Kitchen design and planning in Solihull

When does kitchen design and planning make sense in Solihull?

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

Families across the West Midlands 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 Solihull are covered, as are nearby places such as Shirley, Birmingham and the villages in between.

What is in a typical job?

Your written quote lists everything included. For kitchen design and planning, that normally means:

A final plan and specification to order from and fit to
Elevations and 3D views for larger or open-plan kitchens where chosen
Appliance positions, housings and ventilation gaps checked against real sizes
Socket, switch, lighting and extraction positions marked for the electrician
Positions of water, waste, gas, power and radiators recorded on the plan
Working zones planned for preparation, cooking, washing and storage

Kitchen design and planning prices in Solihull

As a starting point for Solihull, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in the West Midlands. Prices across the West Midlands are broadly in line with UK averages.

Kitchen design and planning prices in Solihull
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	£300–£900
Detailed design with 3D views and elevationsFor larger or open-plan kitchens	£600–£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%.

Fitting kitchens in older and newer Solihull homes

In and around Solihull, homes range across Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and post-war flats and maisonettes. Victorian terraces often have a long galley behind the back room, while 1930s semis across Birmingham and the Black Country tend to have a small kitchen at the rear.

Busy terraced streets, permit parking near town centres and blocks with shared lifts can each affect delivery times and how worktops reach the kitchen. Birmingham's water is relatively soft, while much of the Black Country and Coventry is harder, so check your supplier's hardness figure before choosing a filter.

What rules apply to kitchen design and planning in Solihull?

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.

Conservation areas and listed buildings, including parts of Birmingham and Solihull, may need consent for new vents, and flat owners usually need the freeholder's consent first.

Before you book kitchen design and planning in Solihull

Measure the appliances you are keeping, including the depth with the doors open, and bring the sizes to the design meeting.
Open every cupboard in your current kitchen and decide what you use, what you store and what you could do without before planning storage.
Count the small appliances you use every day, such as a kettle, toaster and coffee machine, so enough worktop sockets are planned for them.
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 Solihull

How much does kitchen design and planning cost in Solihull?

For measured drawings and a layout plan for a kitchen bought elsewhere, budget around £300 to £900 including VAT in Solihull. That reflects typical costs in the West Midlands; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Do you work near Solihull as well?

Yes. As well as Solihull itself, we cover the rest of the West Midlands and nearby towns such as Shirley and Birmingham. The process is the same wherever the kitchen is.

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.

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.

Nearby places we cover

Close to Solihull? We cover these nearby towns too: