HomeDecorZone has been fitting kitchens across Glasgow for over twelve years. We are a small family business — Piotrek runs the trade side on the tools, I (Zeus) handle quotes, design conversations and ordering. This page is the honest guide we wish more clients had before signing a contract. We have ranked 9.62/10 on Checkatrade and 4.8/5 across 277 reviews on MyBuilder because we tell people what they need to hear, not what closes the sale.
Build a kitchen to last 15–20 years, not 5
A kitchen is the room you use every single day, and it should be one you genuinely love walking into for the next decade or two — not one you start hating after eighteen months. That is the lens we apply to every single quote we write.
This is why we openly advise against the cheapest off-the-shelf kitchens from B&Q, IKEA budget ranges or no-name suppliers. The savings look attractive on day one. The problem is two or three years later: chipboard carcasses swell where the dishwasher leaks even slightly, soft-close hinges fail one by one, the laminate worktop bubbles around the sink, door fronts start peeling at the edges. You end up paying twice — once for the cheap kitchen, again for the proper one that should have gone in the first time. That is not a deal. That is a tax on the next renovation.
Who we recommend in Glasgow right now
For most clients we recommend Wren or Howdens. Both have proper trade backing in Glasgow, both deliver reliable hinges and runners, both stock spare parts so you can replace a single damaged door five years from now without re-doing the whole run. Howdens has the long-standing reputation and ships fast — usually two to three weeks lead time, which is brilliant when a client wants to be back in a finished kitchen quickly.
That said, over the last two or three years we have noticed Wren slowly creeping ahead on build quality. The carcasses feel heavier, the painted door finish holds up better against everyday knocks, and the in-frame Shaker ranges look properly bespoke rather than mass-produced. We will still spec Howdens if a client wants quick turnaround or has a tighter budget, but if quality is the priority we are increasingly pointing people at Wren. We are not affiliated with either — we just call it as we see it on every installation.
The single biggest planning decision: where the waste runs
Before you fall in love with any layout sketch, find out exactly where the main waste connection for the sink sits. We mean this seriously — it is the single most common cause of unexpected costs and post-installation regrets. The waste pipe drops into the wall or the floor in one specific spot, and every metre you try to move the sink away from that spot adds plumbing labour, falls, access issues and sometimes a pump if gravity will not play.
In an older Glasgow tenement or 1930s semi the waste is often cast iron and runs straight down to a back-court gully. Moving the sink three metres to the opposite wall might mean lifting floorboards, fitting a new waste run with proper fall, and connecting into the soil stack — easily a couple of days of additional labour and parts. In a newer build the soil stack is usually accessible behind plasterboard which is much more forgiving. We always survey this before we agree a layout, never after.
Lighting: LED strips are the cheapest upgrade that transforms a kitchen
Under-cabinet LED strips, plinth lighting and warm-white inside glass display units cost very little extra at the install stage and completely change how the room feels at night. We always quote them as an option even on tighter budgets because the return-on-investment in client satisfaction is the best we see across any line item. Spec warm white (2700–3000K) rather than cool white — it suits home environments far better than the bluish daylight LEDs you see in showrooms.
Island, peninsula or galley — let the room decide
We get asked about islands on almost every quote. They are brilliant when the room can take them — but everything depends on the size and shape of the space. A proper island needs at least 1.0–1.2 metres of clear walkway on all sides for it to feel right and not turn into a daily obstacle. Below that, a peninsula (an L-shape connected at one end) gives you the same prep area and seating without choking circulation. In smaller kitchens a clean galley or single-run with a tall larder cupboard often beats forcing an island in for the sake of it. This is where the room genuinely decides the layout, not Pinterest. We measure properly on the survey visit and walk you through what fits before we draw anything.
The handle-less, no-upper-cabinet look
One trend that has actually got popular in the last couple of years — and which we like, when the room suits it — is kitchens without upper wall cabinets. You replace the wall units with open shelving, a single feature shelf, or just a clean painted wall behind a longer tiled splashback. It makes a smaller kitchen feel twice the size, brings light around the room, and forces you to be a bit more disciplined about what you actually store.
