A new fitted kitchen in Ireland generally costs €8,000–€15,000 at entry level, €15,000–€25,000 mid-range, and €25,000–€50,000+ for high-end or bespoke projects. Simple refreshes can start at about €5,000, with VAT included at the reduced 13.5% rate for renovation supply and fit.
Why can two kitchens of similar size have such different prices? The answer usually sits outside the cabinet doors. Appliance choices, worktop material, fitting complexity, plumbing, electrics, flooring, waste removal and the condition of the room can all move the final bill. Homeowners planning a new kitchen cost in Ireland should treat headline bands as planning guides, then request an itemised quote that shows exactly what sits inside the total.
Homeowners can also post their kitchen renovation job to get quotes from local kitchen fitters, provided the brief explains the layout, finish level and work required.
Typical New Kitchen Cost Bands
The clearest starting point is a set of budget bands rather than one national average. The Kitchens4u Ireland kitchen cost guide places a full fitted kitchen in the following broad categories. The figures generally include VAT at the reduced 13.5% rate for renovation supply and fit, but every written quote should confirm whether VAT is included.
| Budget tier | Estimated cost (€) |
|---|---|
| Simple refresh | From about €5,000 |
| Entry level or small fitted kitchen | €8,000–€15,000 |
| Mid-range fitted kitchen | €15,000–€25,000 |
| High-end or bespoke | €25,000–€35,000+ |
| Open-plan or bespoke renovation | €35,000–€50,000+ |
A simple refresh might retain the existing layout while replacing doors, selected units, worktops or finishes. It usually avoids the wider disruption associated with moving sinks, appliances, sockets or walls. That makes it a different product from a full strip-out and refit, even if both projects are described casually as a “new kitchen”.
What each band usually signals
At entry level, homeowners are generally looking at standard-size or flat-pack units, practical worktops, a controlled appliance specification and limited changes to services. The price can rise if the room needs extensive preparation or if fitting is quoted separately.
A mid-range kitchen normally allows more choice in doors, storage, worktops and appliances. It may also include a more involved fitting package, although plumbing, electrical alterations, flooring and decorating still need checking line by line.
The upper bands reflect made-to-measure cabinetry, higher-specification materials, complex layouts or a larger open-plan renovation. Structural changes and extensive making-good can push a project beyond the kitchen package itself.
Planning rule: Treat the band as a budget envelope, not a promise. The final price depends on what the fitter is actually supplying, removing and coordinating.
Cost Components Explained
A kitchen quote becomes easier to understand when it's separated into four broad parts: cabinetry, worktops, appliances and fitting. The same room can move between budget bands because each part has several specification levels.
Cabinetry forms the visual and storage framework. Standard units keep manufacturing straightforward, while custom carcasses, unusual widths, full-height storage and specialist internal fittings require more design and joinery work. Door material matters too. A painted timber door, natural timber veneer and a basic laminate door don't carry the same production or finishing requirements.
Worktops create another major divide. Laminate can provide a practical surface at the budget end. Timber, compact laminate, quartz, granite and other stone options involve different material, templating, cutting and installation requirements. Cut-outs for sinks and hobs, joins, upstands and splashbacks should appear in the specification rather than being left to assumption.
Appliances are often priced separately. An oven, hob, extractor, dishwasher, fridge-freezer and washing machine can be supplied by different parties, and integrated appliances may need cabinet modifications or specialist installation. A low cabinet price doesn't necessarily mean a low completed-kitchen price if the appliance schedule is still undecided.
Fitting covers more than attaching doors. A full installation may involve assembling units, levelling cabinets, scribing panels, fitting worktops and connecting appliances. Plumbing and electrical work can require separate trades, particularly where services move or new circuits and sockets are needed. The quote should identify whether those trades are included, arranged by the fitter or left to the homeowner.
The useful comparison isn't “Which quote has the cheapest units?” It's “Which quote contains the same cabinet specification, worktop, appliance list, fitting scope and finishing work?”
Custom Cabinets Versus Off the Shelf Units
Off-the-shelf and flat-pack units usually suit homeowners who have a relatively conventional layout and want to keep the cabinetry within the entry-level €8,000–€15,000 planning band identified in the Kitchens4u guide. Standard dimensions can simplify ordering, and replacement components may be easier to source. The trade-off is that walls, corners and service positions may need to work around the available unit sizes.
Custom cabinetry is made to suit the room rather than asking the room to suit a catalogue. It can use awkward corners, fill unusual gaps, accommodate sloping walls and create furniture-style details that standard units can't provide. Better carcasses, specialist doors, bespoke internal storage and hand-finishing can also increase the joinery and installation workload.
The price gap isn't explained by the word “bespoke” alone. It comes from materials, joinery time, finishing, design effort and fitting complexity. A fair comparison should match carcass construction, door material, hinges, drawer runners, storage accessories, worktops and installation terms. Comparing a supply-only flat-pack package with a fully designed, delivered and fitted custom kitchen will produce a misleading result.
Custom work tends to make more sense where the room has difficult dimensions, where storage must be maximised or where the kitchen forms part of a carefully designed open-plan space. Standard units can be the more sensible choice where the layout is straightforward and the priority is controlling the initial spend.
Homeowners should also ask about ordering, delivery, assembly and adjustments. Flat-pack doesn't mean fitting is free, while bespoke doesn't automatically mean every finishing trade is included. For the units themselves, compare kitchen cabinet fitting quotes on ShamFix.
