DIY Kitchen Fitting-Planning Guide

Planning Your kitchen

Before you commence with any building project you should have a clear and
concise plan outlining what you are setting out to achieve and what is going to
need to be done to achieve it.
Good planning will save you both time and money and for that reason I have
set out a number of tips to help you get off to the best possible start.

" If your kitchen is going to be replaced rather than moved try to avoid moving
the location of sinks, sockets and appliances. This will dramatically reduce
the plumbing and electrical costs.

" I recommend that you take advantage of one of the many companies that
now offer a free 3D design and planning service. But be sure to have put as
much thought into the layout of your kitchen before you go ahead and order.
Once you are sure that you are happy with the plan try at all costs not to
change your mind. Changing your mind is an expensive business in building.
Even a small number of minor changes can have a significant effect on the
cost and timescale of your project even if you are carrying out the work
yourself. If you use a designer do not assume that his/her plan is 100%
accurate. Check the measurements and look over the plan for mistakes.

" Once you have your plan you need to choose a company to supply and or fit
your kitchen you may choose a kitchen from a company that didn't supply the
plan. If this is the case and the company has a free planning service use it.
Your original plan was to give you an idea of the look and feel of your proposed
kitchen and the new company may have very slight differences in the product
they supply.

" When choosing a company make sure you get at least 3 quotes. If a
company is offering large discounts, be wary. If someone offers you 50% off
ask yourself if doubling the price would give you a figure that anyone in their
right mind would pay for that particular kitchen. One of our suppliers has an
RRP that would not give value for money even if it was halved and so we avoid
discounts and just offer realistic prices from the outset.

" Paying too little for your kitchen will most likely result in a product that is
sub standard. The prospect of getting something cheap is tempting to all of us
but you should consider the fact that your kitchen suffers more abuse than
any other room in the house and you should buy something that will last.

" Nine out of ten people (in my opinion) will pay hundreds if not thousands of
pounds too much for their kitchen. Most kitchen suppliers will supply a similar
range of products but the price they charge will vary enormously.
Consider this two company's offer exactly the same product. Company A is a
large and well known kitchen supplier with an in house design service,
salesmen and women, showrooms, exclusive brochures and an aggressive
marketing campaign.
Company B is a small local company with a local advertising campaign and a
good reputation locally. Each company knows what margin they need to
achieve to maintain profitability and run a successful business.
The chances are that the large company has better buying power and can get
the kitchen a little cheaper but it's unlikely that the saving they made at
purchase will ever compensate for the kind of margins that they need to
achieve to make a profit. There are benefits from buying from a big reputable
company but be sure to get a spread of quotes so that you have some
benchmark figures and don't pay vastly too much.

" Flat pack or pre assembled? Pre assembled every time if you are paying
someone to fit it. If you go for flat pack consider, assembling the units yourself
or paying a handyman to do so rather than a skilled tradesman.

Lastly if you bought your kitchen from us and need further assistance
with fitting remember we are able to offer telephone advice Monday to
Saturday 8am - 8pm so don't hesitate to contact us.

For more on planning visit our planning tips page

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