Quick answer
- Basic: roughly $25,000 to $35,000 for new cabinets and benchtops in the same layout.
- Mid-range: generally $40,000 to $70,000 with custom joinery, stone benchtops and better appliances.
- High-end: $70,000 and up for larger footprints, premium appliances and structural work.
- Home age, layout changes, permits and benchtop material swing the price most.
Ask the internet what a kitchen renovation costs and it shrugs back anything from $12,000 to $65,000. Strangely, both can be right.
My name is Jake, and I’ve been renovating Melbourne homes for 15 years. For a builder-managed job, the cost of a kitchen renovation for Melbourne families typically falls between $25,000 and $70,000, or more. Below, I’ll show where each dollar goes and how to spot a quote that’s hiding something.
Melbourne Kitchen Renovation Cost: Three Price Bands
| Renovation level | Typical cost | Scope of work | Who it suits |
| Basic | $25,000 to $35,000 | Replacement cabinetry and benchtops in the current layout | Owners with a sound layout and worn-out finishes |
| Mid-range | $40,000 to $70,000 | Custom joinery, stone benchtops, better appliances | Keen cooks and families settling in long term |
| High-end | $70,000+ | Reworked floor plan, premium appliances, structural changes | Open-plan makeovers, period homes, homes you’ll never sell |
These figures cover jobs where a single builder manages everything from start to finish. Your appliance list and what’s behind the old cupboards decide where you land.
What You Get at Each Budget Level
Basic Kitchen Renovation ($25,000 to $35,000)
The structure stays; the surfaces change. Because the sink, oven and cooktop barely move, the plumber and electrician have little to do. Your money goes into new cupboards, benchtops, a splashback and a coat of paint. It suits a room that flows well but has drooping doors and chipped edges.
Mid-Range Kitchen Renovation ($40,000 to $70,000)
Made-to-measure joinery turns dead corners into storage, makes room for a real pantry and replaces low cupboards with deep drawers. Minor reshuffles, such as moving the dishwasher or adding an island bench, usually sit comfortably in this bracket.
High-End Kitchen Renovation ($70,000+)
This is where floor plans get redrawn. A wall between the kitchen and family room might come down, or a butler’s pantry might appear behind the main bench. Structural changes bring in an engineer, a permit and more trades, so the cost rises along with the payoff.
Where Your Money Goes: Kitchen Renovation Cost Breakdown
Check that your quote lists every one of these:
- Cabinetry and joinery: usually the single biggest cost.
- Benchtops: the material, thickness and edge profile all shift the price.
- Appliances: a plain freestanding oven and a fully integrated suite sit thousands of dollars apart.
- Plumbing: removing old fittings, connecting new ones and any relocation.
- Electrical: extra circuits, lights, powerpoints and possible switchboard work.
- Demolition and rubbish removal.
- Plastering, splashback and tiling.
- Flooring and painting.
- Project management: someone keeping trades, deliveries and dates on track.
A quote that skips half these items isn’t a bargain. It’s an unfinished story.
Local Issues That Shape Kitchen Renovation Cost in Melbourne
Older and Period Homes
Our city is packed with Victorian terraces, Edwardian weatherboards and Californian Bungalows. They’re gorgeous, yet floors tend to slope, and the wiring may predate colour television. Houses built before 1990 can also have asbestos in wall sheeting or beneath old lino. Have samples checked before any hammer swings, and organise safe removal if needed. Our period home extensions guide for Melbourne covers more on older houses.
Moving Walls or Changing the Layout
Shift the sink to another wall and the plumber has to run fresh pipes beneath the floor. Take out a load-bearing wall, and you’ll need an engineer, a supporting beam and a building permit. Leaving water and gas points where they sit is one of the easiest ways to keep your kitchen renovation budget under control.
Switching From Gas to Induction
Induction cooktops now top many Melbourne wish lists. Older switchboards often can’t carry the load, so an electrical upgrade may follow. Budget for it early.
Benchtops After the Engineered Stone Ban
Since 1 July 2024, Australia has banned new engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs because of the silica dust risk to workers. Some dated guides still list engineered stone, so ask what “stone” a quote means. Current choices include granite, marble, porcelain, sintered stone, low-silica or silica-free surfaces, laminate and timber, each at its own price. For official details, see the Australian Government’s engineered stone ban information.
Apartments and Townhouses
Body corporate sign-off, lift bookings, scarce parking and set work hours all slow a job, and slower jobs cost more.
Red Tape, Registration and Cover: The Fine Print of a Kitchen Reno
Victorian law says your builder needs Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) registration for domestic building work above $10,000. Jobs above that amount also need a major domestic building contract. Projects worth more than $20,000 have needed Home Warranty insurance since 1 July 2026, replacing the old domestic building insurance. Consumer Affairs Victoria’s page on builder requirements sets out these rules clearly.
Structural changes need a building permit from a registered building surveyor. Licensed plumbers and electricians should hand over compliance certificates when done. Planning a bigger window? Check your property’s controls on VicPlan first.
Saving a few thousand with an unregistered operator can leave you with no insurance or contract if things go wrong.
Hidden Costs and Why You Need a Contingency Fund
Pull an old kitchen apart, and the house starts revealing its secrets. Leaks under the sink, spongy floorboards and worn-out wiring turn up often in older Melbourne homes.
Keep a separate contingency fund, and make it bigger for an older house. I’ll recommend a buffer once I’ve walked through your home.
Watch the Prime Cost (PC) items and provisional sums in your contract too. They’re placeholder amounts for things you haven’t picked yet or work nobody can measure yet. When those placeholders are set too low, the final invoice grows.
How to Compare Kitchen Renovation Quotes in Melbourne
Put every quote to this test:
- Does it cover supply only, supply and install, or the full renovation?
- What’s missing? Check for plumbing, electrical, plastering, flooring and rubbish removal.
- Do the PC items and provisional sums reflect the finishes you have in mind?
- Is the price locked in, or could it change?
- Who’s in charge of the trades and the timeline?
- Is the builder BPC registered, and does the quote include insurance where it’s legally required?
The lowest number on page one often becomes the highest at handover.
Splurge or Save? Advice From the Building Site
Put money into hinges and drawer runners. They open and close thousands of times a year, and cheap ones give up first. Put thought into the layout as well, because you’ll cook in it every day.
Save by leaving plumbing in place and using standard cabinet widths. A mid-range oven roasts a chook just as well as a premium one. Selling down the track? Before settling on a budget, read about how a renovation affects Melbourne property value.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far will $30,000 go on a Melbourne kitchen renovation?
Often, it will go a long way if the new cabinets follow the old footprint and the finishes stay simple. Layout changes, custom joinery or premium appliances usually push past it.
Does a kitchen renovation in Victoria need a building permit?
Surface-level updates generally don’t need a building permit. Structural work, like taking out a load-bearing wall, does. Plumbing and electrical jobs must always go to licensed trades.
Is keeping the same layout cheaper?
Yes. Keeping the sink, cooktop and dishwasher in their current spots saves you the cost of rerouting plumbing, gas and wiring.
Does my current engineered stone bench have to go?
No. Engineered stone that’s already installed is regarded as safe while it stays undisturbed. If it needs cutting, repairing or removing, use qualified trades with proper dust control.
Plan Your Kitchen Budget With Confidence
The best kitchen budgets aren’t plucked from thin air. They come from knowing your home, your goals and what sits behind the walls. Planning work beyond the kitchen? Our breakdown of Melbourne house renovation costs is a good next stop.
