Kitchen design and planning · England
Kitchen design and planning in the West Midlands
Our kitchen design and planning work covers the whole of the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.
When does kitchen design and planning make sense in the West Midlands?
In a West Midlands semi with a small back kitchen, planning often comes down to fitting more storage and worktop into the same footprint without crowding the room.
Owners of new-build homes in the West Midlands sometimes redesign the standard kitchen after a few years to add tall storage, an extra appliance or a breakfast bar.
What does kitchen design and planning in the West Midlands 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 the West Midlands?
The figures below are guide prices for the West Midlands, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the West Midlands. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. For the West Midlands, 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 | £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%.
Kitchens in homes across the West Midlands
You will find Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and post-war flats and maisonettes throughout the West Midlands. 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.
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. Busy terraced streets, permit parking near town centres and blocks with shared lifts can each affect delivery times and how worktops reach the kitchen.
Many 1930s semis have a small kitchen beside a separate dining room, and opening them into one space is a common project. In a Victorian terrace, the galley often leads to a rear bathroom, so changes may involve plumbing as well as units.
Rules for kitchen design and planning in the West Midlands
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 start
- Leave clear walkways; common guidance is around a metre between facing runs or around an island, and more if two people cook together.
- Keep the sink, hob and fridge reasonably close; the classic work triangle is a useful check, not a rule every kitchen must follow.
- 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.
- If your home in the West Midlands has a boiler in the kitchen, ask for service access to be designed in rather than boxed in tightly.
- Before the survey, list what frustrates you about your current West Midlands kitchen; it is the quickest way to shape a better layout.
Questions about kitchen design and planning in the West Midlands
How much does kitchen design and planning cost in the West Midlands?
Guide prices in the West Midlands are about £300 to £900 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 cover the whole of the West Midlands?
Yes. We carry out kitchen design and planning across the West Midlands, including Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and Dudley. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
How long does kitchen design take?
Usually one to three weeks from the survey to a final plan, depending on how many layout options you want to compare and how quickly choices about doors, worktops and appliances are made. A replacement in the same layout can be settled quickly, while an open-plan room with an island or moved services often takes a few rounds of changes.
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 in towns across the West Midlands
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Kitchen design and planning in Birmingham
- Kitchen design and planning in Coventry
- Kitchen design and planning in Wolverhampton
- Kitchen design and planning in Dudley
- Kitchen design and planning in Walsall
- Kitchen design and planning in Solihull
- Kitchen design and planning in Sutton Coldfield
- Kitchen design and planning in West Bromwich
- Kitchen design and planning in Halesowen
- Kitchen design and planning in Stourbridge
- Kitchen design and planning in Smethwick
- Kitchen design and planning in Willenhall
- Kitchen design and planning in Tipton
- Kitchen design and planning in Bloxwich
- Kitchen design and planning in Wednesfield
- Kitchen design and planning in Aston
- Kitchen design and planning in Shirley
- Kitchen design and planning in Brierley Hill
- Kitchen design and planning in Aldridge
- Kitchen design and planning in Wednesbury
- Kitchen design and planning in Kingswinford