Designing a kitchen is one of the most variable aspects of a real estate project. Between a flat-pack kitchen assembled over a weekend and a custom layout with an island, the price differences can amount to thousands of euros. This variability complicates estimation, especially since the final cost depends less on the chosen style than on technical decisions made beforehand, which are often underestimated by individuals.
Existing Networks and Layout: The True Starting Point of Kitchen Costs
Most guides begin with furniture or appliances. However, the item that can significantly impact a budget is upstream: the condition of existing networks and the distance between water supply, drainage, and the desired location for the sink or cooktop.
Moving a sink a few meters requires plumbing work, sometimes involving a floor passage, and almost always necessitates ventilation adjustments. These tasks are not included in the kitchen designer’s quote. They fall under distinct trades, each with their own timelines and rates.
Having the layout and networks validated on-site before ordering the furniture helps avoid unpleasant surprises. A prior technical visit allows you to determine whether the dream plan on screen is compatible with the actual configuration of the room, or if the layout needs to be revised to contain costs. When starting to budget for the kitchen on Maisons Alternatives, this network diagnostic step emerges as a logical prerequisite for any reliable estimate.
Countertops and Facades: Where Material Choices Matter Most
The countertop and facades account for a significant portion of the furniture budget. They are also the most visible elements, setting the aesthetic tone of the room.
Countertops: A Considerable Price Gap Depending on Material
A standard laminate costs a fraction of the price of quartz or granite. The difference is not just in appearance: resistance to scratches, heat, and stains varies greatly from one material to another. A solid wood countertop requires regular maintenance (oil, sanding), while a composite withstands daily use better without intervention.
The choice of countertop also influences installation. A heavy material like granite requires structural reinforcement under the cabinets, adding installation costs that are often absent from initial estimates.
Facades: The Finish That Affects the Bill
Melamine facades remain the most accessible option. Lacquered finishes, wood veneers, or framed facades increase the price per door. For a complete kitchen with several dozen facades, the cumulative extra cost of a high-end finish can represent a third of the furniture budget.
A common trade-off is to invest in the countertop (visible, used every day) while keeping facades simple, or vice versa. It all depends on usage and the priority given to durability or aesthetics.
Appliances: Purchase Price vs. Actual Long-Term Cost
Built-in appliances constitute a separate expense category. Kitchen designers often offer integrated packages, but comparing only the purchase price masks part of the actual cost.
Since 2021, the repairability index is mandatory in France for certain categories of appliances. This indicator, displayed in stores and online, rates the ease of repairing a product on a scale of ten. A well-rated appliance costs less to maintain over five or ten years than an equivalent model that is difficult to repair.
The durability index, which is gradually replacing the repairability index, currently applies to televisions and washing machines. Kitchen appliances (oven, dishwasher, refrigerator) do not yet benefit from it. For these categories, consulting the repairability index remains the best available tool for anticipating maintenance costs.
- Check the repairability score before accepting an appliance package offered by the kitchen designer, even if the overall price seems attractive.
- Compare the cost of spare parts and their guaranteed availability (the law mandates a minimum availability period for essential parts).
- Prefer appliances from manufacturers that publish maintenance tutorials, a sign of design intended to last.
Aging-Friendly Kitchen: An Often Overlooked Item in Estimation
Few quotes include accessibility considerations. Adapting a kitchen for reduced mobility or anticipating the aging of occupants represents a moderate extra cost when planned from the outset, but can become a heavy expense when everything needs to be redone afterward.
Adjustments involve the height of the countertop, the depth of lower storage, the type of handles, and access to the sink while seated. Incorporating these adaptations from the initial project costs significantly less than adding them to an already installed kitchen, as they modify the cabinets, plumbing, and sometimes the flooring.
This item almost never appears in online simulators or catalogs. However, it deserves a separate line in the budget, especially for a home intended for long-term occupancy.
Estimating Your Kitchen Budget: What Simulators Don’t Tell You
The online estimation tools provided by retailers give a useful range to start with. Their limitation lies in what they calculate: the price of the selected furniture, facades, countertops, and appliances. They do not include network work, installation by a third party, or specific adaptations to the housing.
A complete quote for a functional kitchen includes at least these items:
- Furniture, facades, and countertop (the core of the kitchen designer’s quote).
- Built-in appliances, with verification of the repairability index.
- Plumbing, electrical, and ventilation work related to the chosen layout.
- Floor and wall coverings in the kitchen area.
- Any accessibility or countertop height adaptations.
Comparing kitchen designer quotes without adding ancillary work skews the estimate by several thousand euros. Requesting a network estimate before validating the layout remains the most effective precaution to avoid budget overruns during the project.
