Renovation costs, Sydney NSW

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in Sydney?

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.

Sydney carries the highest trade rates in the country. Strong construction demand and tight tiler availability keep labour roughly a quarter above the national metro average. The tables below keep national supplier pricing on every material line and apply Sydney rates to the labour lines only. Tiles cost much the same in Sydney as anywhere in Australia; the tiler does not.

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.

StyleThe lookEstimated total
Hotel LuxeBook-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath$17,068
French ProvincialCream cabinetry, carved timber, aged brass, effortlessly romantic$17,131
Dark & MoodyCharcoal tiles, matte black tapware, cave-like drama$17,152
ContemporaryClean lines, neutral palette, the reno everyone wants right now$17,228
Mid-Century ModernTerrazzo, bold colour, tapered legs, retro confidence$17,474
Modern HamptonsWhite shaker, honey oak, marble bench, matte black tapware$17,487
Modern CoastalSandy neutrals, pale oak, honed stone calm$17,519
Modern ClassicHalf traditional, half modern, warm, timeless, never trendy$18,128
Modern FarmhouseWhite subway, shaker doors, black iron handles$18,128
Warm MinimalistVein-cut travertine, warm greige, honed everything$18,732
JapandiWarm greige, matte stone, charcoal, zero gloss$18,782
IndustrialExposed concrete, raw steel, black pipe, warehouse meets home$18,887
Heritage ModernPeriod bones, marble, coloured joinery, brass$18,961
Neo-DecoCurves, fluted panels, zellige, jewel tones$19,059
Modern MediterraneanSun-baked terracotta, limewash, soft arches$19,545
Earthy AustralianaSage, terracotta, brushed brass, raw clay$19,545
Earthy BohoTerracotta, zellige, rattan, layered earthy warmth$19,545
BiophilicRaw stone, living green, timber grain, nature brought inside$19,644
Cheapest

Hotel Luxe at $17,068. Book-matched marble, brushed gold, freestanding bath.

Dearest

Biophilic at $19,644, a spread of $2,576 across the eight styles for the same room.

What is included: an example schedule

Here is the full line-item schedule behind the Warm Minimalist 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 · Warm Minimalist
MATFloor: Toscano Capri (132x132mm, polished)14 box @ $130$1,819
MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 05 — Antique Linen for floor1 bag @ $45$45
MATWall: Marquina Tenero (75x300mm, matte, splashback only)4 box @ $64$258
MATGrout: Kerakoll Fugabella Color 05 — Antique Linen for wall1 bag @ $45$45
MATAdhesive: Kerakoll Biogel No Limits (gel-technology, 25kg)3 bag @ $71$213
LABFloor tiling labour (kitchen, supply-fix band)12 m² @ $106$1,275
LABWall tiling labour (kitchen, supply-fix band)4 m² @ $106$425
FURKitchen cabinetry & joinery (custom, Australian-made)1 item @ $12,000$12,000
FIXFranke Maris Double Bowl Undermount Sink1 item @ $1,190$1,190
FIXMeir Round Pull-Out Sink Mixer, Matte Black1 item @ $772$772
FIXRangehood, 900mm stainless (ducted)1 item @ $690$690
Estimated total, ex-GST$18,732

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 Warm Minimalist kitchen in at $15,922, it lands at $17,241, saving $1,491 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.

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Keep reading

Kitchen renovation costs by city

Costs for other rooms

The eight styles, in depth