Preparing for kitchen fitting: scope, stages and costs
Kitchen fitting mainly concerns assembling and installing parts that are available or already ordered. Units, worktop and appliances need to suit the room and work together. A useful quote identifies the tasks the contractor will undertake and any preparation or connections arranged separately.
Separate fitting from supply and renovation
Having a kitchen fitted is different from ordering a complete new kitchen with supply. You can request installation of all provided units, fitting of individual parts or removal of an existing kitchen. Describe the actual job, including work already completed.
Unit assembly, worktop alterations, appliance fitting and technical connections are distinct services. Transport, removal, disposal and wall work are not automatically part of the fitting price. The quote should make these boundaries clear.
| Service | Clarify expressly |
|---|---|
| Kitchen units | Assembly, levelling, securing, fronts, plinths and fillers. |
| Worktop and splashback | Survey, supply, cut-outs, alterations and fitting. |
| Appliances | Positioning, securing and adapting the intended unit. |
| Connections | Electrical, gas, water, waste and extraction work with suitable specialists. |
| Existing kitchen | Removal, retention of particular parts, transport and disposal. |
Provide the assembly state and available information
Flat-pack furniture requires different work from preassembled cabinets. A showroom or used kitchen may be assembled but need alterations, missing fittings or a new worktop. Say what condition the supplied parts are in.
Known run lengths, layout, unit quantities and appliance models help establish the work. For several kitchens, give their number and describe differences together. You do not need to list every screw or establish unfamiliar technical dimensions for the initial request.
Plans, order lists and instructions are later checked against the actual delivery. Missing end panels, plinths, fillers or fixing parts can change the programme. A delivery confirmation alone does not mean all installation components are present.
Coordinate room preparation and delivery
Walls, floors and existing services need to match the plan. Uneven surfaces, sloping ceilings and unusual corners can require alterations. The contractor should inspect the existing conditions and suitable fixings; a customer declaration does not replace that assessment.
Coordinate wall, flooring, electrical and plumbing work with fitting. Finishes added later can change dimensions and junctions. Final fabrication and alterations need reliable information established on site.
Agree who accepts the delivery and where units and long slabs can be stored. Floors, lifts, doors and carrying routes affect handling. Packages in the entrance are not necessarily at the fitting location; carrying or additional lifting equipment must be agreed.
Plan dismantling and reuse carefully
If an old kitchen is being removed, distinguish retained parts from items for disposal. Removal for reuse needs a different approach from destructive strip-out. Components should remain identifiable; not every worktop can be removed intact or reused unchanged.
A used kitchen needs checking against its new room. Wall lengths, corners, appliance openings and connection positions may differ. A low-cost purchase is therefore not yet a ready-to-fit solution for another location.
Transport between addresses is an additional service to describe explicitly. This fitting request does not replace complete transport planning. Also agree who professionally disconnects water, gas and electricity before dismantling.
Where old finishes, adhesives or suspected hazardous materials are disturbed, arrange the necessary checks before work. You are not expected to collect material samples yourself or diagnose concealed damage.
Treat worktops and splashbacks as distinct fitting stages
A standard top cut on site and a custom stone or ceramic worktop do not necessarily follow the same sequence. Many custom tops are finally measured after base units have been levelled and secured. Delivery and fitting of the top may require a later appointment.
Sink, hob, tap and cut-outs must suit the selected material and actual appliances. Checked manufacturer information is more useful than an assumption about standard sizes. Fabrication, supports and sealing depend on the particular product.
Clarify whether a temporary work surface is needed and who removes it later. Splashbacks and finished surfaces must be accounted for when measuring. Changes afterwards can lead to further alterations or another visit.
Distinguish appliance fitting from technical connections
Securing an appliance in a cabinet does not mean it is connected and ready for use. Openings, ventilation, door attachment and moving clearances must suit the model. Appliances with similar widths are not automatically interchangeable between kitchen systems.
Agree which electrical, gas, water, waste or extraction tasks belong to the commission. Fixed electrical installations need appropriate skills and authorisation. A fitting business may coordinate these services without undertaking them itself. Gas and water connections also need the responsible specialists and applicable local connection requirements.
Prepared connections and services still needing relocation are different starting points. Give the information you know; professionals check suitability and necessary changes. You do not have to calculate power requirements or certify technical safety.
Establish when connections, functional checks and handover happen. Clear responsibilities show whether the agreed result is an assembled kitchen or one fully ready for use.
Compare prices for the same scope
Costs depend on kitchen quantity and size, delivery state, alterations and additional tasks. A simple run of cabinets, refitting a used kitchen and installation with a separate custom worktop are not directly comparable.
Businesses may charge by time, linear metre or an agreed fixed price. For linear-metre pricing, ask how corners, islands and tall units are counted. For hourly prices, check team size, minimum work and travel.
Separate installation from furniture, appliances and purchased materials. Connections, cutting, removal, carrying and disposal can be additional items. A starting price or an older example does not establish the current total.
Compare offers based on the same description and have unresolved items identified. Unexpected work or missing components should be agreed with their costs before execution.
| Item | Check in the offer |
|---|---|
| Unit fitting | Flat-pack or preassembled, adjustment, fixings and finishes. |
| Worktop | Survey, fabrication, cut-outs, transport and separate appointment. |
| Appliances and connections | Mechanical fitting, specialist work, checks and responsibility. |
| Removal and logistics | Retained parts, disposal, travel and carrying. |
| Total | VAT, consumables, finishing work and additional effort. |
A short checklist before the fitting appointment
Preparation should match the agreed commission. In rented premises, clarify kitchen and connection alterations with the responsible property manager or landlord.
- Delivery. Agree timing, checks for completeness and visible damage, and storage.
- Documents. Keep available plans, parts lists and appliance information ready.
- Room. Complete necessary preparation and make the working area accessible.
- Responsibilities. Assign removal, carrying, materials, connections, packaging and cleaning.
- Programme. Distinguish unit fitting, any later worktop survey and the ready-to-use date.
From the fitting request to handover
The number of visits depends on deliveries, preparation and chosen components. Have the actual sequence confirmed rather than assuming a universal fitting time.
- Describe the commission. Provide scope, kitchen count, available parts and preferred date.
- Check the services. Align dimensions, delivery, specialist work and quote.
- Coordinate fitting. Plan preparation, units, tops and connections in the necessary order.
- Review together. Go through fixings, fronts, drawers, agreed connections and outstanding items.
Frequently asked questions
How much does kitchen fitting cost?
Size, kitchen count, assembly state and included work determine the price. Compare fitting, alterations, tops, connections, removal and logistics separately. Without that scope, an hourly, linear-metre or starting figure is not a reliable total.
Can I have a kitchen fitted that I already bought?
Yes. Provide the maker if known, assembly state and requested work. The business checks the plan, components and fit with the room. You do not automatically have to buy the kitchen through the fitter.
Are water and electrical connections included?
Only where those services are expressly included in the offer. Appliance fitting and technical connections need separate clarification, including specialists, alterations, checks, responsibility and price.
Can a used kitchen be refitted?
Yes where its condition, components and new room are suitable. Alterations or a new worktop may be necessary. Decide what to retain before dismantling; transport between addresses needs describing as an additional service.
When is the worktop measured?
It depends on the material and system. Many custom tops are finally measured after units are levelled and secured. Confirm the sequence with the supplier or fitter and allow for a possible later fitting appointment.
Must I know all dimensions and appliance models?
No. Give known lengths, available parts and requested scope. Missing technical dimensions can be checked. Before final fabrication and fitting, professionals must have reliable measurements and suitable manufacturer information.
