How to get your kitchen space ready for fitting
Photography by Julia Currie Photography
One of the biggest challenges in any house renovation or building project is working out the programme (the relatively easy bit) and then being able to deliver it on time (the really hard bit).
We say this because knowing when the site will be ready for the kitchen delivery and fitting is really important to everyone involved. We can’t stress enough the importance of getting this right - if there’s any doubt, we would advise that you err on the side of caution and build in a couple of week’s contingency. Having delivered hundreds of projects, we can probably count on the fingers of two hands the number that wouldn’t have benefited from a bit more time.
Not only do we need to schedule the cabinetry delivery, but also line up the fitter, the worktop template and fit, the appliances delivery, as well as the myriad deliveries of all the ancillary bits - the sinks and taps, handles, swing out trays, lighting etc.
Delays, especially at the last minute, cause real problems for everyone. Deliver and fit too soon and the kitchen space simply won't be ready - there may be damp plaster, tiles still to be laid, windows to be fitted and so on, plus smaller items can be lost once delivered. If the space is cold and damp, whether due to drying plaster or screed or because the heating hasn't been commissioned, there's a risk of damage to the cabinetry.
Even once fitted, the cabinetry, appliances and worktops risk being damaged by other trades . Finally, a last-minute delay (which shouldn't happen, but they sometimes do) throws everything - crucially, the trades may not be available for the new date, causing further delay.
To help navigate these challenges, we've put together this article to help. The first part explains what state the site needs to be in prior to the kitchen being fitted. The second part provides some tips on how to plan and manage the programme so that the target date is realistic and achievable.
So - what state does a site need to be in for the kitchen to be fitted? Here at Chisholm Design, we have a very simple Site Readiness Standard that needs to be achieved:
Building weathertight (including having all external doors and windows fitted), with appropriate ventilation, heated to a minimum of 15 degrees centigrade and with an internal wall moisture content of no more than 10%.
All first fix electrical and plumbing services in place and isolated/made safe.
Walls and ceilings plastered and dry and with a wash coat (ideally a base coat, too) applied.
Flooring:
If floor finishes are being fitted after the kitchen (e.g. laminate or LVT) the sub floor must be ready i.e. screed completely dried and any latex applied and fully dried. We will not fit cabinetry until the latex is down.
If tiles are specified, these must be laid, grouted and fully dried before the kitchen is fitted.
The building’s heating system must have been commissioned, regardless of the time of year.
A picture paints a thousand words, so here's an example of what a site that isn't ready might look like:
Whilst here’s one that’s just as we’d like to see it:
That's the state the space needs to be in - now how do you get there on time?!
Here are our tips to help you get this right – these are based on many years’ experience and (literally) hundreds of projects.
Do:
Have honest and open conversations with your tendering builders/project manager about realistic timelines. Builders may feel under pressure to over-promise when a project is likely to be finished to secure the work.
Continue to have these open conversations throughout the building works and be prepared to adjust timelines accordingly.
Allow enough budget for a realistic period of rental if you move out for the building works so that this doesn’t become a driving factor.
Allow some contingency time at the end – we recommend adding at least 2 weeks to whatever date a builder proposes for the fitting. Having to wait a week or two for the kitchen to be delivered is far better than attempting to fit a kitchen in a site that isn’t ready.
Be patient – we understand the desire to get on and start living in and using your kitchen. But it isn’t worth the risks if you can hold on for a bit longer.
If there’s one part of the schedule to pay particular attention to, it’s the time allowed for any screed to dry - we’ve delivered hundreds of projects and have seen the impact on projects where people have been over-optimistic (it almost always takes longer than you’d think) or laid the floor too soon, with major consequences.
Decide early on if you need to slip the delivery and fitting date - better to do so early and give everyone a bit more time than to hold on with your fingers crossed, only to need to slip it at the last minute.
Agree to a realistic date, even if this is later than you’d wish.
Finally, do listen to the experts and heed their advice, even if it’s not what you want to hear!
Don’t:
Plan on hosting a major family event e.g. Christmas or a milestone birthday at the end of the project – this puts pressure on everyone involved and increases the risk of the kitchen being fitted before the space is ready.
Set an artificial deadline for project completion in the hope that this will spur trades on. It might have that effect, but the risk of poor workmanship and things being done out of sequence or before the site is ready increases. An example is floor screed, which can take months to dry – no amount of pressure on a builder can speed up this process once he has taken all possible steps e.g. through commissioning underfloor heating.
Expect miracles to happen in a short space of time – they rarely do!