What you can change and what you cannot
A kitchen renovation looks like a blank slate and is not. Three fixed points govern how much the layout can actually move.
| Fixed point | How far it moves | Cost to move it | Practical advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drainage outlet for the sink | Up to 1.5 m with a fall | ₹6,000 – 18,000 | Beyond that you need a step or a pump — rarely worth it |
| Water supply points | Anywhere in the room | ₹2,500 – 4,000 per point | Cheap and flexible; plan generously |
| Gas line | 1 – 2 m, by a licensed agency only | ₹4,500 – 14,000 | Piped supply must be moved by the authorised agency, not your plumber |
| Chimney duct route | Fixed by the existing shaft or external wall | ₹8,000 – 35,000 for a new route | Check this before finalising the hob position |
| Platform slab | Removable, but it is the cheapest thing in the room | ₹450 – 1,200 per running ft to rebuild | Keep a sound slab and re-clad it |
| Window and light | Fixed | — | Plan the sink under it if it is already there |
The order of work
- Survey and measured drawingExisting services located, the slab checked for soundness, the duct route confirmed, and a measured drawing taken from the room rather than from the builder's plan.
- Strip-outOld units, countertop, backsplash tiling and sometimes the platform removed. One to two days and the noisiest part of the job.
- Services modificationPlumbing shifted, gas line relocated by the authorised agency, electrical points added for the chimney, hob, oven, dishwasher and water purifier.
- Waterproofing and making goodA liquid membrane behind the sink and along the platform back wall, chases filled, wall surfaces levelled — this is what the next fifteen years depend on.
- Tiling and flooringBacksplash and any floor repair. Full-height tiling behind the platform is worth the marginal cost.
- Unit installationTwo to four days. Carcasses levelled and fixed, shutters hung and aligned.
- Countertop templating and fittingTemplated only after the base units are fixed, then three to five days for cutting and fitting. This is the step that sets the total downtime.
- Appliances, snag and handoverChimney, hob and appliances connected and tested, shutter gaps set, and a working kitchen handed back clean.
Countertop templating is why a kitchen renovation takes a fortnight rather than a weekend. Nobody can template a stone slab against units that are not yet fixed.
Greenbox principal designer
Design and build under one accountable roof
What it costs, and why more than a new kitchen
| Kitchen size | New build in an empty flat | Renovation of an existing kitchen | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 x 7 ft, straight or L | ₹1.8 – 2.8 L | ₹2.6 – 3.7 L | Strip-out, making good, downtime |
| 8 x 8 ft, L-shaped | ₹2.8 – 4.0 L | ₹3.6 – 5.2 L | Above plus likely plumbing shift |
| 8 x 10 ft, L or parallel | ₹3.5 – 5.0 L | ₹4.5 – 6.6 L | Above plus duct rework |
| 10 x 12 ft, U-shaped | ₹5.0 – 7.5 L | ₹6.4 – 9.8 L | Above plus larger tiling and flooring scope |
Excluding 18% GST and appliances. Renovation figures include strip-out, debris removal, plumbing and gas modification, waterproofing, tiling, BWP carcass units, branded soft-close hardware and a granite countertop.
The extra 20–30% buys four things a new-build kitchen does not need: strip-out labour, debris removal, making good of walls and floors that the old kitchen was hiding, and a programme that has to work around a household still living there. For layout principles, carcass grades and hardware, our modular kitchen design page covers the fundamentals.
Downtime, and how to survive it
A kitchen renovation removes cooking from the home for roughly two weeks. Planning for that is part of the design job, not an afterthought.
- Strip-out to handover is 12 to 18 days for a standard kitchen, of which three to five are waiting for the countertop.
- Set up a temporary kitchen on day zero. An induction plate, a microwave, the refrigerator relocated to the dining area, a kettle and a washing-up arrangement in the bathroom or utility. This costs almost nothing and changes the household's experience entirely.
- Keep the refrigerator running throughout — it needs a working socket wherever it is moved to.
- Order the countertop stone early. Slab selection can happen in week one; only templating has to wait.
- Take delivery of appliances before installation week, and check dimensions against the drawing. A chimney 60 mm wider than allowed for stops the job.
- Expect dust everywhere for two days. Strip-out and tiling are the dusty phases; seal the doorway and cover what matters.
The details worth insisting on
- Liquid waterproof membrane on the wall behind the sink and along the full platform back before tiling. Around ₹120–₹220 per sq ft and the single best value item in the whole renovation.
- Full-height backsplash tiling rather than a 600 mm band. The marginal cost is small and the wall above a 600 mm band always stains.
- BWP 710 carcass throughout, not just under the sink. The whole room is a wet room.
- A dedicated 16 A circuit for the chimney and separate points for oven, dishwasher and purifier. Retrofitting these later means opening a finished backsplash.
- Skirting detail under the base units that can be removed, so a leak under the sink is diagnosable without dismantling the kitchen.
- Drawers rather than shutters below the counter. In a renovation you are already paying for the carcass; the upgrade to full-extension drawers is the difference people notice daily.
Where we work
We renovate kitchens across India. For piped-gas approvals, society plumbing stacks, duct routes in high-rises and Mumbai rates, see kitchen renovation contractors in Mumbai.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost?+
₹2.6–₹3.7 lakh for a small 6 x 7 ft kitchen, ₹3.6–₹5.2 lakh for a standard 8 x 8 ft L-shape, ₹4.5–₹6.6 lakh for an 8 x 10 ft kitchen and ₹6.4–₹9.8 lakh for a 10 x 12 ft U-shape, excluding 18% GST and appliances. That is roughly 20–30% above fitting the same kitchen into an empty flat.
Why does renovating a kitchen cost more than building a new one?+
Four items a new-build kitchen does not carry: strip-out labour, debris removal, making good the walls and floor the old kitchen was concealing, and a programme that has to work around an occupied home. None of it is visible in the finished kitchen, which is why it surprises people.
How long will I be without a kitchen?+
Twelve to eighteen days from strip-out to handover, of which three to five are spent waiting for the countertop, which can only be templated after the base units are fixed. Set up a temporary kitchen with an induction plate, microwave and the relocated refrigerator on day one.
Can I move the sink or the hob during a renovation?+
The sink can move up to about 1.5 metres if the drainage fall allows, for ₹6,000–₹18,000. Water points move anywhere cheaply. A piped gas line can shift one to two metres but only through the authorised gas agency, not a general plumber. The chimney duct route is usually the real constraint on moving the hob.
Is waterproofing necessary in a kitchen renovation?+
Yes, and it is routinely skipped. A liquid membrane on the wall behind the sink and along the full platform back, before tiling, costs ₹120–₹220 per sq ft. Without it, fifteen years of splash migrates into the wall and into the carcass behind, and you discover it when the base unit swells.