The trade-off: less storage. You either compensate with a tall larder pull-out, a butler’s pantry, or a deeper base-cabinet run with internal drawers. This is a design conversation worth having early — it changes the whole carcass spec.
Splashback options — what we actually fit
Three real choices, ranked by quality and longevity:
- Full tiles (porcelain or ceramic, occasionally natural stone) — the proper, long-lasting option. Wipes down for twenty years, takes heat behind the hob without complaint, and looks honest. Costs more in labour because tiling a full run is a slow job done well. Our recommendation if the kitchen is meant to last.
- Backboards (laminate or acrylic splashback panels) — the cheap-and-fast option. Big panels, screwed or glued behind the worktop, sealed with silicone. They look fine for three to five years, get a bit tired around the hob area, and start showing wear in high-use kitchens. Good for rentals or when budget is genuinely the priority.
- Upstand only with a painted wall — the minimalist option. A short upstand (matching the worktop) seals the worktop-to-wall joint, and the rest of the wall is plastered and painted in a wipeable scrubbable kitchen finish. Cheap, modern, and reads very clean on Instagram-style kitchens. Works best when you have an extractor hood and you are not splashing tomato sauce everywhere.
- Upstand plus a tiled feature behind the hob only — a hybrid we are fitting more and more. The hob area (the bit that actually gets splashed) gets a smart tiled panel, the rest of the run gets the upstand plus paint. Looks great and saves money on tiling labour without losing the wipe-clean section where you need it.
How we usually work — from first quote to handover
Our process is simple and we put it in writing every time:
- You contact us — phone, WhatsApp or the quote form on this site. We arrange a free in-home survey usually within a week.
- We survey, measure and talk through what you actually want. We will tell you honestly what fits, what we would not do, and where you could save money without compromising the result.
- You order the kitchen units, appliances and worktop yourself — if you have done your research and you already know which Wren or Howdens spec you want, you go in, talk to the showroom, and place the order. You own that conversation and that pricing.
- Or we help you order — if you would rather not navigate the showrooms alone we send you direct links to the suppliers we use regularly (Wren, Howdens, City Plumbing, Tile Giant, Tap Warehouse), and we sit in on the design appointment with you if useful.
- Or we order everything for you — full project management. We buy the units, appliances, worktop, tiles and consumables on our trade accounts, and you get one invoice covering supply and fit. Often slightly cheaper than retail because of trade margins, and considerably less hassle.
The same three options apply to bathrooms. We have no preference — whichever feels right for you is the one we run with.
Indicative pricing for a Glasgow kitchen renovation
| Type of Kitchen Project | Typical Cost (labour + materials) | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Standard renovation (basic refit, new units, same layout) | £7,000 – £11,000 | 2–3 weeks |
| Layout-change renovation (move fixtures, rerouted services) | £9,500 – £14,000 | 3–4 weeks |
| Open-plan knock-through (RSJ, patio doors, kitchen-diner-living) | £14,000 – £22,000 | 4–6 weeks |
| Premium German cabinetry + Miele/Siemens iQ700 appliances | £16,000 – £28,000+ | 4–6 weeks |
These ranges cover most postcodes in Greater Glasgow. Premium suburbs like Newton Mearns, Bearsden and Milngavie sit at the higher end of each band; Clarkston, Giffnock and East Renfrewshire mid-range areas at the lower end. We quote fixed-price after the survey — no day rates, no creep, no surprises.
Areas we cover for kitchens
- Kitchen Renovation Newton Mearns (G77)
- Kitchen Renovation Bearsden (G61)
- Kitchen Renovation Milngavie (G62)
- Kitchen Renovation Giffnock (G46)
- Kitchen Renovation Clarkston (G76)
Book a free Glasgow kitchen survey
Lead time is typically four to eight weeks from quote acceptance, longer if you spec German cabinetry. Phone us on 07568 582337 or request a quote online and we will be in touch within 24 hours.