Replacing kitchen

Agutka

I have a friend who is an interior designer and he will be helping me to buy a new kitchen/ find people to install it etc. Great. However he has now said something about me having to do my kitchen up first ?? Okay, so I need new windows put in, and maybe fix the ceiling (old water damage - far away from where the cabinets would go), but I am not ready to go splashing out at the moment. Just wanted the new cabinets.
He also said I will need get the kitchen re-wired. But I do not live in a victorian mansion - the extension is only 12 years old. What is he talking about?

kat21

your friend is making sense regardless of the age of the room. preparation is very important in fitting a kitchen for example you may wish to re site some of your power sockets, you may wish to install under unit lighting, or even downlights in the main ceiling. Kitchens today tend to work off their own power fuse isolated from the rest of the house. Doesnt mean you have to do that but your friend is advising you that do the ground work first and you will have a fine kitchen later. Making good walls by re plastering will help at a later stage should you wish to tile. work out first of all where you want the appliances, like the position of the sink and washing machine as the pipework will need to be installed first, then electrical fittings such as sockets and fused spurs. Downlights. What is the floor like? are you having that tiled? good floors and walls make an easier install and an easy install keeps costs and errors low. if on the other hand your just putting in a cheap and cheerfull kitchen and dont mind it getting damaged or not fitting properly then go ahead work to the exisiting layout.Working around existing kitchen units will push up the costs for example say you install your new kitchen but later decide to have more power sockets, thats going to be more expensive because the electrician would have to work around the units. Your walls are best plastered first if not level (for wall units)
generally kitchen fitters will rip out your old kitchen then employ someone to come in and install electrical and plumbing points then, level up the walls ready for tiling.If you wish to keep costs down look into things like how much of the old kitchen you can take out, leaving connection points were they are such as sockets, and hot and cold pipes for the sink and washing machine.
your friend is only trying to help
kat21