How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost on the Gold Coast?
A realistic breakdown of Gold Coast kitchen renovation costs in 2026 - what you get at each budget level, how the trades and materials split the total, and the decisions that move the price most.
A Gold Coast kitchen renovation typically costs $18,000-$30,000 for a straightforward like-for-like replacement, $30,000-$55,000 for a mid-range kitchen with a new layout and stone benchtops, and $55,000-$100,000+ for a premium kitchen with custom joinery, integrated appliances and structural changes.
- Budget / like-for-like
- $18,000 - $30,000
- Mid-range with new layout
- $30,000 - $55,000
- Premium custom
- $55,000 - $100,000+
- Typical duration
- 3 - 6 weeks on site
Overview
Kitchen quotes vary more than any other renovation, and the reason is that 'kitchen renovation' describes anything from swapping doors and a benchtop to demolishing a wall, moving the plumbing and building custom joinery to the ceiling. The useful way to think about it is in three tiers. Keeping the existing layout - same sink position, same appliance locations - keeps plumbing and electrical costs low and is where a budget renovation stays affordable. Changing the layout adds trades. Removing a wall to open the kitchen to living adds structure and engineering. For the service see kitchen renovations, and for whole-home budgeting see the home renovations cost guide.
What's included
- Demolition, containment and rubbish removal
- Cabinetry - flat-pack, modular or fully custom joinery
- Benchtops - laminate, engineered stone alternatives, natural stone
- Splashback, tiling and waterproofing where required
- Plumbing rough-in and fit-off for sink, dishwasher and any relocation
- Electrical - power, lighting, appliance circuits and switchboard upgrades
- Carpentry - bulkheads, pantry framing, floating shelves, panelling
- Flooring repair or replacement through the kitchen zone
- Painting and make-good to walls and ceilings
- Appliance installation and final adjustment
Keeping the layout is the biggest single saving
Leaving the sink, dishwasher and cooktop where they are can save $4,000-$9,000 in plumbing, electrical and floor make-good, and it usually shortens the program by a week. If the existing layout works and only looks tired, spending that saved money on better joinery and a better benchtop gives a far more noticeable result than moving the sink two metres. Where the layout genuinely does not work - a galley closed off from the living space, or a cooktop with no bench either side - changing it is worth the money. We will tell you honestly which of those two situations you are in.
Opening the kitchen to the living area
The most requested Gold Coast kitchen change is removing the wall between the kitchen and the living or dining space. That adds a structural component: engineering, a beam, propping and often new flooring through both rooms so the floor reads as one surface. Budget $8,000-$20,000 on top of the kitchen itself, depending on span and services. The wall removal cost guide breaks that side down, and open plan renovations covers the combined project.
Coastal considerations that affect kitchen cost here
Salt air and humidity are hard on kitchens within a few kilometres of the beach. Cheap hardware corrodes, unsealed board edges swell around the sink and dishwasher, and standard hinges fail early in unventilated pantries. Specifying marine-grade or stainless hardware, moisture-resistant board in wet zones and properly sealed edges adds a few hundred dollars to a kitchen and adds years to it. On a Gold Coast rental in particular that is the difference between a kitchen lasting five years and lasting fifteen.
How long a kitchen takes
Allow three to six weeks on site for a full kitchen, plus four to six weeks beforehand for cabinetry design, measure and manufacture. The stages that determine the timeline are joinery lead time and stone templating - stone can only be templated once the cabinetry is installed, and then takes one to two weeks to fabricate. That means there is usually a period of seven to ten days where the kitchen has cabinets but no benchtop. We plan a temporary sink and bench arrangement so you are not eating takeaway for a month.
Kitchen renovation cost tiers - Gold Coast 2026
Prices below are indicative Gold Coast ranges for 2026, based on the jobs we quote. They are a planning guide only - the written fixed-price quote follows a site inspection, because access, existing structure and the condition behind the linings move the number more than anything else.
