Best order to follow when renovating a kitchen

[AndyBaldock]

Dear All,

We've a small galley kitchen that needs ripping out and starting again. We've had some quotes from some companies but have been told that it may be cheaper to have the project go on for a longer time, and get individual tradesmen in. I just don't know which trade to call first. It needs: spot lights and a new socket (the freezer is currently plugged into an extension lead that goes under the sink and sits in a Tupperware box in case of leaks , it needs new units and worktop, new sink, and plastering of walls and ceilings. Oh and a new floor (levelling and tiles).

I was thinking electrician and I can put the cables into the walls myself ready for the plasterer.
Rip everything out
Plasterer
Kitchen units and work surface fitting
Tiler

Does that sound about the right order do things?

Many thanks,

Andy

[Grendel]

Sounds about right but one thing I would add is to sort out the floor before the units and work tops go in. There have been a few occasions where it has been done the other way round . Doing the floor after means that you have to estimate the height of the work tops. On one we ended up taking the wheels off the washing machine and sitting it on a sheet of Formica so it would slide , with a bit of effort , under the work top. Another the other year was when I fitted a kitchen for a couple and they wanted quarries on the floor. Worked out the heights using the tiles they had but when it came to laying the floor they had gotten hold of a load of thicker tiles ( actually four different sizes but that's another story). I've also done ones where people simply can't see the point of tiling first as they think it's a waste as some of the tiles won't be seen but it does end up taking longer to lay the floor as there is generally more cuts involved.

[Job and Knock]

The only other thing I'd add is that after the rip-out and whilst everything everything is open, that's the time to replace/re-route any plumbing and wastes, gas pipes, etc and to take the opportunity to add service isolators to all your water pipes (in what will be accessible places). Having the plumbing sorted before starting the fit makes the job of connecting up far easier. Use flexible tap connectors wherever possible when you do the refit, too

[AndyBaldock]

Thanks very much. That’s definitely good advice about the floor because it needs levelling and some will have to come up by about 15mm.

So, spot lights and the ceiling first, then floor, then electrician, plumber, walls plastered and then kitchen units.

Cheers guys

[wes56]

any structural work.
damp in walls or floor.
do you have membrane in solid floor and DPC in walls.
is outside ground lower than kit floor?
your benchmark is the FFL of the next room - dining room?
chase in all elec -modern kits usly have a dedicated ring main. pre discus with sparky and gas safe whats what.
fix your dedicated radial circ and fittings eg lights and wall cab lights.
position of boiler, extractor/hood and appliances esp for drainage.
alarms.
paint ceiling and walls imm after plastering.
water pressure, position of shut-off.
total clear space in next room for assembly,storage.
all mats to be on site or available. no last minute stuff.

[Grendel]

your benchmark is the FFL of the next room - dining room?

total clear space in next room for assembly,storage.
all mats to be on site or available. no last minute stuff.

Wouldn't argue with any the points you mention.
On the job I mentioned where the units went in before the floor it wasn't quite like that. As I said the tiles or at least the correct tiles weren't there and I did use the next room floor as a datum . When it came to putting the tiles down they were coming out half an inch higher and I ended up cutting the backs of a few courses to form a gradual slope. As well as the issue with the tiles there were bits missing from the kitchen components although to be fair that was down to the suppliers and while I had a clear space to assembly the units they were all stored in the conservatory and I had to go through the adjoining room which they were using as a bedroom at the time .
Still it seems to be the story of my life working in awkward conditions. I once had a site agent ask for me because he had an awkward difficult job and told me "it's right up your street "

[btjtaylor]

What's on the walls? I would paint them before hanging cabinets, much easier than masking/painting round them. I learnt the hard way on my last kitchen and was never truly happy with the finish!