It Cost What Now?! — unpacking the true cost of a new Kitchen
If you’ve spent any time browsing home inspiration on social media, you’ve undoubtedly stumbled upon THE "kitchen question." It's the one that pops up again and again in every design and home renovation group: “What is a realistic budget for a new kitchen?”. The comments are always an eyebrow raising rollercoaster—you’ll see everything from surprisingly low DIY figures to eye-watering six-figure custom quotes. The truth is, that incredible new kitchen you see online rarely comes with a transparent price tag, leaving most homeowners in a state of confusion, or worse, with wildly unrealistic expectations.
This is exactly why I’m writing this post. I’m tired of the renovation cost mystery. Our Westbrook kitchen that you see in the photos below is a perfect example of a custom-designed space that uses quality materials—from the stone island benchtop, shaker door cabinetry to the designer light fixtures. Simply admiring the aesthetic is one thing, but knowing the true investment required to replicate this level of quality is essential for anyone about to dive headfirst into a remodel.
In the following breakdown, I’m pulling back the curtain on every single line item for this exact kitchen. We will dive deep into the cost of the joinery, the appliance package, the luxury stone, and the professional labour required to bring it all together. My goal is to move past the vague brackets and provide something more tangible, a realistic budget for a unique kitchen like this one. If you’re serious about your renovation, this is the transparent pricing guide you’ve been waiting for.
The Price Breakdown….. Maybe Grab a Snack First
Engineered Stone = $10,868
2 x Talostone Arabescato Borghini 3200x1200x20 Slabs - $5,680.00+GST (supply) $4,200.00+GST (fabrication & install)
Joinery - $33,658
this includes: all perimeter cabinetry, rangehood canopy, 3180 x 1300mm island, coffee nook.
Specifications:
2pac polyurethane finish to Hampton shaker cabinet and drawer fronts
Solid timber open shelves x 3
Blum soft close hinges
Blum pull out space twin (2 tier) drawer
Hailo Euro Cargo ST60 pull out bin
Cabinet Hardware - $462 (note these were bought during a major sale so add another 30% for the typical full price)
Brushed Brass Handles (x10) and Brushed Brass Knobs (x11)
Splashback Tiles - $1,447
300x75mm matt white tiles - $208
Tiler - labour + supply of grout and silicone - $1,239
Gallery Rail to Coffee Nook Shelf - $170 (this included international delivery charges)
Appliance Package - $6,700
Freestanding 90cm Oven - $2,699
Rangehood 86cm - $514
Microwave with trim kit - $584
Bosch Integrated Dishwasher - $1,559
Fridge - $1,344
Lights
Pendant Lights x3 - $475
Wall Sconces (lights) x3 - $687
Note: these lights were extremely cost effective. Typically, I would budget at least $600 per pendant and at least $400 for a quality wall light.
Fireclay Butler Sink 755 x 475 x 250mm - $955
Taps
Turner Hastings Ludlow Pull Out Sink Mixer - $758
Billi 914000TCH B-4000 Boiling & Still Filtered Water XT Touch - $1,904
Now for the Labour Costs
With this particular project - our budget took a noticeable leap here, thanks to shifting the kitchen from its small, secluded corner of the home into the generous open living space that connected to the patio. This meant taking on some major labour-intensive tasks, including trenching the concrete slab to run new plumbing and electrical to the island. Apologies to our wonderful plumber Nathan who undertook such a feat by himself on a very warm Saturday morning!
Our Builder, Plumber and Electrician accounted for an additional $24,000 worth of work including the following:
Plumbing and Electrical:
Trenching the concrete slab
Running the new water and waste lines
Running new electrical to the island and all appliances
Running a new gas line for the cooktop
Installing / connecting and commissioning all appliances, taps and butler sink.
Installing new pendants and wall lights
Providing required compliance certificates on completion of work
Builder:
Framed out the bulkhead above the perimeter kitchen cabinetry
Framed out the fridge and coffee point alcove
Installed VJ lining board to the coffee nook
Installed a new doorway with cavity slider into the adjacent Mudroom
Let’s Cut to the Chase: The Final Figure
Before we get to that - I know I know blah blah blah hurry up and get to it - full disclosure: I’m a bargain hunter through and through. I’ll dodge full-price tags whenever I can, so a few of the costs above—especially the fittings and fixtures—were snapped up on sale. This is a topic that I will dedicate a blog post to in the future, but I always tell my clients to start collecting what you can early. Grab a bargain when you see it because it won’t be on sale when the time comes to purchase it at a later date.
And now to the reason you’ve stuck around - the total cost for our Westbrook kitchen = $82,084.
If you’re only renovating the kitchen, don’t forget to factor in the cost of painting the surrounding walls. Since we had the entire house painted during the full renovation, I can’t give an accurate standalone figure for that specific item.
If I missed anything you’re curious about, let me know below or send me an email to info@oakandoliveau.com and I’ll happily fill in the gaps.
Until next time,
