Help with first time kitchen

Discussion in 'Kitchen Fitters' Talk' started by Peers Kirby, Jan 25, 2018.

  1. Peers Kirby

    Peers Kirby New Member

    Hi guys currently going through my first housing project , I'm 26 years old I've been working as a maintenance technician for the past 7 years so I'm quite handy around the house , I'm halfway through fully redoing the house out, I've now come upto the kitchen and after doing my research I've still got a few unanswered questions so hopefully you guys can Help,

    1. Do I need to take measurements while exsisting cabinets are still in place? Or could I literally gut the kitchen now before deciding on what kitchen I want and take measurements/design with a bare room

    2. Do I need a kitchen designer to ensure ive got the right measurements/lengths on new cabinets and work tops

    3.if so what's the Labour cost of having a kitchen designer and cost for a fitter (Labour only)

    4. Where's the place to buy kitchens? From what I'm reading mainline places like b and q are much pricier than other sources

    As it stands this is my plan , please chip in if something doesn't sit right as this is my very first time

    .Gut kitchen completely including walls and floors
    .replaster walls, install laminate
    .measure up kitchen
    .build kitchen
     
  2. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Can keep the present kitchen in use, while you work out a design, design a kitchen that works with the space available, & work out appliances position for ease of installation, the bosses input is essential, you'll move thing around before setting on a finish design,.

    Plenty of online planners around, as to kitchen I've use this firm several times, can't fault them.
    Might save a few pennies if on Quidco/TCB.

    http://www.diy-kitchens.com/

    DIY Kitchens,look under their Advice Guide, & you will find a planner, also some good video guides.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2018
  3. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Prior planning and preparation prevents **** poor performance.

    Do measure your kitchen carefully and find out the precise measurements of corner units which won't be the standard 400-500-600 dimension. L shaped corner unit is typically around 933mm - 600mm worktop depth plus 300mm sticky out cabinet plus some more.

    Most kitchen places provide a free planning service also, so once you have your design, take it along to ensure everything will fit as expected.
     
  4. Hi Peers.

    Starting with an empty room is a luxury not many people have! I guess, then, you are not living in it at the moment (because as soon as you rip out the old, you will be kitchen-less for a while...)

    Chances are you can take perfectly good measurements right now - just go from wall to wall in between the base and wall units.

    Will the walls need reskimming?

    What layout will the new kitchen be? A straight run? An 'L'. A 'U'? Depending on this, the measurements can be more critical, as the 'bottom' of a 'U' needs to be fitted spot on to look good, although there are lots of tweaks that can be used to absorb the odd inch here and there...

    Anyhoo, I reckon you can work out your layout yourself. Are any walls or doors etc going to be moved? Is the cooker (gas?) or sink moving to a new position? Will the extractor hood have access to an outside wall for venting?

    Stand and look at your kitchen space - visualise the room and where you think the units will be running. Any b'bars? Is it large enough for an island? Or is it basically a like-for-like swap with nicer units?

    Google kitchen 'images' - scroll through endless pages of stuff, bookmarking everything you like the looks of - either the unit finishes/colours, or the use of particular splashbacks, or decorative unit-end fillets/pillars, or dramatic wall units arrangements, or worktop types, and sinks, taps, stuff - and don't forget FLOORING finishes that work for your ideas.

    When it comes to the actual unit layout, you have a number of options. You could ask for help on here..., or take your measurements to any DIY 'shed' (but expect them to simply 'fit in' units to the space, and not provide a 'designer' service), or even employ a pro designer to plan the kitchen of your dreams - but that will cost.

    It really depends on your budget and what you are after; is it a 'nice' kitchen, or a jaw-dropper?

    If you are a maintenance tech, then almost certainly you can fit 90% of this kitchen yourself and save many many £100's. I'd suggest that the worktops are best left to pros, tho'.

    And gas. And possibly water. And possibly leccy.
     
  5. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    300m:eek:
     
  6. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    yeh OK, you know what I mean. Pedant :p
     
    KIAB likes this.
  7. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    And location of extractor hood for cooker, having it located on a outside wall, makes it a easy job to vent to the outside.
     
  8. Jord86

    Jord86 Screwfix Select


    1. Don't touch your existing until you have your new ready to be installed, do you really want to be eating cold beans out of a tin every night for dinner? If not you, think of any dependants living with you.

    2. Not if you research the sizes of units and worktops, can add up and take away, and have at least half a working brain. Though be aware you will need to take your services into account, don't just buy a load of units without realising you actually have to hide the pipes and cables behind them.

    3. Use common sense, you could have a Howdens kitchen of 10 units or a top quality German kitchen (insert name here) of 20 units, an island and Italian marble tiles for a splashback. So between £1000 or £10,000.

    4. Lots of people on this forum speak highly of DIY Kitchens, I'd start with them.
     
  9. CGN

    CGN Screwfix Select

    All in the planning as mentioned.
    No harm in getting a few quotes/designs from local companies to get different design perspectives and some ideas. They're usually free.
     
