Buying a Kitchen Yourself: A Fit-Only Checklist

Why get a survey before you order?

Most retailer plans are drawn from measurements taken by the customer or by a designer on a short visit. A few centimetres out on a wall length, a window that is lower than expected, or a boiler in the way can mean a unit that will not fit, a missing filler or a worktop that is too short. A survey before ordering catches these while they cost nothing to fix.

On a survey visit we measure the room, check that walls are square and floors level, note where the gas, water, waste and electrics are, and check the plan against all of it. For fit-only jobs we also check what is on the order, so gaps can be filled before anything is delivered.

What should the plan show?

A plan you can order from should show every unit with its width and type, the worktop lengths and joint positions, and where the sink, hob, oven, fridge and dishwasher sit. It should also show the service positions, so the electrician and plumber know what to prepare. Check these points before you pay:

Wall lengths, window and door positions and ceiling height
Every base, wall and tall unit, with sizes and hinge sides
Worktop lengths, joints, cut-outs and overhangs
Appliance models, with housing sizes and ventilation gaps
Sink, hob and extractor positions against the existing services
Socket, switch and lighting positions for the electrician

What do people forget to order?

The units, doors and worktops are rarely forgotten. The small finishing parts often are, and a missing plinth or filler can hold up the end of a fit for days while it is ordered. Go through the order for each of these, and ask the retailer to confirm what is included with each unit and what is sold separately:

Filler panels for gaps at walls and corners
End panels for exposed unit sides, including tall units and islands
Plinths, plinth clips and corner pieces
Cornice, pelmet or light rail for wall units, if the design has them
Worktop joint strips, end caps, edging and upstands
Appliance door-fixing kits and integrated appliance housings
Sink, tap, waste kit and any overflow parts
Handles, with enough for every door and drawer

Which appliance details need checking?

Integrated appliances must suit their housings: fridge and freezer heights, oven housing apertures and dishwasher widths vary between makers. Check that the door-fixing kit suits the doors you have chosen, and whether the appliance uses a fixed hinge or a sliding hinge. Ventilation gaps in the plinth or housing must match the appliance's instructions.

Check power needs too. An induction hob or double oven may need a new dedicated circuit, and a boiling water tap needs a socket or fused spur in the sink unit. Manufacturers' warranties on appliances stay with you and the retailer, so keep the paperwork safe.

What should you check on delivery?

Check the delivery against the delivery note before signing, or sign as unchecked if the driver will not wait. Count the boxes, look for crushed corners and torn packaging, and inspect worktops and tall panels, which are the parts most easily damaged in transit. Report anything missing or damaged to the supplier straight away, with photos.

Before fitting, the delivery is checked against the plan and the delivery note. Missing or damaged items are the supplier's responsibility to replace, and if any turn up, you are told straight away so the fit can be re-planned around them rather than stopping halfway.

How should the kitchen be stored before fitting?

Keep everything in a dry, secure place, ideally inside the house. Chipboard swells if it gets damp, so a cold garage or shed can spoil carcasses and worktops over a few weeks. Store worktops flat and supported along their length, and stand tall panels on edge rather than leaning them against a wall.

Keep every box sealed. Do not open or assemble anything before the survey or the fit, as fixings and small parts get lost once packaging is opened and stacked around the house. Keep the delivery notes, plan and any packing lists together in one place.

What should you ask your installer before ordering?

Ask what the fitting price includes: removing the old kitchen, building flat-pack units, cutting and jointing worktops, connecting the sink and appliances, fitting panels, plinths and cornice, and taking away the packaging. Ask which other trades your layout needs, such as an electrician for a new cooker circuit or a Gas Safe registered engineer for a gas hob.

Then agree the dates in the right order: delivery, a check of the delivered items, strip-out, fitting and, for stone, the template visit. A fitting date booked before the delivery is confirmed can leave a fitter waiting on missing boxes, and the kitchen out of use for longer than it needs to be.

Who orders the stone worktop?

If you are buying stone, such as quartz, granite or sintered stone, you will usually deal with the stone supplier directly. They template the worktops once the base units are fixed and level, then cut and fit them about one to two weeks later. Book the template visit in advance to follow the base units.

Choose the sink, tap and hob before templating, because the cut-outs and tap holes are made to suit them. Laminate and wood worktops are different: they can be cut, jointed and fitted on site by the fitter, so they only need ordering at the right length with suitable joints and edging.

Questions

Should I assemble flat-pack units before the fitter arrives?

Usually not. Assembly done in a hurry or in the wrong order can leave units out of square, which shows later as misaligned doors and uneven worktops. Keep the boxes sealed until fitting day, so the fitter can check the contents against the plan and build each unit as it is needed.

Can you check a plan from another retailer?

Yes. On a survey visit we check the retailer's plan against the real room, including wall lengths, window heights, service positions and appliance housings, and point out anything missing from the order. If you would rather have a separate measured survey and layout plan, that is typically £300 to £900 including VAT.

What happens if parts are missing on fitting day?

The delivery is checked before fitting starts, so most gaps are found early. If something is missing or damaged, the supplier is responsible for replacing it, and you are told straight away. Where possible, everything else is fitted first and the job finished on a return visit, so the kitchen is not left unusable while you wait.

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This guide is general information about kitchen fitting in the UK, not legal, tax, electrical or structural advice for your property. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check with your local authority or a qualified adviser before relying on it.

Buying a kitchen yourself: what should you check before ordering?