Kitchen Renovation Cost Sydney: 2026 Price Guide

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Sydney?

As of October 2026, most kitchen renovations in Sydney cost roughly $15,000 to $50,000. Premium kitchens can cost much more. These prices are indicative only. They come from Canstar (citing hipages) and What’s The Damage’s Sydney cost guide.

The two sources use different ranges. Canstar (July 2026) quotes hipages data showing the national average kitchen renovation sits between $15,000 and $40,000. It splits this into:

• Budget: $15,000 to $25,000
• Mid-range: $25,000 to $35,000
• Luxury: $35,000 to $40,000 and up

What’s The Damage (updated October 2026) gives Sydney-only ranges, including GST:

• Cosmetic refresh: about $9,200 to $23,000
• Mid-range renovation: about $28,750 to $51,750
• Premium renovation: about $51,750 to $92,000
• Luxury kitchen: about $80,500 to $172,500

The Sydney guide runs higher than the national figures. Use both as a starting point. Your own price depends on your room, your choices and a site visit.

What drives the cost of a kitchen renovation

Canstar notes cabinetry often makes up 30 to 40 per cent of the budget, and labour 25 to 30 per cent. The ranges below are typical Sydney figures from What’s The Damage.

• Cabinetry: custom cabinets run about $13,800 to $40,250. Flat-pack or semi-custom options usually cost less.
• Benchtops: laminate is about $920 to $2,875. Stone is about $2,875 to $10,350.
• Splashback: tiles cost about $460 to $2,875. Glass is about $920 to $2,075.
• Appliances: a package runs about $3,450 to $11,500, depending on brand and number of items.
• Plumbing: about $1,725 to $5,750. Moving the sink or dishwasher adds work.
• Electrical: about $1,725 to $4,600. New power points, lighting and an induction cooktop can add circuits.
• Strip-out and rubbish removal: about $1,150 to $4,600.
• Flooring: about $46 to $140 per square metre.
• Layout and walls: removing or moving a wall may need an engineer and approval, which adds cost and time.

What a kitchen quote usually includes, and what it may leave out

Ask each tradie to list every item as included, excluded or an allowance. The NSW Government recommends giving all contractors the same brief so their quotes can be compared.

Items that are often included:

• Removing the old kitchen and rubbish
• Supplying and installing cabinets and benchtops
• Plumbing and electrical connections by licensed trades
• Fitting the sink, tapware and splashback
• Installing appliances you supply

Items that are often left out, or shown only as an allowance:

• Appliances, unless they are listed by model
• Flooring, painting and ceiling repairs
• New power circuits or a switchboard upgrade
• Gas work, or capping off gas if you switch to induction
• Asbestos testing and removal
• Engineering, strata, council or certifier fees

If an item is not chosen yet, it may be shown as a “prime cost” (PC) item. This is a placeholder amount. The final price changes if your choice costs more or less.

How to save money without cutting corners

• Keep the layout: leaving the sink, cooktop and dishwasher where they are reduces plumbing and electrical work.
• Mix cabinet types: use standard-size cabinets where you can and custom pieces only where needed.
• Choose benchtops wisely: laminate costs far less than stone and works well in many kitchens.
• Reuse good appliances: if your fridge or oven is in good shape, plan around it.
• Make choices early: fewer allowances means fewer price changes during the job.
• Compare full quotes: a lower price may simply leave something out.
• Keep some money aside: older homes can hide wiring, plumbing or floor problems.

NSW rules that apply to kitchen renovations

Licences: in NSW, a contractor licence is needed for residential building work worth more than $5,000 including GST. Electrical, plumbing, drainage and gas work need a licence no matter how small the job.

Licence check: look up the person or company on the NSW Government’s online licence check (verify.licence.nsw.gov.au). It shows the licence holder’s name, licence categories, expiry date and current status. Make sure the name matches the business on your quote and contract.

Written contract: your tradie must give you a written contract if the job is worth more than $5,000 including GST. Jobs over $20,000 need a more detailed contract, and you get a cooling-off period of five clear business days.

Deposit: the most you can be asked to pay as a deposit is 10 per cent of the contract price.

Home Building Compensation insurance: for work worth more than $20,000, the contractor must take out this insurance before asking you for any deposit or payment. It protects you as a last resort if the contractor can’t finish the job or fix defects because they have become insolvent, died, disappeared or lost their licence. Ask for the certificate.

Warranties: NSW law gives you statutory warranties on home building work. The period is 6 years for major defects and 2 years for other defects.

Engineered stone: since 1 July 2024, engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs with more than 1 per cent crystalline silica can no longer be supplied or installed. SafeWork NSW says existing engineered stone does not need to be removed. Ask your supplier to confirm your chosen benchtop is allowed.

Apartments: under NSW strata rules, kitchen renovations such as installing or removing cupboards are usually “minor renovations”. They need approval from the owners corporation, with more than 50 per cent of votes cast in favour. Bigger changes, such as structural work, may count as major renovations.

Asbestos: homes built or renovated before 1990 may contain asbestos in walls, flooring underlay and behind tiles. Do not sand, cut or drill suspected asbestos.

Questions to ask your tradie

• What is your licence number, and which business will sign the contract?
• Which cabinet material, benchtop and hardware are included?
• Who will do the plumbing, electrical and any gas work?
• Does the quote include appliance installation, flooring and painting?
• Which items are allowances, and how were they worked out?
• Can my switchboard handle new appliances like an induction cooktop?
• How long will I be without a working kitchen?
• How will changes be priced and agreed in writing?

Get matched with local kitchen renovators

Planning a new kitchen? Describe your job to MyTradeCrew. Tell us the size of the room, what you want to keep and what you want to change. We will match you with vetted, licensed and insured local trades who can look at the space and give you a written quote.

Frequently asked questions