  10. Peers Kirby

    Peers Kirby New Member

    I'll get some pictures of my kitchen for you guys later , I'm literally looking to do a like for like swap with everything in the same position as it is , cooker vents already in place ECT. So it's literally just going to be a case of replacing all appliances, cupboards and work top (along with redoing the walls and flooring) , I'm looking to add an island which is the only thing it hasn't currently got and to fit a dishwasher , I currently have no dishwasher but I have a washing machine and a tumble dryer , so plan to swap this for a washer dryer then plumb in a dishwasher next to it.
    I live in this property alone but the whole idea behind this project is to add value onto the house ready for resale (I paid £110,000 for it 3 years ago which was a very good price as the tenants were in a rush to leave I managed to put an offer and close the offer on the same day the house was put on the market , the houses either side of mine are identical layout/size/spec the only difference is that there modernised inside both were brought for £140,000+ in the past 3 years , mines also had a bathroom extension so that should help value abit)
     
  11. In that case, Peers (why does that name make me all clammy?) this is a perfect DIY job for you.

    Start your research - google for info on how to fit units. Watch YouTube vids. On this.

    We can fill in the gaps, but hopefully we won't have to start you off from scratch...

    The only really tricky bit is the worktop, so you'll need to make a decision whether to buy the guides and a router and tackle this yourself, or else get someone in to fit them. (Have a look in your local paper, and ask at builder's merchants - those with kitchens.)
     
  12. Muzungu

    Muzungu Screwfix Select

    Hi Peers. Just in that last stages of doing this myself for the first time and it has gone well, 2.6 by 4.6 kitchen and utility room off 2.8 by 2. I did take the opportunity to remodel slightly but around the existing utilities, don't rule it out if possible. My aim was to do the whole lot myself without getting anyone in and so far it has worked. I used opunplanner to do a simple layout.

    Agree that the worktops were a challenge but the way I designed my layout there were no joints and I used wood so managed myself. Not sure I would necessarily recommend that in a busy kitchen as they require a bit of looking after but they do look good and it suits me. The bit that I found most frustrating was making good the walls, I had to remove a tiled splashback and eventually just cut it out and replaced the board. I could have saved myself a lot of grief, and dust, by getting a plasterer in but that would have been cheating.

    The other thing I found as that as I went along I became more and more perfectionist and my eye would be caught by things that no one else would notice. Even if something was hidden behind the units it would work on me!

    I ripped everything out and just had the cooker dishwasher and sink (on stilts!) for a couple of months. Really enjoyed the build up after the rip out once I had two nice clean "boxes" to work in.

    I know there is some argument about this but the last thing I did was put in the laminate, not under the cabinets.
     
  13. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    You can add valve to a house with well designed kitchen,you need easy access three main area's of the kitchen that is fridge,cooker & sink efficent work surface.
    There was a survey done last year, apparantly a new kitchen will add around 4.6 per cent to the value.
     
  14. There's nothing wrong with taking the flooring to just behind the plinths, Muz.

    In some cases - thick laminate with underlay (a touch 'springy'...) - this could even cause some movement in the base units if they were placed fully on top, and might even reduce the ability of the flooring to 'move' as many need to do with the seasons.

    Any chance of some photos, Muzzie? :)
     
  15. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Agree with laminate, but if tiles, then tile the whole floor.

    Seen it more than once with kitchen remodeling, you got nice floor tiles, that are worth saving, but end up replacing the lot because of missing area's & the tile shade isn't available any more to infill.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2018
  16. Oh, all right then... :oops:
     
    KIAB likes this.
  17. Peers Kirby

    Peers Kirby New Member

    Yeah the work tops were my biggest worry lies so it may be worth getting someone in for that I'll see how it goes , the walls are tiled I plan on removing these then getting the walls replastered , then it will be either re-tile or I've heard of some vinyl type boards you can use with granite look ECT.

    I can't see any reason to relocate anything but I'm all for hearing your opinions on this

    I wanted to laminate the room completely cause I can't see a way off accuratley cutting the laminate flush to the cupboards without having to fit Scotia all around + if eventually appliances get changed there might be a size difference , currently the floors tiled to the edge of the cupboards so not full room
     
  18. Dr Bodgit

    Dr Bodgit Super Member

    Really no need to put down the laminate first as long as you plan and lay the floor before laying down plinth and end panels.
     
  19. ME69

    ME69 Member

    I did my own kitchen in December and all went well. Some good advice available on here but it all makes sense once you take the time to work it out.

    Bought from DIY kitchens and designed myself. If you are just doing like for like then you don't really need to measure anything other than what's already there and buy the same again. Dead simple.

    If you want to think about something with a different layout get a salesman from Howden's around and let them do the leg work, they might convince you to buy a kitchen from them whilst they're there, but that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

    Its easy to lay floor to base unit legs, then put the plinth on top of it. That easily hides the edge. I put engineered oak down and didn't want to ruin it moving all the units around, painting etc, so put the kitchen in, laid the floor, then put the end panels and plinth on afterwards. I scratched it just getting the integrated freezer in so no doubt would have inflicted a lot more damage had I laid it first.

    I was quoted £900 for the fit by a local kitchen fitter that I've used before. He reckoned it would have taken him around 5 days. It probably took me double that, probably more considering I had a week off work, worked both weekends and did first thing in the morning until last thing at night, but that's hardly a surprise given that I'm an accountant by trade and also had to paint, do the flooring and a few other bits that he wouldn't have done.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  20. KIAB

    KIAB Super Member

    Laying laminate is the last job in a kitchen,before fitting kickboards,after fitting all units,etc,no chance of damage to flooring if you drop a tool or something else.
     
    Dr Bodgit likes this.

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