Kitchen design and planning in Sandhurst

Why kitchen design and planning for a Sandhurst home?

People in Berkshire 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 you are about to order a kitchen online for your Sandhurst home, a measured plan can catch sizing errors before the order is placed. Sandhurst sits about 11 miles south-east of Reading, and our Berkshire coverage takes in everything in between.

What we cover for kitchen design and planning in Sandhurst

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

Socket, switch, lighting and extraction positions marked for the electrician
A final plan and specification to order from and fit to
Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
Measured survey of walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and floor levels
Layout options such as galley, L-shaped, U-shaped, island or peninsula
Positions of water, waste, gas, power and radiators recorded on the plan

Kitchen design and planning prices in Sandhurst

As a starting point for Sandhurst, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in the South East. Prices in the South East usually run above the national guide, mainly because labour and parking cost more.

Kitchen design and planning prices in Sandhurst
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 Sandhurst homes

In and around Sandhurst, homes range across Victorian and Edwardian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war estate houses and new-build town houses. Edwardian terraces often have a long galley running back from the dining room, while newer three-storey town houses usually have a compact kitchen on the ground floor.

Expect hard water in most of Berkshire, much of it drawn from chalk, so limescale on taps is common and a boiling water tap benefits from a filter. Busy town-centre streets and permit parking zones can make unloading slow, so a parking permit or bay suspension may need arranging before delivery day.

Regulations for kitchen work in Sandhurst

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.

A new extractor vent on a street-facing wall can need permission in a conservation area, and listed homes may need consent for internal changes affecting historic features.

Tips before you start

If you are extending or knocking through in Sandhurst, finalise the kitchen plan before the builder fixes drainage and power points.
Note where sunlight falls in your Sandhurst kitchen during the day, as it affects where people like to prepare food and sit.
Before the survey, list what frustrates you about your current Sandhurst kitchen; it is the quickest way to shape a better layout.
Leave clear walkways; common guidance is around a metre between facing runs or around an island, and more if two people cook together.

Questions about kitchen design and planning in Sandhurst

How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Sandhurst?

Guide prices in Sandhurst are about £340 to £1,000 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 work near Sandhurst as well?

Yes. As well as Sandhurst itself, we cover the rest of Berkshire and nearby towns such as Crowthorne and Yateley. The process is the same wherever the kitchen is.

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.

Nearby places we cover

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