Kitchen design and planning · Scotland
Kitchen design and planning in Edinburgh
We carry out kitchen design and planning across Edinburgh, from the city centre to the suburbs, with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote as standard.
Why do people in Edinburgh choose kitchen design and planning?
Owners of new-build homes in Edinburgh sometimes redesign the standard kitchen after a few years to add tall storage, an extra appliance or a breakfast bar.
If you are about to order a kitchen online for your Edinburgh home, a measured plan can catch sizing errors before the order is placed.
What does kitchen design and planning in Edinburgh include?
Your written quote lists everything included. For kitchen design and planning, that normally means:
- Measured survey of walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and floor levels
- Positions of water, waste, gas, power and radiators recorded on the plan
- Layout options such as galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, island or peninsula
- Working zones planned for preparation, cooking, washing and storage
- Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
- Socket, switch, lighting and extraction positions marked for the electrician
- Elevations and 3D views for larger or open-plan kitchens where chosen
- A final plan and specification to order from and fit to
How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Edinburgh?
Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and are firmed up once we have seen your Edinburgh kitchen. For Edinburgh and Glasgow, these ranges are close to the national figures.
| 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 | £310–£920 |
| Detailed design with 3D views and elevationsFor larger or open-plan kitchens | £610–£1,500 |
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 across Edinburgh
Across Edinburgh you will often find Victorian tenement flats, Georgian New Town flats, stone villas and post-war council-built houses, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Tenement flats often have a small kitchen off the hall, while Georgian flats may have kitchens in former bedrooms or reception rooms with tall ceilings.
Edinburgh's mains water is soft, so limescale is rarely a problem and taps, sinks and boiling water taps stay cleaner for longer. Common stairs without lifts, controlled parking and cobbled streets in older parts of the city mean deliveries and stair carries need planning before fitting day.
Tenement and Georgian flats often have kitchens in small rooms, and opening one into the living room needs a building warrant if the wall is load-bearing, and can need one even if it is not, where the change affects the escape route or fire separation in a flat. Stone villas and bungalows on the edge of the city more often suit a larger supply-and-fit kitchen.
Rules for kitchen design and planning in Edinburgh
In Scotland, designing and fitting a kitchen does not normally need a building warrant, but removing a load-bearing wall or altering drainage needs one before work starts. Electrical positions must meet the building standards and BS 7671, and extract ventilation should meet standard 3.14 of the domestic Technical Handbook. Listed buildings may need listed building consent, so check with your local authority if your home is listed.
The Old and New Towns form a World Heritage Site with many listed buildings, so new vents or internal changes may need consent, and tenement neighbours may need to agree.
Before you start
- Keep the sink, hob and fridge reasonably close; the classic work triangle is a useful check, not a rule every kitchen must follow.
- Work out the route for cooker hood ducting to an outside wall before fixing the hob position, as long or bent runs reduce extraction.
- Base units are typically 600 mm deep with a worktop height of around 900 mm; taller or shorter cooks may want this adjusted.
- 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.
- Open every cupboard in your current kitchen and decide what you use, what you store and what you could do without before planning storage.
- Note where sunlight falls in your Edinburgh kitchen during the day, as it affects where people like to prepare food and sit.
Questions about kitchen design and planning in Edinburgh
How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Edinburgh?
For measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere, budget around £310 to £920 including VAT in Edinburgh. That reflects typical costs in Edinburgh and Glasgow; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of Edinburgh?
Yes. We carry out kitchen design and planning across Edinburgh. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.