Buying a new kitchen can be difficult and expensive, so you want to get it right.
Decisions such as where to install appliances and what kind of decoration is appropriate can make a huge difference to the final design and can end up costing you more money if things go wrong. there is.
To help you, we've put together over 1,000 quizzes.members find out 7 things people regret most about kitchen designand also provides lots of expert tips on. Kitchen planning and layout ideas and how much should you spend.
We also spoke to three homeowners about their experiences installing new kitchens and the mistakes they should avoid. Remember, you can access our insights on Which one would you like to attend? The best and worst kitchen brandsIt also helps you find. trusted trader You can trust it.
“It's easy to get carried away with add-ons, and they can add up.”
- Who are you? Hannah Claytor, 32, head of customer experience and product development for a holiday company in Newcastle upon Tyne.
- When did you install your kitchen?
“Our kitchen was installed in December 2021, costing £15,000 plus installation and flooring. We extended the rear of the house and demolished the existing kitchen and dining room to create an open plan living space. I made it.
“We had a kitchen when we moved into this house, and it was more of a farmhouse style. It was nice and of good quality, so we kept it for a few years, but it just wasn't up to our liking. The wooden surfaces were difficult to maintain.
“We went with an open-plan design with charcoal cabinetry, concrete-effect island cabinetry and white quartz surfaces – a modern interpretation of a Shaker kitchen.
“It took about three weeks to design and fine-tune, and another two months to fine-tune and complete, but it’s hard to say exactly as it was part of a larger project.
“I loved how it turned out, and I still love it two years later. It was so exciting to see it all come together at the different stages.”
“Not that much, really. One thing I would change is that I probably would have chosen an induction cooktop instead of gas. It would be much easier to clean.”
“When it comes to tips, don't hesitate to render and review multiple designs and tweak your plans based on feedback. It's a big investment, so you want to be happy before everything is set in stone. .
“Please check all pages of the quotation carefully. The price for the quartz surface was calculated separately on a completely separate page, as there were two versions of the main quotation: sales price and standard price. , this had been swept into the background and left out of the budget plan.
“It's also easy to get carried away with add-ons like cabinet drawers and drawer organizers, and you can end up with more of them. Some of them are helpful, but think twice about whether you need them. I didn't have many add-ons, but I don't like them at all. I have no regrets.”
“Always try to produce as detailed a quote as possible to avoid unpleasant surprises. Estimates are fixed prices and cannot be changed once accepted, but as the work progresses the estimate may increase significantly. Please note that this may increase.
“Basically, remember that you should factor in 10% to 15% of your total budget as a contingency fund for anything that might go wrong.”
Is an induction stove right for you?See our best induction stove guide.Plus, find out why Owners of induction stoves should not bother buying a slow cooker.
“It may be cheaper to buy appliances and worktops separately, but it's a little more difficult.”
- Who are you? James Scott, 42, product manager from Surrey
- When did you install your kitchen?
“We installed a £27,000 open plan kitchen in 2023 as part of a major extension project, replacing older units. The extension took approximately six months to complete and the The kitchen took about two months as part of the project.
“Really happy with the new layout and modern equipment. I got cooker tap, which is excellent and the oven and dishwasher safe are of high quality. I'm also glad I got the drinks fridge as I noticed the integrated fridge was smaller than the one I had previously. ”
“The units were obtained from…” magnetHowever, now that I think about it, it might have been easier to have the magnets installed in the kitchen rather than having a fitter do the work.
“The builders didn't do a bad job by any means, but their fitter wasn't all that familiar with the parts and cabinetry they sent. A few additional parts were needed, so I was afraid to chase the problem. I fixed some issues myself.
“It may be cheaper to buy appliances and work surfaces separately than from a supplier.
“But this puts more responsibility on us to get everything on time and makes it a little harder to hold someone accountable for problems.
'Please delay shipping until you are sure it is ready for installation. You only have two weeks to report shipping issues, so if everything remains packed while the tiling, plumbing, and electrical work is being done, there could be problems with the supplier fixing the issue. There is a gender.
“Assume it will last at least 10 years and choose your design accordingly.”
'You can save money by hiring a professional fitter or buying appliances and worktops yourself, but you shouldn't underestimate how difficult it can be to organize your kitchen equipment.
“Additionally, delays and problems in the fitting process are also common. best kitchen fitter Research shows that of more than 1,500 members who installed a kitchen in the past 30 years, 30% experienced delays in installing their kitchen.
“Another 14% had an issue with the installer (for example, damaged the unit).
“If you use your own fitter, make sure you're using Which?” A trader you can trust. ”
See our guide for more information. kitchen installation. If you are considering introducing boiling water faucet or wine coolerread the guide.
“Built-in appliances can be much more expensive than standard versions and are difficult to replace.”
- Who are you? Tony Cave, 76, retires from London
- When did you install your kitchen?
“I have a galley-style kitchen, which my brother and I installed ourselves in 2002. The kitchen unit cost around £2,000 at Howdens.
“Even after all these years, my kitchen remains great. Even if I were to change it again, I'd probably keep the layout pretty much the same. That's what works really well for me.”
“Keep in mind that appliances will need to be replaced over time. In my kitchen, the freezer, refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, and boiler have all been replaced, sometimes multiple times. I am.
“Home appliances like washing machines and ovens seemed to have standard sizes, so it was easy to change them.
“However, if you have a built-in appliance, as was the case with the first freezer, for some reason it can be much more expensive than buying a standard version and difficult to replace. I bought a standard freezer to replace it and just used it without the fancy front.
“In fact, I found that using a standard freezer gave me even more capacity. In hindsight, I shouldn't have been tempted by the same-door freezer.
“We also replaced the boiler with a Worcester Bosch boiler and found it to be smaller than the previous one. This meant there was a gap between the new boiler and where the wall tiles finished.
“I had some spare tiles in storage so I was able to replace them, but I had them replace them again with an even smaller compact model.The tiles are gone.
“I went to a tile store to take photos in hopes of finding something similar. But when installing the kitchen, I realized that appliances might need to be replaced. It’s definitely worth thinking about and thinking about in advance.”
'If you're concerned about the durability of your home appliances, be sure to check out our guide. The best and worst kitchen appliancesThis includes information about the durability of different brands.
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