Guide
What kitchen designers charge in New Zealand
New Zealand kitchen designers charge roughly $120–220 an hour, a fixed fee of about $2,500–6,000 or more, or 8–15% of the project (FBD Interiors). Retailers such as Bunnings and Mitre 10 design for free, because the design is drawn around their range and ends in their quote.
Updated
Key takeaways
- Independent NZ designers: $120–220/hr, $2,500–6,000+ fixed, or 8–15% of the project (FBD Interiors).
- Bunnings' in-home kitchen design is free and takes 1.5–2 hours.
- Kitchenmaker charges $495 + GST per room for design and drafting, refunded when you proceed.
- A free design is a sales document. That is not a criticism, it is what it is for.
- Ours is $595 incl. GST, credited in full to a build contract signed within 6 months, and yours to keep either way.
What the market charges
There are three common pricing models for independent kitchen design in New Zealand: hourly, fixed fee, and a percentage of the project. FBD Interiors publishes all three, and the ranges are wide because the scope varies from a layout sketch to full documentation and site supervision.
Superior Renovations quotes a designer cost of $552–4,830+ within an Auckland kitchen renovation (2026), which sits inside the same picture.
| Model | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Hourly | $120–220+ per hour |
| Fixed fee | $2,500–6,000+ |
| Percentage of project | 8–15% |
Why the retailers do it free
Because the design is how they sell cabinets. Bunnings offers a free in-home design appointment of 1.5–2 hours. Mitre 10 offers a free consult with a render and a quote, and will organise the installation. Both are good services, and both produce a plan drawn around one range at one supplier's prices.
- You get a layout and a price quickly, at no cash cost.
- The layout is constrained to that retailer's cabinet sizes and finishes.
- The output is a quote, not a document you can hand to three companies for comparable pricing.
- If you do not buy, you do not usually keep drawings you can build from.
When paying for a plan is the better buy
When you want to compare quotes on identical scope, when the room has a real constraint to solve, or when you are not yet sure which of the three ways to renovate you should be pricing at all. In those cases a plan you own is the cheapest thing in the project.
There is an NZ precedent for the credited model: Kitchenmaker charges $495 + GST per room for design and drafting and refunds it when you proceed. Kitchen Renovation Wellington gives a free first consult and says a design fee may apply, credited back against the build.
What we charge and why
$595 including GST for an in-home measure of about 90 minutes, two layout options drawn to scale, a line-item budget with a source for every band, and a written scope. It is credited in full against a build contract signed within six months, and the drawings are yours whether or not you build with us.
We charge because a plan takes a designer's day, and because a free design has to be paid for somewhere: in the cabinet price, in the range you are steered to, or in the pressure to decide on the spot. Charging for it lets us draw the kitchen your room wants rather than the one our supplier stocks.
The full deliverable list and the refund terms are on the design consult page.
Questions
How much does a kitchen designer cost in NZ?
About $120–220 an hour, $2,500–6,000+ as a fixed fee, or 8–15% of the project (FBD Interiors). Retailer in-home design is usually free because it is tied to their range.
Is a free kitchen design any good?
Often, technically, yes. The limitation is not quality, it is independence: it is drawn around one supplier's cabinets and ends in that supplier's quote.
Do I get to keep the drawings if I do not build with you?
Yes. The two scaled layouts, the line-item budget and the written scope are yours. That is the product you paid for.
Is the $595 refundable?
It is fully refundable until 24 hours before your confirmed visit, if we cannot offer a visit within 10 working days of payment, or if we do not deliver the plan within 5 working days of the visit. After delivery it is not refundable, because you have the plan, but it is credited to a build contract signed within 6 months. See our terms.
Sources
- FBD Interiors: how kitchen designers charge
- Bunnings NZ: in-home kitchen design
- Mitre 10 designer kitchens
- Kitchenmaker: step-by-step process
- Superior Renovations, kitchen renovation cost Auckland (2026)
Checked 15 September 2026. We re-check every published figure quarterly.
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