or oven need the cabinet door fixed to the appliance front with the correct hinges and spacers, so it opens flush with the rest of the kitchen. This is more fiddly than fitting a freestanding appliance and adds to the hours, particularly on the first integrated door of a job.

Finishing touches include fitting handles, adjusting doors and drawers so gaps are even, sealing the worktop-to-wall joint with silicone, and fitting skirting or plinths along the floor. None of this is expensive on its own, but it is easy to underestimate how many small jobs like this a full kitchen involves.

If you are supplying your own sealant, handles, or trim and want us to fit them, say so in advance. If we are asked to buy small materials on the day, a 10 % handling fee applies on top of the material cost.

How to get a more accurate quote

The single biggest thing that improves quote accuracy is a plan or photos of the room together with the kitchen's own installation drawing, if the supplier gave you one. This lets us see cabinet count, corner layout, and where the sink, hob, and appliances are meant to sit before anyone arrives on site.

It also helps to say upfront whether plumbing or electrical points need to move, whether the worktop is stone, laminate or wood, and whether any appliances are integrated. A quote given without this information is often a starting estimate rather than the fixed price you will actually pay.

A fixed quote, once given, is valid for 30 days and is the figure you pay, itemised on the invoice. For jobs booked in advance, an appointment can still be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead if your kitchen delivery is delayed.