Are you looking for a kitchen renovation in Geneva, whether in a small flat in Pâquis, in an older building in Plainpalais or in a villa on the outskirts? On paper the job is the same, but the location changes a great deal: access, co-ownership, managing agent, constraints of the building. This page sets out what you need to know before requesting a quote to redo a kitchen in Switzerland’s second-largest city.
What a renovated kitchen in Geneva involves
A kitchen renovation is more than changing cupboard fronts. Depending on the scale of the project, it covers:
- stripping out the old installation and removing the rubble;
- plumbing: water supply, drainage, connecting the sink and dishwasher;
- electrics: sockets, dedicated circuits for large appliances, worktop lighting;
- fitting: units, worktop, possibly an island or tall units;
- appliances: hob, oven, fridge, dishwasher;
- tiling or splashback;
- ventilation or extractor hood.
Not all of these items are always involved. Some owners keep the sink where it is and only change the units and appliances; others move the whole kitchen. The more connections you move, the more trades the job involves and the more the preparation matters.
Small flats in Pâquis, Eaux-Vives and Jonction
Geneva is a very urban city-canton, and its dense districts have many compact homes. In this type of flat, the kitchen is often small, sometimes open to the living room, sometimes a simple kitchenette. The work then focuses on making the most of the space: made-to-measure units, tall units reaching the ceiling, built-in appliances, a worktop cut around an obstacle.
What matters in these homes is logistics. Units and appliances must fit through the stairwell or the lift, and the neighbours are close: the noise of strip-out and drilling carries through the whole building. Before work begins, ask the managing agent or the co-ownership about the building’s rules on working hours, use of the lift and storing materials in the communal areas.
Older buildings in Plainpalais, Champel and the old town
Around Saint-Pierre Cathedral and in several districts, the buildings are old. Opening up a kitchen in these buildings sometimes brings surprises: original pipework, electrics that need redoing, uneven walls that complicate fitting a worktop or units with flush edges. Tradespeople often allow time for a diagnosis at strip-out, because the real condition of the pipes only shows once the old kitchen has been removed.
Ventilation deserves particular attention. In an older building, it is not always possible to create an outlet to the outside; a recirculating hood or a connection to an existing duct may be the only option. This is a point to discuss at the first visit, because it affects the choice of hood and the budget.
The old town and protected districts add another layer of rules. Cutting through a facade for a hood outlet or altering an original feature may be regulated. Always check with the municipality or the relevant cantonal department before planning any work visible from outside.
Villas and houses: more freedom, other questions
In a villa, the kitchen can be enlarged, opened onto the garden or moved. The owner does not need a landlord’s approval, but moving walls or altering the building envelope may require a building permit. In Geneva, these permits are issued by the canton, through the building permits office. Changing appliances and fittings like for like is in principle a different matter, but the question arises as soon as you touch the structure or the outside appearance.
Energy also comes into play: the canton applies the cantonal energy law (LEn) and the cantonal energy office (OCEN) runs the subsidies of the Buildings Programme. A kitchen alone is not covered, but if you use the work to review the envelope or the heating, find out the current conditions before ordering anything.
Tenant or co-owner: written approval first
In Geneva, a large share of homes are rented, and many buildings are run by managing agents. If you are a tenant, any renovation that alters the installation (moving the sink, a new electrical circuit, changing a fixed worktop) requires the landlord’s written approval. Send the managing agent a precise description, with plans or sketches if possible, and keep their reply. Verbal approval is not enough in the event of a dispute when you move out.
In co-ownership, the approval of the co-owners may be needed as soon as the work affects water risers, shared ventilation or the facade. Check the building’s rules and inform the administrator.
Describing your project to get comparable quotes
A quote is only useful if it is based on a clear request. Before contacting anyone, gather:
- the approximate size of the kitchen and its position in the home;
- what you are keeping (sink position, recent appliances) and what you are changing;
- your wishes for the fittings, worktop, splashback and ventilation;
- the floor, whether there is a lift, and any access constraints;
- your status: owner, co-owner or tenant, and where things stand with the landlord’s approval;
- photos of the current room, including the sockets, water supply and hood.
Also say whether you prefer a single contact who coordinates the trades or whether you will manage each contractor yourself. Both approaches exist; they are not equal in terms of the time they take or the responsibility involved.
What a kitchen quote should itemise
To compare reliably, a quote should list line by line the strip-out and removal, plumbing, electrics, fitting, worktop, appliances (supplied or not), splashback and ventilation. Check that connections, finishes and making good the walls are either included or clearly excluded.
The cost varies according to several factors: the range of units and worktop, the choice of appliances, the number of connections moved, the condition of the installations discovered at strip-out, difficult access in a dense building, and the number of trades to coordinate. No reliable figure can be given without a visit: only a quote drawn up for your kitchen provides one.
If you are ready, you can request a quote by describing your project; your request is passed to tradespeople and firms in the area, who will contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.
Useful pages for your project in Geneva
- The trade in general: kitchen renovation
- The city: work in Geneva
- The canton: canton of Geneva
- In the same city: bathroom renovation in Geneva, air conditioning in Geneva, electrician in Geneva
Updated 29 October 2026