It is accentual that you get the order in which a kitchen should be planned, to make sure there are no unnecessary delays



First of all you need to have it made clear as to how much work the builders are doing within the kitchen, are they going to do all the electrical works? These works are carried out in two parts, which initials first fix, normally wiring done before plastering etc and then second fix, connections made once the kitchen is in place (connections of appliances etc)

It is common practise that the builders would normally carry out at least the first fix, this then allows the kitchen company to commence works after the plastering has been done (our services would allow for us to come to site and show the electrician where the appropriate outlets would need to go, or we could supply a detailed drawing if preferred) (we also use an electrician who is NICEIC registered and works to the part P regulation, this qualification allows you to get a certificate for the works

(Please bear in mind that it would be better if the second fix is done by the same person/company that installs the first fix)

Other works to be agreed with the builder are plumbing and gas connections etc, the first fix will need to be in place prior to the installation and sometime even before the floor is laid (We use a plumber that is gas safety registered)

Once you have established who is doing what, then its time to start thinking about your dream kitchen

Some kitchen companies can take around 12 weeks for their ordering period and some even longer; this then makes it best to start getting estimates and plans as early as possible (our ordering period for our bespoke kitchens are normally 4-6 weeks and shorter for our standard manufactured kitchens)

Preparation prior to a kitchen planner's visit:

There are a lot of questions you can ask yourself which will help the kitchen planner to do their job, below is a list of some common questions

What type of oven do I want?

Do you want a range cooker, a built under oven or an eye level oven in a tall housing?

If you choose an oven in a tall housing it is important to remember that tall housings usually go on the end of a worktop run or next to other tall kitchen units.

What type of fridge or fridge/freezer do I want?

Do you want a fridge freezer in a tall housing a freestanding fridge freezer, a built under model or an American fridge freezer?

Again like the oven, tall fridge freezers in housings or freestanding usually go on the end of a worktop runs or next to other tall kitchen units or on their own with no worktop next to them.

American fridge freezers can take up a lot of room and can free stand or can be built in between other tall units and have a top box above (remember that an American fridge freezer may require some space at the sides for the doors to open fully) so plan to keep the fridge away from tight corners

What other appliances do I want?

Sometimes a smaller kitchen is so compact that it is impossible to have all the appliances that you may require, so have the list ready for the designer, he/she can then best advise you how you might include your appliances

Worktops:

There are many different types of worktops to choose from in the kitchen industry, I have listed a few in price order to help you consider your options

Laminate Worktops (these are made from a chipboard core with a hard melamine type surface over the top, also available in a gloss finish, please note that the gloss finishes are less durable that the textured types and may scratch)

Timber Worktops (these worktops can come in different thicknesses, ours are 27mm and 40mm and come in a variety of different material the most popular being Beech, Oak and Iroko, please note these worktops do require maintaining by oiling regularly

Composite Worktops (these are man made worktops usually made from a hard material that is mixed with resin to bond them together, we use Silestone said to be the hardest man made stone available in the kitchen industry, we also use Corian which appears to be seamless when joined, because of there use of fine textured materials

Granite Worktops (These are the most popular worktop that we use, available in light and dark colours, very strong and are very attractive in appearance because of their Natural look, available in a standard 30mm thickness or can even be built up to 40, 50 or 60mm by adding 2 thicknesses together, these can also have shaped details to create a very attractive edge profile) (the above also applies to silestone worktops)

Stainless Steel (These are worktops that are fabricated from sheets of s/s and can have nice features such as seamlessly under mounted sinks)

Glass worktops (These worktops usually come in a smaller 20mm thickness and have a coloured backing, this gives the worktop a coloured appearance, there are lots of colours to choose from and up-stand and splash backs are available too

Some other tips when choosing your work tops:

Please note that under mount and Butler/Belfast sinks are not compatible with laminate worktops, you will need to use an insert type sink.

What is an under mount sink?

Under mount sinks come in stainless steel, ceramic and even composite stone, they are fitted flush into the top of the sink unit, which then allows the granite (stone etc) to be cut, shaped and polished to the shape of the sinks, you can also have more than one sink and these can even be different sizes

Butler/Belfast sinks are fitted in a similar way except the front of the sink is usually seen and the granite (stone etc) is cut in a "U" shape

Both applications can have the addition of a drainer formed in the stone, usually 5 grooves; there are a several designs to choose from

Another consideration for the sink:

These are usually placed in front of a window, where applicable and will need to suit external drainage (this is usually the first element that is positioned in a kitchen plan)

From here on you need to position the rest of the units in order of the oven, hob and Fridge freezer

hope this has all been if help!