What a New Kitchen Really Involves
When you first start looking at replacing your kitchen, it can seem as simple as bringing in a new sofa suite; a little bit of disturbance, bumping and banging and it's all over by tea-time!
Unfortunately, there is more to it than that, but to be forewarned is to be forearmed so consider this your warning and advice!
How Long Does It Take To Design A Kitchen?
The design phase usually takes six or more weeks, from first site visit to signing off the design ready to handover to the cabinetmaker. There are lots of decisions to make, ranging from layout and appliances, to colours and of course budget. From sign off, you will have between two and twelve weeks before delivery, depending on supplier.
During the design phase, you will need to work out the scope of the works needed and gather quotes from the various tradespersons. This will impact your budget and timescale, meaning you may need to reassess elements like appliances and cabinetry. This is a good time to upgrade any plumbing or electrics in the rest of the house.
Each trade will pop in and out at various times during the project, as and when they are needed. They are used to changing timescales and do their best to stay as flexible as they can. To keep your tradespeople happy, do try to give them as much notice as you can, and don’t add surprise jobs like “could you just change the boiler” because they will have factored in the timescales for multiple projects at a time.
Ripping Out Your Kitchen
Firstly, you will need to rip out your old kitchen. Set up a temporary kitchen for the next two weeks in another room with a kettle, microwave and perhaps a camp stove if you feel particularly adventurous! I always advise inviting friends for supper before installing your new kitchen so that you can call in a returned favour of a hot meal when you've run out of ideas for things you can cook in a microwave!
If your kitchen is still in good condition, you can look at selling it on websites like Used Kitchen Exchange, Ebay or Facebook Marketplace (also good places to look to buy second hand kitchen bits). Unfortunately, it will most likely end up in a skip which is a real shame, but it is wood that has been in daily use for 10+ years so I try not to feel too guilty. Have a look at my blog on Designing an Eco Kitchen to assist you in making the best decisions for your new kitchen.
Remember: Tradespeople like hot drinks so buy a jumbo pack of tea bags, coffee and sugar, and don't clear out your old mugs just yet.
Kitchen Electrics
The electrician will be needed before ripping out your kitchen so they can disconnect any hardwired in appliances like your electric hob and most ovens. If you have gas, you will need to have a gas registered plumber to cap that off safely for you too.
Once you have your empty room, your electrician will do what is known as First Fix. This is running the appropriate cables to the right areas of the kitchen, for appliances, lighting and sockets, either by fixing them directly to the wall in areas which will be hidden by kitchen cabinetry, or by cutting channels in the walls which will be plastered over later on.
There are generally two cables used, a 30Amp which is used on high power appliances like your induction hob, and 13Amp which is used everywhere else including wall sockets.
Your electrician will need plans of your new kitchen and the location of all your wall sockets. Now is also the perfect time to change any ceiling lighting or switch locations.
Remember: If you have an outdated fuse box, they are required by law to update it which will be an additional cost to consider, around £1,000
Kitchen Plumbing
You will need the plumber before ripping out your old kitchen as they will need to disconnect your sink (unless you have a good knowledge of what needs doing, and you feel confident doing this yourself).
Once you have an empty room, they will adjust any pipework for the new sink position and any radiators that need adjusting. This may just involve extending or shortening the existing pipes if they aren’t moving far, but can involve cutting channels in the floor or walls to bring in new feeds for larger repositionings. I talk about moving the kitchen sink in this blog here
They will then pop back at the end of the installation to re-connect the sink, dishwasher and washing machine.
Remember: if you choose to have a water or ice dispenser in your fridge, you may need a direct water feed. Check this is possible before buying your appliance
RePlastering Your Kitchen
Your kitchen is now looking a real mess and you’ve already been camping out with your microwave for perhaps three days, but things are about to start going back in! The plasterer will come and Make Good. They will skim over any rough walls from old tiles or upstands, and fill in any holes the electrician and plumber have made. This is good to get done just before the weekend as it will need a few days to dry.
Remember: If possible, have them come in on Friday so you have the weekend for the plaster to dry when trades wouldn't be working anyway
Kitchen Flooring
Your kitchen will most likely involve new flooring. Depending on the type you choose, this can be done before or after kitchen installation. If you have thick flooring like stone or wood, this will be run wall to wall so will need installing before the rest of the kitchen goes in. For thinner floors like lino, this can be done after the kitchen and just popped under the plinth.
Remember: If you're using thinner flooring like LVT (luxury Vinyl Tiles), this can be done after the kitchen and you don't need to buy nearly as many square meters because you don't need to tile under the kitchen units.
ReDecorating Your Kitchen
Unless you like the patchy pink look, you will want to re-decorate! This can be done by you or a professional, but it is so much easier to do in an empty room as you can splash to your heart's content. Exposed plaster will need a Mist Coat which is a watered down layer of paint to seal the new plaster before you can paint over it normally. Remember, a good kitchen can add 6% of value to the price of your home, and first impressions to a new homeowner are important. It also ties a room together and calms the whole scheme down in a often messy and busy space.
Remember: Decorating an empty room is much easier than painting after the kitchen is fitted
Finally, the Kitchen Installation!
You now have a beautiful empty, painted room with just a few wires hanging out of the wall so you can now fit your new beautiful kitchen. There are millions of videos on YouTube if you are a complete DIY-er but a good fit adds so much value to the appearance of your kitchen and it would be such a shame to ruin it now!
It will cost around £1,000 and will take about a week. If you have granite tops, they will be templated after the base units are completed and then delivered 7-10 days later. The plumber and electrician will come in on the same day to connect up your new sink and hob.
Remember: The quality of fit makes such a difference to the appearance of a kitchen so it's worth getting a professional fitter in
CONGRATULATIONS
You can now sit down to a well-deserved first meal after 2-3 weeks of camping out and ordering take-aways.
Enjoy your new kitchen, it will be fantastic