Ask three manufacturers for a modular kitchen quotation and you will often get three very different numbers for what looks like the same kitchen. That is not because someone is overcharging. It is because modular kitchen cost is driven by half a dozen variables, and quotations rarely spell out which ones they have assumed.
This guide explains what actually moves the price, so you can compare quotations properly instead of just picking the lowest figure.
1. Running feet, not square feet
Modular kitchens in India are usually priced per running foot, measured along the length of the counter. A 10-foot L-shaped run is priced differently from a 16-foot G-shaped run even in the same room.
Base units, wall units and tall units are normally priced separately, because they use different amounts of material. A quotation that gives one blended rate for everything is hiding detail you need.
Ask: how many running feet of base, wall and tall units am I paying for?
2. Core material grade
This is the single biggest swing in cost, and the easiest place for a quotation to look cheap. BWP plywood costs meaningfully more than BWR, which costs more than MDF.
Two quotations that both say “plywood” can be far apart in real terms. One might use BWP throughout, the other MDF with plywood only in the sink unit.
Ask: which grade is used for base units, and which for wall units? Is it IS:710 or IS:303 marked?
3. Shutter finish
Laminate is the most economical. Membrane sits in the middle. Acrylic, PU paint and veneer are the premium end, and can easily double the shutter cost compared to laminate for the same kitchen.
Mixing helps. Premium finish on wall units where it is seen, hard-wearing laminate on base units, gives you most of the look at a lower cost.
4. Hardware
Hinges, drawer channels, lift-up mechanisms and tandem boxes. The gap between basic hardware and branded soft-close systems is large, and it is the difference you will notice every single day for ten years.
This is the line item we would least recommend cutting. A kitchen with good carcass material and cheap hinges feels old within two years.
Ask: which brand and series of hinges and channels, and what is the warranty on them?
5. Accessories and internal fittings
Corner carousels, magic corners, cutlery organisers, bottle pull-outs, tall unit pantry systems, waste bins, under-cabinet lighting. Individually modest, collectively significant.
These are also the easiest thing to add later, so if budget is tight, get the carcass and hardware right now and add accessories in phase two.
6. Countertop
Granite, quartz and solid surface sit at different price points, and the edge profile you choose adds to it. Countertops are often quoted separately from the modular work, so check whether yours is included at all before comparing two quotations.
7. Civil and electrical work
The cost that surprises people. If your layout needs the sink moved, a new gas point, extra electrical sockets or plumbing rerouted for an island, that is separate work with its own cost and timeline.
A layout that works with your flat’s existing points will always cost less than one that fights them.
8. Chimney, hob and appliances
Usually not part of the modular quotation unless stated. Confirm whether appliances are included, and whether the quotation covers cut-outs and fitting for them.
How to compare two quotations fairly
Put them side by side and check these five things:
- Are both measuring the same running feet, split by base, wall and tall?
- Is the core material grade stated for each zone, not just “plywood”?
- Is the hardware brand named, or only described as “premium”?
- Is the countertop included or excluded?
- Are accessories itemised, or bundled into a vague allowance?
Once you normalise for those, the difference between quotations usually shrinks considerably, and sometimes the cheaper one turns out to be the more expensive one.
Where it is worth spending, and where it is not
Worth spending on: core material in the base units, hinges and drawer channels, and the countertop. These are structural, they are used constantly, and replacing them later means dismantling the kitchen.
Can be economised: shutter finish on base units, decorative accessories, and under-cabinet lighting. All of these can be upgraded later without touching the carcass.
Get an itemised quotation
We quote by zone with the material grade and hardware named for each part of the kitchen, so you can see exactly what you are paying for and compare us honestly against anyone else. Site measurement and design consultation are free.
Send us your room dimensions and we will come back with a layout, finish options and a detailed price.
Phone: +91 98991 13191
Enquiries: Contact Intercraft Furniture
Explore: Modular kitchens in Greater Noida
Address: Site-5, K-45, Industrial Area, Block S, Surajpur Site V, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201312
