Kitchen renovation cost in Christchurch

The kitchen is the room most people want to change first, and the one they worry about most when it comes to cost. Prices you see online range from a few thousand dollars to well over a hundred thousand, which doesn’t help much when you’re trying to plan. This guide explains what a kitchen renovation in Christchurch really costs, what drives the price up or down, and how to get a quote you can rely on.

Based on the kitchens we renovate, most fall into one of three bands. These figures include the building consent where one is needed and the renovation work itself, not just the cabinetry.

• Base kitchen: $30,000 to $60,000. A quality kitchen that keeps roughly the same layout, with new cabinetry, benchtops, appliances and finishes.
• Mid-range kitchen: $60,000 to $90,000. More custom joinery, better benchtops and appliances, and often some changes to the layout, plumbing or lighting.
• High-end kitchen: $90,000 to $150,000. Fully custom design, premium materials and appliances, and bigger changes such as moving walls, plumbing or the whole kitchen to a new part of the house.

Every home is different, so treat these as a starting point. The quickest way to know where your kitchen sits is to talk it through with us.

Want a realistic number for your kitchen? Talk to Tim.

What drives the price?

Two kitchens of the same size can be tens of thousands of dollars apart. These are the things that make the biggest difference.

Changing the layout

Keeping the sink, cooktop and dishwasher roughly where they are is the most cost-effective option. Moving them, adding an island with a sink, or opening the kitchen into the living area adds building work, plumbing, electrical and sometimes structural changes. A layout change is often worth it, especially if your current kitchen doesn’t work for the way you live, but it’s the single biggest cost decision you’ll make.

Moving plumbing and drainage

Water supply and waste pipes have to go somewhere. On a concrete slab, moving a sink can mean cutting into the floor. On a suspended timber floor it’s usually simpler. Either way, the further things move, the more it costs.

Cabinetry and joinery

Cabinetry is usually the largest single item in a kitchen. Custom joinery, made to fit your space, costs more than standard modules but gives you better use of space and a better finish. Hardware matters too: soft-close drawers, internal organisers and quality hinges all add up, but they’re what make a kitchen feel good to use every day.

Benchtops

Benchtops range from laminate through to engineered stone, natural stone, timber and stainless steel. The material, the thickness, the number of joins and details such as waterfall ends all change the price.

Appliances

Appliances can be a modest part of the budget or a very large one. Integrated appliances, which sit behind cabinet doors, need joinery built around them, so the choice affects more than the appliance price itself. It pays to choose your appliances early, so the joinery can be designed around them.

Electrical and lighting

Older kitchens often don’t have enough power points, or the right circuits, for modern appliances. Good lighting, including task lighting under cabinets and feature pendants, makes a big difference to how a kitchen works and feels. All of it needs a registered electrician.

Hidden costs to plan for

The surprises are what blow kitchen budgets. Here’s what to plan for from the start.

Building consent

Replacing cabinetry, benchtops and appliances usually doesn’t need a building consent. Removing or changing a load-bearing wall, or some plumbing and drainage work, can. If your kitchen needs consent from Christchurch City Council, that adds time for drawings, the application and inspections, as well as the fees. We’ll tell you early whether your project needs one, so it’s in the budget and the programme from day one.

Electrical and plumbing upgrades

Once the old kitchen is out, it’s common to find wiring or pipework that needs upgrading to meet current standards. It’s better to know about this before you sign off a budget, so we look for it when we first visit.

What’s behind the walls

Every renovation has unknowns. Removing an old kitchen can reveal water damage, rot or work that wasn’t done properly the first time. Most of the homes we renovate in Christchurch are less than 25 years old, so big surprises are less common than in older homes, but they still happen.

Contingency

Because of those unknowns, it’s sensible to keep some money aside. We’ll talk you through what’s sensible for your home and your kitchen. Our budget assurance also means that if unexpected costs come up that you haven’t approved, we cover them, not you.

The rest of the house

A new kitchen can make the floor, walls or lighting next to it look tired. Think early about whether new flooring, painting or work in the living area is part of the job, so it can be planned and priced together rather than added later.

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

A kitchen renovation usually takes 4 to 6 weeks on site. That doesn’t include design time, ordering cabinetry and benchtops, or the building consent if one is needed, so the full process from first meeting to finished kitchen is longer. We confirm your start and finish dates before work begins.

How to get a quote you can rely on

A low quote isn’t much use if the final bill is very different. These are the things that make a quote reliable.

• Start with a clear brief. Know what you want the kitchen to do: how you cook, how many people use it, and what isn’t working now.
• Choose your key items early. Appliances, benchtop material and the style of cabinetry all change the price. The more that’s decided, the more accurate the quote.
• Ask what’s included. A good quote covers every material, subcontractor and labour hour, not just the cabinetry. Check that consent, electrical, plumbing, tiling, painting and rubbish removal are all in there.
• Ask how costs are tracked. Find out how you’ll see the budget as the job goes. We give you monthly financial reviews, itemised invoices and a payment tracker showing every dollar spent and what’s left.
• Use a licensed builder. Check your builder is a Licensed Building Practitioner and ask about guarantees. Tim is a Licensed Building Practitioner and Registered Master Builder.

Thinking about a new kitchen?

We renovate kitchens across Christchurch, from family homes in Fendalton, Merivale and Strowan to homes on the Port Hills. If you’d like to know what your kitchen would cost, we’re happy to come and have a look.

Find out more about our renovations, or request a free consultation.