The 2026 bands
| Kitchen type | Typical range (2026 guide) | What that usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh | $15,000 – $28,000 | Existing carcasses kept; new doors, benchtop, splashback, sink and tapware; minimal service changes |
| Replacement, same layout | $28,000 – $45,000 | New cabinetry in laminate or basic two-pack, new benchtop, appliances re-installed or moderate allowance |
| Custom kitchen | $45,000 – $75,000 | Designed joinery, island or peninsula, natural stone or porcelain, better hardware, lighting upgrade |
| Architectural kitchen | $75,000 – $130,000+ | Scullery, premium appliances, veneer or specialist finishes, wall removal, extended joinery |
| Apartment kitchen | $30,000 – $60,000 | Compact, high-specification; includes strata conditions, lift access and protection |
| Butler's pantry or scullery (add-on) | $10,000 – $35,000 | Dry pantry at the lower end; plumbed scullery with benches at the upper end |
All figures are indicative, in Australian dollars, and include GST as a planning assumption. They are not quotes and not offers.
Where the money goes
In a typical custom kitchen, the budget divides roughly into these groups, although every project differs:
- Joinery — usually the largest single item
- Benchtops and splashback
- Appliances
- Trades — plumbing, gas, electrical, plastering, painting, flooring
- Demolition, waste and site protection
- Design and project coordination
The ratios shift a great deal. An appliance-heavy kitchen can see appliances rival the joinery; a heritage house with a wall removal can see trades and structure grow significantly.
Five decisions that move the number
1. Keeping or moving services. A sink, cooktop and dishwasher that stay roughly where they are avoid new drainage, gas and circuits. Moving them — especially on a slab or in an apartment — adds trades, time and sometimes approvals.
2. Joinery finish and hardware. Laminate is the most economical; two-pack and timber veneer cost more to make and finish. Drawer-heavy designs and premium runners add cost but change daily use far more than the door colour does. See cabinetry and joinery.
3. Benchtop material and detailing. Natural stone varies widely by slab; porcelain costs more to fabricate well; waterfall ends, mitred edges, extra thickness and undermount cut-outs all add cost. See benchtops and splashbacks.
4. Structure. Removing a load-bearing wall means engineering, a beam, possibly approval, and making good across two rooms.
5. Access. A ground-floor kitchen with a driveway is one thing; a harbourside house down eighty steps, or a tower apartment with booked lift windows, is another.
North Shore factors
Period houses. Uneven floors, out-of-plumb walls, lath-and-plaster ceilings and original cornices make scribing and making good slower.
Heritage. Where external changes are part of the job — a larger rear opening, a skylight — design and approval time is added before construction.
Strata. Owners corporation approval, insurance documents, lift protection and restricted working hours are all real costs in apartment kitchens.
Steep sites. Stone slabs, joinery and waste all move by hand in parts of Mosman, Cremorne Point, Longueville and Northwood.
Asbestos. Testing is inexpensive. Removal, if needed, is quoted separately by a licensed removalist once the extent is known. Houses built or renovated before about 1990 are tested before demolition.
Also check
- Engineered stone cannot be installed after 1 July 2024. Quotes that mention it for new benchtops should be questioned.
- Appliance allowances — are they realistic for the models you want?
- Flooring — is it being replaced, patched or worked around?
- Painting — the kitchen only, or the adjoining open-plan space?
- Rangehood ducting — to outside, and by what route?
- Electrical — is a switchboard upgrade included if induction is planned?
Payments in NSW
The maximum deposit is 10 per cent of the contract price for residential building work. For work over $20,000, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested. Progress payments should follow completed stages of work, not dates on a calendar.
Turning a band into a price
A measured survey and design package turns these bands into a fixed written quote that names every material. See how a kitchen project runs and the FAQ.
Call 02 5657 4821 or send your kitchen details through.
Questions people ask before they commit
How much is a kitchen renovation on the North Shore in 2026?
As a guide only: a refresh keeping the existing cabinets around $15,000 to $28,000; a new kitchen in the same layout $28,000 to $45,000; a custom kitchen with an island and natural stone or porcelain $45,000 to $75,000; and an architectural kitchen with a scullery, premium appliances or structural change $75,000 to $130,000 or more.
Why do North Shore kitchens cost more than the Sydney average?
Mostly because of the houses and the sites. Period homes need more making good; steep harbour and river blocks make deliveries and waste removal slower; apartments bring strata conditions, lift bookings and restricted hours; and the typical specification is higher. None of that is a premium for the postcode — it is time and materials.
What is the maximum deposit for a kitchen renovation in NSW?
The maximum deposit on a residential building contract in NSW is 10 per cent of the contract price. For work over $20,000, home building compensation cover must be in place before a deposit is requested, and progress payments should be tied to completed stages.
Are appliances included in these costs?
The bands assume a moderate appliance allowance. Premium integrated refrigeration, steam and combination ovens, wide induction and powerful ducted extraction can add tens of thousands of dollars on their own, so appliances are listed separately on the quote.