| Tier | Indicative range | What it typically includes |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh | $8,000 - $16,000 | New doors and handles, new benchtop and splashback, existing carcasses and layout retained |
| Budget replacement | $18,000 - $30,000 | New modular cabinetry, laminate or entry stone benchtop, same layout, standard appliances |
| Mid-range | $30,000 - $55,000 | New layout, custom-sized cabinetry, stone benchtop and island, quality appliances, new lighting |
| Premium | $55,000 - $100,000 | Full custom joinery to ceiling, integrated appliances, butler's pantry, feature stone |
| Premium + structural | $90,000+ | As above plus wall removal, beam, relocated services and new flooring through living areas |
Where the money goes in a mid-range kitchen
| Component | Share of budget | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetry and joinery | 30 - 40% | $12,000 - $20,000 |
| Benchtops | 10 - 18% | $3,500 - $9,000 |
| Appliances | 10 - 20% | $4,000 - $12,000 |
| Plumbing and electrical | 10 - 15% | $4,000 - $8,000 |
| Demolition, carpentry and make-good | 10 - 15% | $4,000 - $8,000 |
| Tiling, splashback and painting | 6 - 10% | $2,500 - $5,000 |
| Flooring in the kitchen zone | 5 - 10% | $2,000 - $6,000 |
Before you ask for a kitchen quote
- Rough dimensions of the room and a photo from each corner
- Whether you want to keep the current layout or change it
- Whether a wall is coming out
- Your appliance list, or a budget figure for appliances
- Benchtop preference - laminate, engineered surface or natural stone
- Whether the flooring is being replaced at the same time
- Your realistic total budget, including a 10% contingency
Why choose Orange Projects
QBCC-licensed & fully insured
Orange Projects is a QBCC-licensed business carrying full public liability and works insurance, so every Gold Coast project is delivered under a QBCC-licensed business, insured, protected contract.
Gold Coast renovation specialists
We have hands-on experience in the Gold Coast climate, coastal conditions and local council requirements from Coolangatta to Coomera.
Fixed-price quotes
You receive a detailed, itemised fixed-price quote after site inspection - no vague allowances, no mid-project surprises.
Premium workmanship
Our licensed carpenters and trade partners hold themselves to a high finishing standard and take pride in tidy sites and clean details.
End-to-end project management
one QBCC licensed team manages design coordination, trades, approvals and finishes so you have one point of contact from start to handover.
Clear communication
Regular progress updates, honest timelines and quick responses - you always know where your project is at.
Quality materials
We specify materials that suit the Queensland climate and stand up to salt air, humidity and UV - not just what's cheapest on the shelf.
Warranty-backed workmanship
All work is backed by QBCC statutory warranties and our own workmanship guarantee, so the finish lasts long after handover.
Our process
- 1
Site inspection
We attend the property, inspect the actual condition rather than working from photos alone, and talk through what you want the finished result to be. Bring any reports, strata approvals or insurance paperwork you already have.
- 2
Written fixed-price quote
You receive an itemised quote covering labour, materials, rubbish removal and any engineering or certification required. Where the full extent of damage can only be confirmed once linings or decking boards come off, we say so up front and quote the investigative stage separately rather than hiding it in an allowance.
- 3
Approvals and scheduling
Where certification, an engineer's design or body corporate approval is needed, we organise it and book the works into a dated program so you know which days we are on site.
- 4
Carry out the works
Protected floors, dust control, tidy site each afternoon and photo updates as we go. Occupied homes, tenanted properties and trading businesses are all worked around rather than shut down where possible.
- 5
Handover
Final walkthrough, defect check, invoice and any documentation - engineering certificates, Form 16s, product warranties - handed over with the job.
Areas we service on the Gold Coast
Orange Projects is a Gold Coast-based builder delivering this service across every Gold Coast suburb, including:
- Robina
- Burleigh Heads
- Mermaid Waters
- Helensvale
- Hope Island
- Coomera
- Southport
- Broadbeach
- Palm Beach
- Miami
- Varsity Lakes
- Ashmore
We also service Brisbane and surrounding South East Queensland areas as a secondary catchment:
Frequently asked questions
What is a realistic kitchen renovation budget on the Gold Coast in 2026?
For most homes, $30,000-$55,000 delivers a well-built mid-range kitchen with custom-sized cabinetry, a stone benchtop and updated services. Below $20,000 you are looking at a like-for-like replacement with modular cabinetry.
Can I renovate a kitchen for under $20,000?
Yes, if you keep the layout, use modular cabinetry and a laminate or entry-level stone benchtop, and reuse your existing appliances. That is a genuine renovation and it can look excellent - it just will not include moving plumbing or custom joinery.
How long will I be without a kitchen?
Typically three to six weeks, with a seven to ten day gap between cabinet install and benchtop install. We set up a temporary sink and bench so the house stays liveable.
Do you supply the appliances?
We can, or you can supply them yourself - plenty of clients buy at sale prices. Either way we need the exact models before cabinetry is manufactured, because cut-outs and clearances are built to the specific appliance.
Does a kitchen renovation add value?
A dated kitchen is one of the most common reasons a Gold Coast home sells below expectations, and a well-executed kitchen is consistently one of the better-returning renovations. We will not put a percentage on it - anyone quoting a guaranteed return figure is guessing.
Do you handle the whole job or just the carpentry?
The whole job. One QBCC-licensed team coordinates demolition, joinery, plumbing, electrical, tiling, flooring and painting, and you have one point of contact and one fixed-price quote.