What to Expect During a Kitchen Installation
If you have never brought a new kitchen before, then it can be pretty easy to underestimate what actually is involved during a kitchen installation. There are many factors to consider which will we explore below.
After the initial excitement of planning and designing your new kitchen, it’s time for the real work to begin…
A kitchen installation, which is more like a small construction project taking place in your home can be quite inconvenient and stressful if you are not prepared for what is involved - And remember, it will get worse before it gets better!
Kitchen Design and Installation - Why it’s important to work with professionals
There are many options out there when it comes to designing your own kitchen and you may consider yourself quite good at DIY, but can you afford, not only financially but also time wise to get it wrong?
That’s why we recommend always working with a professional, and that’s where we come in.
Our kitchen design process has been created and tweaked over the years to ensure a smooth transition from concept to completion. Our expert design team have been in the industry for many years and always keep the installation part at the forefront when designing kitchens.
Project Management - Who is going to run your project?
Installing your kitchen cabinets and worktops is only one part of the kitchen project and often, many trades are involved all at once. There are parts of the renovation that can not happen until the other steps have been completed and if your project has not been planned correctly, there is a high chance that something will go wrong and it will take much longer than anticipated and delay the next steps of the process.
Project management does come at an additional cost and it is something to consider when planning your kitchen project. Do you have the time and experience to manage the project yourself, or is your time better spent elsewhere?
The project manager will be your main point of contact through the kitchen renovation and will complete a very clear schedule of work. They will work directly with the required tradespersons and often make site visits to ensure everything is running smoothly and according to the plan.
Start Dates - When will your new kitchen be fitted?
As previously mentioned, there are many factors that will need to be considered before deciding a start date for the kitchen units to be installed, but a clear start date will be given in advance. Where possible, we always aim to start on the date given but as with any home improvement project, often things don’t always go to plan. There might be a delay with the flooring for example, your extension hasn’t been completed in the time frame the builder has given, your new bi-folding doors have arrived damaged from the factory and need to be returned etc.
End Dates - When will you be actually able to use your new kitchen?
If your new kitchen needs to be completed by a certain date, then we recommend bringing the start date forward as much as possible.
A typical “Dry fit” a term you’ve probably come across when looking at new kitchens and kitchen installation, typically takes 3-5 working days, depending on the size of your kitchen. It’s always a good idea though to allow a bit longer as any snags will need to be completed.
This timeframe is only ever used as an estimate and our installation team of experienced kitchen fitters will work until your kitchen is complete. Something to consider is trying to avoid putting pressure on the installation team to complete your kitchen as quickly as possible. Rushing the install will more than likely lead to things going wrong which will ultimately cause delays, which neither you or us want to happen!
Preparing and protecting your home
Before your new kitchen install can be started, there are few things to consider.
Does your old kitchen need ripping out and disposing of? If so, who is going to do that? Remember, gas, water and electric all need to be disconnected and made safe.
What flooring are you going to have? If you are deciding on having new flooring, it is important to let the person who is overseeing the installation know. If you have gone back to the floorboards, the sub flooring at a bare minimum will need to be installed before the kitchen units. If not, this can affect the height of the base units, which typically sit 900mm high. If you looking to have quartz waterfall end panels, this can only be templated once the flooring has been fully completed.
Clear walk ways of furniture and delicate/valuable items including pictures on the walls.
Make some space for storage, preferably in a spare room or garage.
Empty all of the old cupboards and drawers and store them in another room - But leave the kettle!
It might also be worth investing in a slow cooker or air fryer, unless you don’t mind takeaways during the installation.
Dust and Cleanliness - Yes, it will get dusty
There is not much that can be done about dust during the kitchen installation, especially if you are completing a full renovation. As a general rule, the older the property the worse the dust will be. No matter what, a good standard of housekeeping will be maintained during the installation but it can’t be 100% while the works are in progress. We ask for a little patience and understanding, as it can be quite hard to complete a job in someone’s home and be perfectly clean and tidy.
The room will be cleaned on completion but we recommend a deep clean once all the work has been completed by either yourself or a professional cleaning company.
Please also note that all waste will be collected at the end of the installation if no skip is available.
What time will the kitchen fitter be on site?
Typically, the industry adopts a 8am start time and a 4:30pm finish Monday to Friday. Some kitchen fitters may want to come in on Saturday, but it is always best to discuss with the fitter beforehand.
A few other things to consider
Your designs and 3D images will be brought to life and your kitchen installed to the plans which is in the agreement of sale. Changing things around once the installation has started will not only cause delays but will also incur additional costs. It’s important that you fully understand what is being installed and how it will look before signing the agreement and arranging installation.
The computer designs to the actual reality will never be 100% exact, so bear this in mind.
Always raise any issues or concerns via email with images as early as possible.
Completing and signing off
We will, where possible come to complete a formal sign off. Sometime, this will not be necessary and email confirmation will suffice. Either way, once all invoices have been paid, you are deemed satisfied.
However, this does not devoid the company from putting anything right if you are not 100% happy with our work or product.
All of our products come with a 10 year warranty and 2 year workmanship warranty.
If you have any further questions, either give us a call/email or alternatively check out FAQ page.