Kitchen design and planning in Manchester

Why kitchen design and planning for a Manchester home?

In a Manchester semi with a small back kitchen, planning often comes down to fitting more storage and worktop into the same footprint without crowding the room.

Families across Greater Manchester sometimes want a layout that lets two people cook at the same time, which changes how the working zones and walkways are planned. Homes right across Manchester are covered, as are nearby places such as Salford, Failsworth and the villages in between.

What is in a typical job?

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

Measured survey of walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and floor levels
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
Elevations and 3D views for larger or open-plan kitchens where chosen
Positions of water, waste, gas, power and radiators recorded on the plan

Guide prices for kitchen design and planning in Manchester

Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in the North West, and are firmed up once we have seen your Manchester kitchen. Prices in the North West usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.

Guide prices for kitchen design and planning in Manchester
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	£280–£860
Detailed design with 3D views and elevationsFor larger or open-plan kitchens	£570–£1,400

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

In and around Manchester, homes range across Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, converted mill and warehouse flats and post-war estate houses. Two-up two-down terraces often have a small back kitchen or a galley in the rear outrigger, while 1930s semis usually have a separate kitchen beside the dining room.

Mains water across Greater Manchester is mostly soft, so limescale is less of a problem and taps and boiling water taps tend to stay cleaner. Terraced streets with back alleys, city-centre flats with booked lifts and permit parking can all affect delivery timing and how long worktops are carried in.

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

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.

Listed mill conversions and homes in conservation areas may need consent for new external vents, and apartment owners usually need the freeholder's or managing agent's consent.

Practical advice for Manchester homeowners

Measure the appliances you are keeping, including the depth with the doors open, and bring the sizes to the design meeting.
If your home in Greater Manchester has a boiler in the kitchen, ask for service access to be designed in rather than boxed in tightly.
If you are extending or knocking through in Manchester, finalise the kitchen plan before the builder fixes drainage and power points.
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 Manchester

How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Manchester?

Kitchen design and planning in Manchester typically costs £280 to £860 including VAT for measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere, based on prices in the North West. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Which parts of Manchester do you work in?

All of them. Our Greater Manchester coverage takes in the whole of Manchester, including the M1, M2, M3, M4, M9 and M11 postcode districts, as well as surrounding towns such as Salford. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.

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.

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.

Kitchen design and planning near Manchester

The same service is available a short drive from Manchester, including: