Supply-Only Kitchens: What They Are, What They Cost, and Whether They’re Right for You

There’s a term that gets thrown around a lot in the kitchen industry — “supply only” — and I’ve noticed it confuses people. Some homeowners think it means they’re getting a lesser product. Some think it means they have to figure everything out themselves. Some think it’s only for tradespeople.

None of that is true. So let me explain what supply-only actually means, what it costs, and whether it’s the right way to buy your next kitchen.

What Does “Supply Only” Actually Mean?

Supply only means exactly what it says: you’re buying the kitchen units, doors, and associated components, and the fitting is arranged separately. The supplier supplies the kitchen. The fitting is your responsibility — whether that’s hiring a kitchen fitter yourself, using a builder you already work with, or in some cases doing it yourself.

That’s it. There’s no mystery to it. The alternative — a “supply and fit” package — is where the same company sells you the kitchen and arranges the installation. You pay one price, they handle everything. Sounds convenient. And it is, but you pay for that convenience, often significantly.

Supply only is how the trade has always worked. Builders, developers, and kitchen fitters have been buying supply-only kitchens for decades. It’s only relatively recently that homeowners have started doing the same — partly because the internet makes it easier to find suppliers, and partly because people have started to realise that the showroom model isn’t the only option.

Who Buys Supply-Only Kitchens?

The short answer: all sorts of people. Let me break it down.

Trade Customers

Builders, developers, and kitchen fitters are the traditional supply-only buyers. They have their own fitting teams, they know what they’re doing, and they want to source the kitchen separately so they can control the quality and the margin. A developer fitting out ten new-build properties doesn’t want to be going through a showroom for each one. They want a trade account, a consistent product, a reliable lead time, and a price that makes the job viable. That’s exactly what we offer at SJB.

Homeowners with a Fitter Already Lined Up

This is probably the fastest-growing group. A homeowner has found a kitchen fitter they trust — maybe through a recommendation, maybe they’ve used them before — and they want to source the kitchen themselves rather than going through a showroom. They get to choose the product, control the specification, and often save a significant amount of money in the process.

If you’ve already got a fitter, there’s genuinely no reason to go through a showroom. You’re just paying for a service you don’t need.

Homeowners Who Want to DIY

A smaller group, but a real one. Fitting a kitchen yourself is entirely possible if you’re competent with tools and prepared to do your research. Our DIY kitchen installation guide covers the process in detail. It’s not a weekend job, and it’s not for everyone — but for the right person, it’s a perfectly viable option that saves a lot of money.

What Does a Supply-Only Kitchen Cost?

This is the question everyone wants answered, and I’ll give you a straight answer rather than the usual “it depends” non-answer.

For a supply-only kitchen from SJB — rigid construction, 18mm Egger or Kronospan carcasses, 18mm backs (not hardboard), Blum Antaro drawer boxes as standard, Blum soft close throughout, made to your exact dimensions — you’re typically looking at the following ranges:

Small Kitchen (up to 8 units)

Roughly £800 to £1,500 for the units and doors, depending on the door style and finish. This covers a galley kitchen, a small flat kitchen, or a compact kitchen in a new-build property.

Medium Kitchen (8 to 14 units)

Roughly £1,500 to £2,800. This is the most common range — a typical three-bedroom house kitchen with a mix of base units, wall units, and a tower or two.

Larger Kitchen (14+ units)

Roughly £2,800 to £5,000 or more, depending on complexity, door style, and any premium upgrades like solid oak dovetail drawer boxes or painted doors.

These are supply-only prices — units and doors. Worktops, appliances, fitting, plumbing, electrics, and tiling are all separate costs. If you want a full picture of what a complete kitchen renovation costs, I’ve covered that in detail in our kitchen cost guide.

To put those numbers in context: our pricing is typically 30 to 50 per cent lower than Howdens for a comparable specification. That’s a consistent figure — it’s what our customers tell us when they’ve priced the same kitchen at both places. The difference isn’t because our product is inferior. It’s because we don’t have the same overhead structure. No retail park. No design consultants on commission. No TV advertising budget. Just a straightforward product at a straightforward price.

What Do You Actually Get?

