Kitchen design and planning in Antrim

Is kitchen design and planning right for your Antrim kitchen?

People in County Antrim planning an open-plan kitchen-diner often want a layout drawn before their builder starts, so services end up in exactly the right places.

In an Antrim semi with a small back kitchen, planning often comes down to fitting more storage and worktop into the same footprint without crowding the room. We work throughout Antrim (BT41) and across the wider County Antrim area.

What is included in the work?

Here is what usually goes into kitchen design and planning, adjusted to your Antrim kitchen after we have measured it:

A final plan and specification to order from and fit to
Layout options such as galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, island or peninsula
Elevations and 3D views for larger or open-plan kitchens where chosen
Socket, switch, lighting and extraction positions marked for the electrician
Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
Working zones planned for preparation, cooking, washing and storage

What should you budget for kitchen design and planning in Antrim?

The figures below are guide prices for Antrim, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across Northern Ireland. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Costs across Northern Ireland tend to sit under UK averages, which these ranges reflect.

What should you budget for kitchen design and planning in Antrim?
Typical project	Guide price
Design for a kitchen we supplyMeasured survey, layout plan and specification are part of the supply-and-fit price	Included
Measured drawings and layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhereMeasured drawing, layout and service positions for your fitter and supplier	£260–£790
Detailed design with 3D views and elevationsFor larger or open-plan kitchens	£530–£1,300

Design is included in the supply-and-fit price; for kitchens bought elsewhere, the guide prices cover the measured survey, layout drawing and service positions, with 3D views and elevations in the detailed option. The survey visit to quote is free; the fee covers the measured drawings and layout plan you can take to any supplier. Prices include VAT at 20%.

Local homes and their kitchens

Across County Antrim you will often find red-brick terraces, Victorian villas, post-war estate houses and rural bungalows, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Red-brick terraces in Belfast often have a narrow kitchen in the return, while estate houses and rural bungalows tend to have a separate kitchen with room for a table.

Mains water across most of County Antrim is soft, so limescale is less of a problem and taps and boiling water taps tend to stay cleaner. Terraced streets with entries at the back, city flats with booked lifts and country lanes can each affect deliveries, so the route for worktops is checked at the survey.

Do you need approval for kitchen design and planning in Antrim?

In Northern Ireland, a new kitchen layout needs no planning permission, but structural changes and new drainage connections go to council building control. Domestic electrics have no notification scheme, though socket and circuit positions should be designed, installed and tested to BS 7671. Technical Booklet K covers ventilation, and moving a gas hob means new pipework by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Listed buildings and conservation areas in older parts of Belfast and the county towns may need consent for new vents, and apartment owners usually need management consent.

Practical advice for Antrim homeowners

Measure the appliances you are keeping, including the depth with the doors open, and bring the sizes to the design meeting.
Count the small appliances you use every day, such as a kettle, toaster and coffee machine, so enough worktop sockets are planned for them.
If your home in County Antrim has a boiler in the kitchen, ask for service access to be designed in rather than boxed in tightly.
Plan landing space either side of the hob and next to the oven and fridge, so hot pans and shopping always have somewhere to go.

Questions about kitchen design and planning in Antrim

How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Antrim?

For measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere, budget around £260 to £790 including VAT in Antrim. That reflects typical costs in Northern Ireland; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Can you measure up in Antrim before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Antrim. We measure the room, check the walls, floor and service positions, then send an itemised written quote.

What are the standard sizes of kitchen units and worktops?

Base units are typically 600 mm deep, with worktops around 900 mm from the floor, though the plinth height can raise or lower this slightly. Unit widths come in standard steps, commonly from 150 mm up to 1,000 mm, and wall units are shallower, often around 300 to 350 mm deep. A plan built on real measurements uses filler panels to take up any leftover space.

What is the kitchen work triangle?

The work triangle is a planning idea that links the sink, hob and fridge, keeping each within a short, unobstructed walk of the others so cooking takes fewer steps. It is still a useful check, but many kitchens are now planned in zones for preparation, cooking, washing and storage, which suits larger and open-plan rooms where more than one person uses the space.

How long does kitchen design take?

Usually one to three weeks from the survey to a final plan, depending on how many layout options you want to compare and how quickly choices about doors, worktops and appliances are made. A replacement in the same layout can be settled quickly, while an open-plan room with an island or moved services often takes a few rounds of changes.

Kitchen design and planning near Antrim

We also carry out kitchen design and planning in these towns near Antrim: