Budget Tier: $15,000–$30,000
At this level, you are replacing benchtops, cabinet doors (not boxes), splashback, and tapware. The sink and appliances may be replaced depending on their condition. Structure, layout, and plumbing positions stay the same.
Results vary wildly at this budget. A skilled kitchen designer can achieve a remarkable transformation; a homeowner going direct to a flat-pack supplier without design input often ends up with a result that looks exactly like what it cost.
Mid-Range: $30,000–$65,000
This is where full kitchen renovations happen. New cabinetry (boxes and doors), engineered stone benchtop, new appliances, and often a layout change that may involve moving plumbing one position. Most of our survey respondents sat in this range, with an average of $47,000.
Premium: $65,000+
Custom cabinetry, natural stone, integrated appliances, structural changes, and in many cases a scullery addition. Kitchens above $100,000 — and there were several in our survey — typically involve architectural involvement and sometimes resource consent.
The Surprise Costs
The most common budget blow-outs were: asbestos removal in pre-1990 homes ($3,000–$8,000), electrical upgrades to meet current code ($1,500–$4,000), and structural issues revealed during demolition. Budget a 15% contingency and treat it as mandatory, not optional.