I want to be specific here, because “supply-only kitchen” covers a huge range of quality levels. A flat-pack kitchen from IKEA is technically supply-only. So is a rigid, made-to-measure kitchen from SJB. The term doesn’t tell you anything about the quality of what you’re buying.

Here’s what you get from us:

Rigid Carcasses

Every unit we supply is built rigid — assembled at the point of manufacture, not in a flat pack on your kitchen floor. The difference matters. A rigid unit arrives square, solid, and ready to install. It’s structurally stronger than a cam-and-dowel flat-pack unit, it holds fixings better, and it doesn’t flex or rack over time. If you’ve ever seen a kitchen where the doors have started to drop or the hinges have pulled out of the carcass wall, flat-pack construction is usually the reason.

18mm Board Throughout

Our carcasses are 18mm Egger or Kronospan board — both premium, industry-standard materials used by quality kitchen manufacturers across Europe. Crucially, the backs are also 18mm. A lot of flat-pack kitchens use 6mm or 8mm hardboard backs. Ours are full 18mm board. It makes the unit stiffer, stronger, and more resistant to moisture over time.

Blum Hardware as Standard

Blum Antaro drawer boxes come as standard on every kitchen we supply. Blum is the benchmark for kitchen hardware — the brand that professional kitchen fitters specify when they want something that will still work properly in fifteen years. The soft-close mechanism is built in, it’s smooth, it’s quiet, and it doesn’t need adjusting every year. Blum soft close is also standard on all hinges and runners — not an optional extra, not something you pay more for.

If you want to upgrade, we also offer dovetail solid oak drawer boxes. These are the kind of drawer boxes you’d find in a kitchen costing three times the price. They look exceptional and they’re built to last.

Made to Your Exact Dimensions

Every kitchen we supply is made to order. Custom heights, custom depths, custom widths — all as standard, at no extra cost. Your room gets a kitchen designed to fit it, not a collection of standard-size units that approximately fill the space. There’s a full explanation of why this matters in our rigid vs flat-pack guide.

Nationwide Delivery

We deliver supply-only kitchens across the UK, from as little as 10 working days from order. Whether you’re in Greater Manchester — Oldham, Stockport, Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Tameside — or anywhere else in England, Scotland, or Wales, we can get your kitchen to you. Lead times can vary depending on specification and current order volumes, so it’s always worth checking when you enquire.

Is Supply Only Right for You?

Honestly, it depends on your situation. Here’s how I’d think about it.

Supply only makes sense if: you already have a kitchen fitter lined up, you’re a builder or developer sourcing kitchens for a project, you’re confident doing the installation yourself, or you want to control the specification and quality of what you’re buying rather than taking whatever the showroom is pushing that month.

Supply and fit might make more sense if: you have no idea where to find a fitter, you want a single point of contact for the whole project, or you genuinely don’t have the time or inclination to manage the different trades yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that — it’s a legitimate choice. Just understand that you’re paying a premium for the convenience, and make sure the premium is worth it to you.

One thing I’d say to any homeowner considering supply only for the first time: finding a good kitchen fitter is the most important thing you’ll do. Not a joiner who’s fitted a few kitchens on the side. Not someone who says they’re handy. A specialist kitchen fitter who does this every day. Ask for references, look at previous work, and don’t just go with the cheapest quote. A good fitter will make a decent kitchen look great. A bad fitter will make an excellent kitchen look mediocre.

How to Get a Quote

Getting a quote from us is straightforward. You’ll need your room measurements — if you’re not sure how to take them, our kitchen measuring guide walks you through it step by step. Once we have your measurements and an idea of what you’re after in terms of door style and finish, we can come back to you with a price.

If you’re in the Greater Manchester area, you’re also welcome to visit our showroom in Oldham. It’s not a retail park experience — there’s no design consultant on commission waiting to walk you through a three-hour presentation. It’s just a chance to see the quality of what we supply in person before you commit to anything. Most people who visit leave with a much clearer idea of what they want, and a lot more confidence in what they’re buying.

Trade customers can also open a trade account for access to trade pricing, priority lead times, and a direct line to us for ongoing projects.

If you’d like to get started, contact us here or give us a call on 0161 509 4221. We’re open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm.