Kitchen design and planning · County Antrim
Kitchen design and planning in Belfast
Homeowners and landlords in Belfast can book us for kitchen design and planning: measured surveys and layout plans that place units, appliances, sockets and services before you order.
When does kitchen design and planning make sense in Belfast?
Homeowners in Belfast often ask for a design when the kitchen layout no longer suits how they live, even though the room itself is a reasonable size.
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. If your home is in Belfast or close by in Castlereagh or Newtownabbey, the same survey, quote and fitting process applies.
What we cover for kitchen design and planning in Belfast
Here is what usually goes into kitchen design and planning, adjusted to your Belfast kitchen after we have measured it:
- Measured survey of walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and floor levels
- Elevations and 3D views for larger or open-plan kitchens where chosen
- A final plan and specification to order from and fit to
- Layout options such as galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, island or peninsula
- Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
- Socket, switch, lighting and extraction positions marked for the electrician
How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Belfast?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in Northern Ireland. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Prices in Northern Ireland usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.
| 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%.
Kitchens in homes around Belfast
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.
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. 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.
Building regulations, electrics and gas in Belfast
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.
Planning ahead
- 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 you are extending or knocking through in Belfast, finalise the kitchen plan before the builder fixes drainage and power points.
- Before the survey, list what frustrates you about your current Belfast kitchen; it is the quickest way to shape a better layout.
- Base units are typically 600 mm deep with a worktop height of around 900 mm; taller or shorter cooks may want this adjusted.
Questions about kitchen design and planning in Belfast
How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Belfast?
Guide prices in Belfast are about £260 to £790 including VAT for measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere. The final price depends on the size of the kitchen and what is moving, and is set out in an itemised written quote.
Do you cover all of Belfast?
Yes. We work across Belfast, including the BT1, BT2, BT3, BT4, BT5 and BT6 postcode districts, and nearby towns such as Castlereagh and Newtownabbey. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.
Which kitchen layout suits my room?
It depends mainly on the shape of the room, where the doors and windows sit and how many people cook. Narrow rooms suit a galley, rooms with a corner suit an L-shape, and wider rooms can take a U-shape. An island needs space for walkways of around a metre on each side, and a peninsula gives similar worktop space where an island will not fit.
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.
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.
Kitchen design and planning near Belfast
The same service is available a short drive from Belfast, including:
- Kitchen design and planning in Castlereagh
- Kitchen design and planning in Newtownabbey
- Kitchen design and planning in Lisburn
- Kitchen design and planning in Newtownards
- Kitchen design and planning in Carrickfergus
- Kitchen design and planning in Bangor, County Down
- Kitchen design and planning across County Antrim