How it works
How a kitchen installation works, step by step
Every kitchen we fit follows the same sequence, so the trades arrive in the right order and finished work is never damaged by the next job.
1. Get a guide price
Use the guide-price tool or call us. Choose fit only, supply and fit or individual upgrades, tell us the size and layout, and add your postcode for a realistic range for your region before anyone visits.
2. Free survey visit
We measure the room and check the walls, floor, ceiling, window and door positions, and where the water, waste, gas and electrics run. On a fit-only job we look at the plan and, if it has arrived, the delivery. The visit is free and there is no obligation.
3. Itemised written quote
You receive a written quote broken down by stage and trade: strip-out, electrics, plumbing, gas, fitting, worktops, tiling, flooring and decorating. It lists anything that depends on others, such as a stone worktop fabricator, a structural engineer or building control, and says what is excluded. Your price is fixed in writing once the layout, specification and scope are agreed.
4. Ordering and checking deliveries
On supply-and-fit jobs we order the kitchen and take delivery. On fit-only jobs you order it, and before fitting we check every item against the plan and the delivery note. Anything missing or damaged is reported straight away so the supplier can replace it and the fit can be re-planned.
5. Strip-out and first fix
The old kitchen comes out, with gas capped by a Gas Safe registered engineer and circuits made safe by an electrician. New cables, pipework and waste runs go in while the walls are open, and any plastering is done so it can dry.
6. Units and worktops
Base, wall and tall units are fixed, levelled and secured. Laminate and wood worktops are cut and jointed on site; stone is templated once the base units are fixed and fitted about one to two weeks later.
7. Second fix and appliances
Sockets, switches, lighting, sink, tap, waste and appliances are connected. Electrics are tested and certified to BS 7671, notifiable work is notified where the rules require it, and gas hobs are connected and tested by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
8. Finishing
Doors and drawers are adjusted, then panels, plinths, cornice, splashbacks, flooring and decorating finish the room.
9. Final check and handover
We go round the finished kitchen with you, list anything that needs attention and put it right. You receive the electrical certificate, gas paperwork, any building control or warrant completion certificate, and the manufacturers' documents for units and appliances.
Payments: how and when payments are made is set out in your written quote before work starts. We never ask you to pay for work that has not been agreed in writing.
Questions about the process
Will you fit a kitchen I have bought elsewhere?
Yes. We fit kitchens from any retailer, trade counter or online supplier, flat-pack or rigid. Before fitting we check the delivery against the plan and the delivery note. Missing or damaged parts are the supplier's responsibility to replace, and we tell you straight away so the fit can be re-planned. Please keep the boxes sealed until fitting day.
How long does it take to fit a kitchen?
Usually three to twelve days on site: three to five for a small kitchen, five to eight for a medium one and eight to twelve for a large one. Stone worktops are fitted about one to two weeks after templating, and new plaster needs three to six weeks to dry before full decorating.
Do I need building regulations approval or certificates for a new kitchen?
Fitting units does not need approval, but parts of the job may. Electrical work is tested and certified to BS 7671, and notifiable work in England and Wales is notified through a registered competent person scheme or building control. Gas work is done by Gas Safe registered engineers. For load-bearing walls we arrange building control approval, or a building warrant in Scotland.
Can I use my kitchen while it is being fitted?
Not for most of the job. Once the old kitchen comes out there is no sink or cooker until the new ones are connected, usually around one to two weeks for a typical refit. We tell you in advance which days the water and power will be off, so you can set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house.