Kitchen design and planning in Crawley

What prompts kitchen design and planning in Crawley?

Owners of new-build homes in Crawley sometimes redesign the standard kitchen after a few years to add tall storage, an extra appliance or a breakfast bar.

Homeowners in Crawley often ask for a design when the kitchen layout no longer suits how they live, even though the room itself is a reasonable size. Kitchens in every part of Crawley are covered, and the survey visit is free wherever you are in West Sussex.

What does the job involve?

The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in Crawley covers:

Measured survey of walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and floor levels
Working zones planned for preparation, cooking, washing and storage
Positions of water, waste, gas, power and radiators recorded on the plan
Layout options such as galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, island or peninsula
Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
A final plan and specification to order from and fit to

Kitchen design and planning prices in Crawley

As a starting point for Crawley, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in the South East. Expect costs in the South East to sit somewhat above UK averages, reflecting local labour rates.

Kitchen design and planning prices in Crawley
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	£340–£1,000
Detailed design with 3D views and elevationsFor larger or open-plan kitchens	£690–£1,700

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%.

Fitting kitchens in older and newer Crawley homes

Typical homes in this part of West Sussex include 1930s semis, flint and brick cottages, post-war new town houses and seaside bungalows. Crawley's new-town houses often have a compact galley, while seaside bungalows in Worthing and Bognor Regis tend to have a small square kitchen beside the dining area.

Coastal flats may have no lift, and village lanes on the edge of the Downs can be narrow for delivery lorries, so the delivery route is checked at the survey. West Sussex has mostly hard water, so limescale on taps, sinks and boiling water taps is common and a filter is worth considering.

Building regulations, electrics and gas in Crawley

Designing and fitting a kitchen needs no planning permission in England, but a good plan allows for the rules that follow. New circuits are notifiable under Part P, a cooker hood extracting outside should achieve about 30 litres per second under Approved Document F, and removing a load-bearing wall needs a structural engineer and building control approval. Listed buildings and flats may need consent before a new outside vent is cut.

Homes in the South Downs National Park, listed flint cottages and conservation areas such as central Chichester may need consent for a new external vent.

Practical advice for Crawley homeowners

Note where sunlight falls in your Crawley kitchen during the day, as it affects where people like to prepare food and sit.
If your home in West Sussex has a boiler in the kitchen, ask for service access to be designed in rather than boxed in tightly.
Ask for the plan for your Crawley kitchen to show socket, switch and light positions as well as units, so the electrician can follow it.
Keep the sink, hob and fridge reasonably close; the classic work triangle is a useful check, not a rule every kitchen must follow.

Questions about kitchen design and planning in Crawley

How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Crawley?

For measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere, budget around £340 to £1,000 including VAT in Crawley. That reflects typical costs in the South East; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Do you cover all of Crawley?

Yes. We work across Crawley, including the RH11 and RH77 postcode districts, and nearby towns such as Horley and Horsham. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.

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.

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.

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.

Kitchen design and planning near Crawley

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