If you haven’t had a new kitchen fitted for a few years, then there are a few unknowns that are associated with modern-day kitchen installation. These include who actually installs the kitchen and who is responsible for each stage in the process.
The problems that most homeowners will experience do not come from the kitchen itself. Instead, they come from poor coordination and communications between different trades, such as electricians, plumbers and tilers, to name a few.
In this guide, we’ll be explaining every trade that’s involved in a kitchen installation. We will detail what they do and how it should all be managed. As such, you’ll be better prepared and know what to expect when you have your new kitchen fitted.
The Short Answer
Installing a kitchen isn’t simple. It requires a sequence of specialist trades that need to be carried out in the correct order. The trades involved in a kitchen installation often include:
- Kitchen designers
- Kitchen installers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Plasterers
- Tilers/flooring specialists
- Decorators
- Structural engineers (if required)
The important question here is who coordinates the work, not who actually does the work.
Kitchen Designers
A kitchen designer’s role goes far beyond helping you to choose kitchen doors and worktop patterns. A kitchen designer is normally responsible for the following things:
- Layout and flow
- Appliance placement
- Clearances and regulations
- Making sure the kitchen can actually be installed
Poor kitchen design will often cause problems further down the line, even if you have excellent kitchen installers. This is because a good kitchen designer will plan ahead to prevent issues from occurring before they even exist.
Kitchen Installers (The Core Trade)
A kitchen installer actually fits the physical kitchen. Professional kitchen installation will often include:
- Removing the old kitchen
- Fitting cabinets, doors, drawers, end panels, cornices and trims
- Installing worktops (excluding stone)
- Aligning and adjusting units
The role of an expert kitchen fitter requires experience, problem-solving skills and precision. A good kitchen is only as good as its installation, which is why people often opt for expert kitchen installers who are trained in the field.
Electricians
Kitchens are often considered to be one of the most electricity-intensive rooms in the home. Therefore, it’s paramount that you hire a professional and competent electrician to carry out any electrical work for you. This way, they can issue you the right certificates to give you peace of mind that work has been carried out safely and in line with building regulations. During a kitchen installation, an electrician is required for:
- Installing new sockets and light switches
- Installing light fixtures
- Connecting appliances, such as ovens and extractor hoods
- Upgrading the wiring
- Testing consumer units
- Issuing electrical safety certificates
To reiterate, all electrical work is required to meet regulations by law and, therefore, must be properly certified.
Plumbers
A plumber is needed during a kitchen installation for a number of reasons. Usually, they’re required to:
- Install sink connections
- Install tap connections
- Implement waste feeds
- Implement water feeds
- Carry out appliance plumbing (for dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers)
- Relocate pipework
Poor plumbing work may not show up immediately, but it does have the potential to cause long-term damage if it’s done to a poor standard.
Plasterers
You might be wondering why a plasterer is needed during a kitchen installation, but there’s a reasonable explanation. A plasterer is often required after:
- Old tiles are removed
- Chased-out walls for updated wiring
- Structural changes have been made
Excellent plastering work will ensure flat walls that are sealed and finished, ready for prepping and painting further down the line. Poor plastering work is evident, with walls looking wavy, wonky or uneven.
Tilers/Flooring Specialists
Tilers and flooring specialists are integral to any kitchen installation. Without them, you’d have no splashbacks and no flooring to complete the look. This is what turns a new kitchen into a homely addition to your property that will blow guests away. When it comes to flooring specialists and tilers, they will handle:
- Wall tiling
- Floor tiling
- Subfloor preparation
- Floor levelling
- Floor installation, including laminate, vinyl, lino and more
Kitchen floors often take the most wear when compared to other rooms in the house. Arguably, the heart of the home, a kitchen, needs to be able to withstand heavy foot traffic on a daily basis. As such, the floor preparation and the quality of the floor itself matter more than how the kitchen looks to the naked eye.
Decorators
A decorator is needed to complete the overall look and feel of the space. They turn your kitchen from another room in the house to one that fits your style and taste. Often, a kitchen decorator’s work will include:
- Making good after installation
- Painting walls
- Painting ceilings
- Painting woodwork, such as skirting boards and architraves
- Final finishing touches
It’s this stage in the process that pulls the whole kitchen together.
Structural Engineer (If Required)
Structural work during kitchen installation will often involve:
- Wall removals
- The creation of open-plan spaces
- The installation of steel beams (RSJs)
Structural work needs to be completed in line with building regulations to ensure a safe and legally-compliant space. Therefore, a structural engineer is needed to:
- Accurately calculate loads
- Specify beam sizes
- Provide documentation for Building Control
This links directly to building regulations for kitchens.
The Most Important Part: Project Management
If a kitchen installation doesn’t have clear management, then problems may arise. The issues that could come up as a result of poor project management include:
- Trades arriving out of order
- Delays stacking up
- No one taking responsibility
A professional kitchen company should do the following to ensure correct project management:
- Schedule all trades
- Coordinate work in the correct order
- Ensure regulations are met
- Handle issues if something goes wrong
This exceptional level of coordination is often invisible, but it’s critical to the smooth running of the project.
Big Brands vs Independent Companies (Installation Reality)
National kitchen brands will often:
- Subcontract installers
- Separate design from fitting
- Limit responsibility after installation
Independent kitchen specialists, on the other hand, will typically:
- Use known, trusted trades
- Manage the project end-to-end
- Stay involved after completion
The differences between the two make themselves apparent, and often matter most, when fixes or adjustments are needed, even months after the kitchen installation has been completed.
For a full comparison, see the independent vs big brand kitchen guide.
How This Affects Cost and Peace of Mind
Kitchen installation costs may seem pricey, but they reflect:
- Skill level
- Time on site
- Number and cost of trades involved
- Project management
For realistic costs, see the kitchen labour costs guide.
You should be wary of cheap kitchen installation quotes. This is because they have the potential to become more expensive as time goes on. Normally, factors such as tiling, electrical work, structural engineering (where applicable) and plumbing are overlooked, but are often needed. This results in a final bill that is far greater than the initial quote accepted.
What To Ask Before Any Kitchen Installation
Prior to committing to one kitchen company or accepting a quote, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
- Who installs the kitchen?
- Who manages the trades?
- Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
- Will I deal with the same people throughout?
Getting clear answers now prevents problems, stress and unexpected costs further down the line.
Speak to a Local Kitchen Specialist (No Pressure)
If you want to understand what your kitchen installation will actually involve, then the next step would be to have a conversation with a kitchen specialist, such as us here at Kudos Kitchens & Bathrooms.
Visit the kitchen enquiry page to speak to a local Nottinghamshire kitchen specialist today.