Professional fitting for kitchens you've already bought
Kitchen Installation (Labour Only)
Labour-only kitchen installation is the fitting of a kitchen where the customer has already purchased the units, worktop and appliances, and the tradesperson supplies only the skilled labour to build carcasses, hang doors, connect appliances and coordinate the trades needed to complete the room.
Definition
What Kitchen Fitting (Labour Only) covers
Labour-only kitchen installation covers the fitting stage of a kitchen project without the supply of units or materials: assembling and levelling carcasses, scribing to walls and floors, hanging doors and drawer fronts, fitting worktops (or coordinating a specialist stone fitter), and connecting appliances, taps and lighting. It suits customers who have bought a kitchen from a retailer or online supplier and need it professionally fitted.
Suitable for
- Kitchens bought flat-pack or pre-built from a retailer, needing a skilled fitter
- Customers replacing units in an existing kitchen layout
- Self-managed projects where units, appliances and worktop are already ordered
- Straightforward reconfigurations that don't require structural alteration
Not suitable for
- Projects that also need new plumbing, gas or electrical circuits run from scratch (these are quoted alongside the fit, not instead of it)
- Structural alterations such as removing a wall to open up the kitchen (this falls under building work, not fitting)
Process
How the work is carried out
- 01
Pre-fit check
Reviewing the ordered units, appliances and worktop against the room to check everything needed is present and the layout will work before fitting starts.
- 02
First fix and carcass build
Building and levelling carcasses, scribing to walls and floor, and coordinating any plumbing or electrical first-fix work needed.
- 03
Doors, worktop and appliances
Hanging doors and drawer fronts, fitting or coordinating the worktop, and connecting integrated appliances.
- 04
Finishing and handover
Fitting handles, trims, plinths and end panels, then a final check and handover.
Typical timescale
A standard kitchen fit typically takes around a week to ten days on site, depending on the number of units and whether plumbing or electrical first fix is needed alongside the fitting. Confirmed once the layout and scope are reviewed.
Cost guidance
Labour-only kitchen installation typically costs £2500–£5000 per job in our area, with the number of units, the complexity of the layout and whether new plumbing or electrical work is needed pushing the price toward the top of that range. We provide an itemised quotation after a site visit rather than a fixed headline price.
Limitations and exclusions
- Units, appliances, worktop and sundries are supplied by the customer unless otherwise agreed
- Gas appliance connections are carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, not as part of general fitting labour
- Faults or shortages in customer-supplied units can affect programme and are outside the fitter's control
Areas we cover
Kitchen Fitting (Labour Only) across Sussex, Surrey, Kent and South London
Local property styles, planning authorities and neighbourhood coverage for kitchen fitting (labour only) in each town we work in.
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FAQs
Kitchen Fitting (Labour Only) FAQs
What's included in a labour-only kitchen fit?
Building and fitting the units you've already bought — carcass assembly, levelling, door hanging, worktop fitting or coordination, and connecting appliances. It doesn't include supplying the kitchen itself.
Can you fit a kitchen I've bought from an online retailer or flat-pack supplier?
Yes. We regularly fit kitchens supplied flat-pack or pre-built from major retailers and online suppliers, provided the units arrive complete and undamaged.
Do I need a separate electrician or plumber as well?
For a straightforward like-for-like fit, we coordinate any first-fix plumbing and electrical work needed as part of the job. If you're adding new circuits, moving gas pipework or changing the layout significantly, that's scoped and quoted alongside the fitting.
Discuss your kitchen fitting (labour only) project
Tell us about the property and what you have in mind, and we'll arrange a site visit.
Last reviewed 2026-07-28.