How Much Does a Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out Cost in Australia? 2026 Budget Guide

Start with the operation, not the equipment catalogue

Before pricing equipment, write a short operational brief:

• venue type and service model;
• menu now and likely additions over the next two years;
• covers or orders in a normal and peak service;
• service windows and batch sizes;
• delivery frequency and storage days;
• number of staff in each shift;
• dine-in, takeaway, delivery and catering split;
• cleaning and close-down workflow;
• expected opening date and any landlord milestones.

This brief turns “we need a restaurant kitchen” into a capacity problem that can be designed and quoted. ProChef’s commercial kitchen design service is the appropriate next step when equipment, workflow and utilities need to be resolved together.

The seven parts of a fit-out budget

1. Design, documentation and approvals

Allow for the people who translate the operational brief into a coordinated project: kitchen designer, architect or building designer, certifier, engineers and specialist consultants as the site requires. Council, landlord and approval costs vary by location and project.

The cheapest drawing set is not always the cheapest project. Missing power loads, hydraulic points, exhaust coordination or equipment clearances can return later as variations. A proper design should show equipment locations, dimensions, service connections and workflow relationships.

2. Building and finishes

This can include demolition, floors, walls, ceilings, doors, fire-rated work, waterproofing, penetrations and making good. A former hospitality tenancy may reduce work, but never assume its existing systems are compliant, serviceable or suitable for the new menu.

Ask who owns discoveries behind walls or above ceilings. Quotes should identify exclusions for asbestos, structural work, latent conditions, after-hours access and landlord works.

3. Mechanical ventilation and exhaust

The cooking line drives more than the appliance budget. Heat, grease, smoke and steam affect the hood, duct route, make-up air, fan, fire provisions and roof works. Moving the line later can be expensive.

Select cooking equipment with the ventilation concept in mind. If the project needs a new or replacement commercial exhaust hood, confirm the full system scope and approvals—not just the canopy price.

4. Electrical, gas, plumbing and drainage

Every shortlisted appliance should have a service requirement recorded before purchase. Check voltage, phase, current, gas type and consumption, water quality, pressure, drainage, backflow requirements and isolation clearances with qualified trades.

A lower equipment price can disappear if the site needs a switchboard upgrade, longer cable run, gas upgrade, water-treatment system or new floor wastes. Ask each trade to price from the same coordinated schedule.

5. Commercial equipment

Break the schedule into operational zones:

• receiving and dry storage;
• commercial refrigeration;
• preparation;
• cooking and hot holding;
• plating, pass and display;
• warewashing;
• waste and cleaning;
• beverage or bar service.

For each item record model, quantity, capacity, dimensions, utilities, included accessories, delivery, installation, commissioning, training and warranty. “Oven” is not a complete quote line.

6. Stainless steel and fabrication

Standard benches and sinks can be economical when they fit. Custom items become valuable where the room, workflow, equipment interfaces or hygiene detailing require exact dimensions. Measure after critical site works where appropriate and define grade, thickness, undershelf, splashback, castors or feet, cut-outs and wall fixing.

ProChef provides custom stainless-steel fabrication for projects that cannot be solved cleanly with catalogue sizes.

7. Delivery, installation, commissioning and contingency

Include freight, access constraints, lifting, cranage, stairs, loading-zone permits, unpacking, disposal, assembly, trade connections, commissioning and staff handover. Confirm whether weekend or restricted-hours delivery changes the price.

Keep a separately approved contingency for unknowns and change. The right percentage depends on design maturity and site risk; ask your project team to justify it. Contingency is not a substitute for an incomplete scope.

Why generic fit-out averages can mislead

Public “average cost” figures usually omit at least one major variable: tenancy condition, equipment quality, extraction, professional fees, service upgrades, freight, commissioning or tax. They may also mix kiosks, cafés, restaurants and production kitchens.

Use early estimates to test feasibility, then replace them with itemised quotes. If a lender, landlord or business plan needs a single number, show assumptions and an uncertainty range rather than false precision.

New, pre-owned or mixed equipment?

A mixed schedule can preserve capital without treating every item as equally risky. Durable stainless furniture may be easier to assess than a complex refrigerated or combi appliance. Warranty, parts support, service history, remaining life and downtime consequence all matter.

Read our new vs used commercial kitchen equipment guide and browse ProChef’s pre-owned commercial equipment when a documented, inspected unit fits the risk profile.

How to compare fit-out quotes fairly

Create a comparison table with one row per deliverable. For every quote, identify:

A quote that is lower because it omits half the scope is not a saving. Ask bidders to clarify differences before selecting.

A practical cost-control sequence

1. Freeze the service model and core menu.
2. Inspect the tenancy before committing where possible.
3. Confirm peak output and storage assumptions.
4. Design the workflow and equipment schedule together.
5. Verify utility capacity and ventilation feasibility.
6. Price the complete scope from coordinated information.
7. Separate essentials, opening-day priorities and future additions.
8. Protect lead-time items and approval milestones.
9. Control substitutions against capacity, utilities and warranty—not price alone.
10. Commission equipment and train staff before opening service.

Common budget mistakes

• Signing a lease before checking exhaust, power, gas, water and drainage feasibility.
• Buying equipment before the layout and service schedule are coordinated.
• Comparing model prices without freight, accessories or installation.
• Filling every spare area with equipment instead of protecting safe workflow.
• Selecting capacity from average trade rather than the peak service.
• Omitting smallwares, shelving, waste, cleaning, thermometers and staff facilities.
• Assuming existing equipment or services can be reused without inspection.
• Spending the contingency on upgrades before unknown site work is resolved.

Frequently asked questions

Can ProChef give a fit-out price before inspecting the site?

An early equipment allowance may be possible from a strong brief, but a dependable project figure requires confirmation of the site, services, scope and responsibilities. Treat any pre-inspection number as preliminary.

Should I buy equipment before signing a lease?

Usually, major purchases should wait until the tenancy and its utilities, access, ventilation pathway and approvals have been checked. Equipment that cannot be connected, exhausted or delivered into the space is not a bargain.

How can I reduce cost without reducing capacity?

Simplify the menu, share equipment across compatible processes, standardise pan and rack formats, use catalogue stainless where it fits, stage non-essential purchases, and consider documented pre-owned equipment selectively. Validate every change against peak output and food safety.

Does the fit-out quote include council approval?

There is no universal scope. Confirm in writing who prepares, submits and pays for each approval and who responds to conditions. Requirements vary by location, building and project.

Build the budget around your real service

The most useful fit-out budget is traceable: every cost connects to an operational need, documented site condition or project responsibility. That makes scope gaps visible and value engineering safer.

Discuss your project with ProChef’s commercial kitchen fit-out team or request an itemised quote.

General information only. Costs, approvals and technical requirements vary by project and jurisdiction. Obtain project-specific advice and quotations from qualified professionals.

Sources

• Safe Food Australia — FSANZ
• Food safety for food businesses — FSANZ