Kitchen Appliances: Built-in vs Freestanding Planning

Choosing between built-in and freestanding kitchen appliances is one of the most consequential decisions in a kitchen renovation, it affects your budget, your future flexibility, and the final look of the space. Get it right early and you’ll avoid costly alterations later.

Built-in (also called integrated) appliances sit behind matching cabinet doors or are fixed into cabinetry. Freestanding appliances are self-contained units that can be moved, swapped, or taken with you when you move. Both have clear situations where they make sense, and the wrong choice for your circumstances can cost you significantly.

Cost Comparison: Built-in vs Freestanding

The price premium for integrated appliances is real but varies by appliance type. Below are typical 2026 UK retail price ranges for mid-range quality.

The premium column compares the low end of each range with the low end, and the high end with the high end.

Installation costs add further to built-in prices. A built-in oven requires a housing unit, typically £80–£250. If it needs a new 13A or 32A circuit, that is notifiable electrical work under Part P, so it should be done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme or notified to building control.² Expect roughly £100–£300 for the circuit. An integrated dishwasher needs a door fitting kit (£20–£60) and a plumber to connect supply and waste (£80–£200 if not done as part of a larger fit).

When Built-in Appliances Make Sense

Built-in appliances pay off in specific scenarios:

Long-term ownership. If you’re planning to stay in the property for 10+ years, the visual coherence and improved resale perception typically justify the extra cost. Integrated kitchens are widely seen as a more finished look, which can help a sale in mid-to-upper-price properties.

Open-plan living. When the kitchen is visible from a living or dining space, a row of freestanding appliances can look cluttered. Integrated appliances behind matching cabinetry create a cleaner, more considered aesthetic.

Limited space. An integrated fridge-freezer can run full height within a 60 cm cabinet column without the visual bulk of a freestanding unit. In galley kitchens or narrow configurations, this matters.

New kitchen installations. Planning integrated appliances from the start avoids the compromise of retrofitting. Cabinet housing units are specified to exact dimensions, and electrical/plumbing first fix is done before units go in, avoiding rework later.

When Freestanding Makes More Sense

Rental properties. Appliances in rental kitchens take heavy use and need replacing more often. Freestanding units are cheaper to replace, easier for tenants to deal with, and can be moved between properties.

Budget constraints. If the kitchen budget is tight, freestanding appliances free up money for better cabinetry, worktops, or tiling, which have a bigger visual impact.

Frequent movers. Freestanding appliances go with you. Integrated appliances are, in practice, sold with the house, even if technically removable.

Phased renovations. If you’re doing the kitchen in stages, freestanding appliances avoid committing to cabinet specifications prematurely. You can upgrade to integrated later, though the cabinet work makes this expensive.

Planning Considerations by Appliance

Oven and Hob

Built-in ovens and separate hobs are standard in most new kitchen designs. Key planning points:

• A single built-in oven is typically about 595 mm high and 594 mm wide and needs a niche about 560–568 mm wide and 550 mm deep, which a standard 600 mm oven housing provides; a tall housing allows eye-level placement.³
• Hobs sit in a worktop cutout and connect to either a 13A supply or a dedicated cooker circuit, often 32A; many induction hobs need the dedicated circuit, so check the installation manual. Gas hobs must be fitted by a Gas Safe registered engineer.⁴
• Range cookers (commonly 90, 100 or 110 cm wide) are freestanding by nature but look bespoke when flanked by matching cabinetry. They’re a popular middle-ground option.

Dishwasher

The most common integration decision. An integrated dishwasher sits in a 60 cm base unit space, with its control panel hidden on the top edge of the door. Slimline (45 cm) integrated versions are available for tighter spaces.

A standard 60 cm dishwasher (freestanding or integrated) requires:

• Cold water supply: a 15 mm pipe with an appliance valve that takes the machine’s 3/4” BSP fill hose⁵
• Waste: a standpipe or a spigot on the sink trap
• Single 13A socket (do not share with other high-draw appliances)

Fridge and Fridge-Freezer

Integrated fridge-freezers come in 70/30 (larger fridge, smaller freezer) or 50/50 splits. Key planning points:

• Housing units must match the appliance’s niche dimensions exactly; follow the installation guide for any clearances it asks for
• Most integrated fridges require top ventilation, check whether your cabinet allows this; some need a ventilation grille
• American-style fridge-freezers are almost always freestanding; true integrated equivalents are available but cost £1,500–£3,500+

Washing Machine

Whether to integrate a washing machine is partly a plumbing question. If the machine is in a kitchen (rather than a utility room), integrating it keeps the look consistent. Plumbing requirements are identical either way:

• Hot or cold fill (most modern machines are cold fill only)
• Waste to standpipe or trap
• A 13A socket, usually on the kitchen’s ring circuit rather than a circuit of its own; a switched fused connection unit above the worktop lets you isolate the machine without pulling it out

Sizing and Spacing: What You Must Plan Before Ordering Units

Kitchen unit manufacturers mostly work in standard widths such as 300, 400, 500, 600, 800 and 1,000 mm. Appliances are standardised to fit these bays, but there are traps:

• Depth: Standard worktops are 600 mm deep and base units slightly less; most built-in appliances are about 545–570 mm deep, leaving clearance behind. Some American-style appliances are deeper, check before ordering units.
• Worktop overhang: Worktops typically overhang the unit doors by around 20–40 mm at the front. Built-in ovens and dishwashers must fit within the remaining depth.
• Ventilation gaps: All refrigeration appliances need air circulation. Integrated fridges need a top vent slot, and sometimes a plinth vent below.
• Service access: Plan for future access, integrated washing machines and dishwashers are harder to service in situ. A removable plinth panel helps.

The Hybrid Approach

Many successful kitchen designs use integrated appliances only where they’re most visible, dishwasher, fridge, perhaps a wine cooler, and accept freestanding for appliances that sit behind doors or in utility rooms. This balances cost and aesthetics without compromising practicality.

A useful rule of thumb: if an appliance would be visible from your main living or dining space, consider integrating it. If it’s tucked behind a door or in a utility room, freestanding is perfectly reasonable.

Getting Appliance Specifications Right

Before ordering cabinetry, collect the exact cut-out and housing dimensions from each appliance’s installation guide. This is especially important for:

• Built-in microwave drawers and combination ovens (non-standard heights)
• Wine coolers (vary widely in depth)
• Under-counter integrated appliances that require a specific plinth height

Pass these specifications to your kitchen designer or fitter before units are ordered. Correcting a mis-sized housing unit after delivery can easily cost a few hundred pounds in returns, reordering, and extra labour.