Renovation costs, Australia

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Australia?

For the hard-finishes side of a kitchen, the numbers below price a typical 12 m² kitchen floor plus a 4 m² splashback in eight interior styles. Each total is built from real products at current supplier pricing: floor tiles by the box with wastage, splashback tiles, matched grout, adhesive, a pull-out sink mixer, island pendants and tiling labour. Cabinetry and benchtops are quoted separately by joiners, so they sit outside these figures.

Kitchen renovation cost by style

Based on a 12 m² floor and 4 m² of wall tiling, priced live from current supplier data. AUD, ex-GST.

Style	The look	Estimated total
Biophilic	Raw stone, living green, timber grain — nature brought inside	$15,961
Japandi	Warm greige, matte stone, charcoal — zero gloss	$15,961
Modern Farmhouse	White subway, shaker doors, black iron handles	$16,020
Neo-Deco	Curves, fluted panels, zellige, jewel tones	$16,168
Mid-Century Modern	Terrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence	$16,259
Heritage Modern	Period bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass	$16,690
Contemporary	Clean lines, neutral palette — the reno everyone wants right now	$17,201
Modern Coastal	Sandy neutrals, pale oak, honed stone calm	$17,294
Dark & Moody	Charcoal tiles, matte black tapware, cave-like drama	$17,303
Modern Hamptons	White shaker, honey oak, marble bench, matte black tapware	$17,332
Earthy Australiana	Sage, terracotta, brushed brass, raw clay	$17,525
Earthy Boho	Terracotta, zellige, rattan, layered earthy warmth	$17,681
Industrial	Exposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe — warehouse meets home	$17,750
Warm Minimalist	Vein-cut travertine, warm greige, honed everything	$17,926
Modern Mediterranean	Sun-baked terracotta, limewash, soft arches	$18,459
Modern Classic	Half traditional, half modern — warm, timeless, never trendy	$19,336
French Provincial	Cream cabinetry, carved timber, aged brass — effortlessly romantic	$19,538
Hotel Luxe	Book-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath	$20,561

Cheapest

Biophilic at $15,961. Raw stone, living green, timber grain — nature brought inside.

Dearest

Hotel Luxe at $20,561, a spread of $4,600 across the eight styles for the same room.

What is included: an example schedule

Here is the full line-item schedule behind the Modern Hamptons figure above. Covers floor tiling, splashback tiling, grout, adhesive, sink mixer, island pendant lighting and tiling labour. Cabinetry, benchtops, appliances and plumbing or electrical rough-in are excluded; those are quoted by your joiner and trades.

Material schedulekitchen · Modern Hamptons

MATFloor: Calacatta Nobile (600x300mm, matte)11 box @ $133$1,464

MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 02 — Natural White for floor1 bag @ $38$38

MATWall: Carrara Tramonto (306x306mm, honed, splashback only)5 box @ $121$605

MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 02 — Natural White for wall1 bag @ $38$38

MATAdhesive: Kerakoll Biogel No Limits (gel-technology, 20kg)4 bag @ $32$128

LABTiling labour (kitchen, supply-fix band)16 m² @ $85$1,360

FURKitchen cabinetry & joinery (custom, Australian-made)1 item @ $12,000$12,000

FURKitchen Pot Filler - Shadow1 item @ $590$590

FIXFranke Maris Double Bowl Undermount Sink1 item @ $690$690

FIXMeir Round Pull-Out Sink Mixer, Brushed Nickel1 item @ $419$419

Estimated total, ex-GST$17,332

On a tighter budget?

The same engine can work to a number. Give it a budget and it swaps the dearest tile lines for honest cheaper alternates, smaller formats or ceramic instead of porcelain, then steps the labour band down a tier if it still needs to. Asked to bring the Modern Hamptons kitchen in at $14,732, it lands at $16,754, saving $577 against the standard schedule (the closest it can get with real products). The swapped lines are flagged as budget picks so nothing is hidden.

The costs that catch people out

Demolition and skip bins

Strip-out labour plus bin hire. Allow $800 to $1,500 for a wet area, less for a dry room.

Waterproofing

Mandatory in wet areas under the NCC. Allow $500 to $900 for a bathroom, $300 to $500 for a laundry.

Contingency, 15 to 20%

Walls and floors hide things: out-of-level slabs, old leaks, surprise plumbing. Price it in up front, not after.

Lead times

Imported stone and feature tiles run 3 to 6 weeks. Order when the schedule is locked, not when demolition starts.

Frequently asked questions

Why is cabinetry not included?

Cabinetry and benchtops are custom joinery, quoted per kitchen rather than per square metre, and they commonly run $12,000 to $30,000 on their own. These figures isolate the hard finishes you can price accurately from a photo: floors, splashback, tapware and lighting.

How much does a tiled splashback cost?

A standard 4 m² splashback in the styles above lands between a few hundred dollars in tiles plus roughly $340 in labour at $85 per m². Handmade-look zellige sits at the top of the tile range; ceramic subway at the bottom.

What hidden costs should I allow for?

Floor levelling before tiling (common in older homes), skip bins for the strip-out, appliance disconnection and reconnection, and a 15 to 20 per cent contingency. If the layout changes, plumbing and electrical moves are the big swing items.

Are these prices GST inclusive?

No, all figures are AUD ex-GST, the way trade quotes are usually presented. Add 10 per cent for the GST-inclusive number.

Price your own room

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