Kitchen Design

Jaynne

Having just got a new kitchen and been to both chains and independents I never received a hard sell from any of them which was refreshing.

As said before have a go at the planners and post something here. There are only a few real "rules" that you need to follow such as not having a tall unit right beside a hob or the hob under a window. Fridge and freezer next to an oven. Obvious things really. Don't worry about fillers, you only put them in when you have a gap and they should be a max of 10cm or less if the kitchen suppliers units increase in size in 5cm increments.

Presumably at some point you are going to have this professionally planned and thats when these details will be sorted. The price you get from online planners will probably miss some things but also will be higher than the sale or haggled price anyway so it will balance out. One thing I would do is price the worktops and appliances elsewhere, they tend to be very expensive at all the kitchen places we looked at.

MagicCats

Jaynne wrote: »

Having just got a new kitchen and been to both chains and independents I never received a hard sell from any of them which was refreshing.

As said before have a go at the planners and post something here. There are only a few real "rules" that you need to follow such as not having a tall unit right beside a hob or the hob under a window. Fridge and freezer next to an oven. Obvious things really. Don't worry about fillers, you only put them in when you have a gap and they should be a max of 10cm or less if the kitchen suppliers units increase in size in 5cm increments.

Presumably at some point you are going to have this professionally planned and thats when these details will be sorted. The price you get from online planners will probably miss some things but also will be higher than the sale or haggled price anyway so it will balance out. One thing I would do is price the worktops and appliances elsewhere, they tend to be very expensive at all the kitchen places we looked at.

Thanks Jaynne :T

Someone has actually stepped in and very kindly helped me out. The problem in my current kitchen is that it has been effectively fitted to the wrong end of the room. Shifting it across to the other is the ideal scenario, but may not be possible.

Due to current constraints it makes planning a little more difficult without knowing the little tricks with units etc. I'll still have a play around on the planners though and see how it goes.

Jaynne

When moving your kitchen about the biggest thing to think about is where are your services? If you're moving to the other side of the room you will have to have your sink waste and plumbing moved but you would need a plumber to tell you how easy that is.

Electrics too but these are always movable if sometimes expensively.

Just play with the planners, it takes a while but in the end you get a good idea of what sorts of units fit where. Corners are often the trickiest and each different manufacturer has different sized corner units but their designers can deal with this issue when they do a proper design for you.

To give you an idea I think I spent 10+ hours playing with different designs to come up with something we were happy with. Its virtually finished now and we're very happy with it and glad we spent so long looking as we will have to live with the kitchen for years.

cddc

Right, helpful hat on!

I would say in your case, to get any idea of the final cost, you probably need to get someone out. When you are moving the physical location of the kitchen there are wiring and plumbing issues involved, as well as potentially a few design and regulation issues. Without anyone seeing it with their own eyes it will probably be difficult to judge the final cost of the project.

As Jaynne says, if you ask, we mostly dont bite, either in chainstores or indy's....we want to help so we eventually get the sale even if we realise you are not going to buy now, as per my earlier post.

The likes of the gone but not lamented Moben/Kitchens Direct, might have given kitchen designers/salespeople a bad name, and there are still some of their ilk about (Kitchens Uber for example).
But if you opt to see a store based designer local to you, they will, in general, not want to give themsleves a bad name.

In your case, an online planner is not going to give you any realistic notion of the total project cost, a designer can.

mummyroysof3

we are at the planning stage of our kitchen and will be getting b&q and wickes out to do a design and quote as we need to know a rough ammount to save along with the building work we want done next june.i have a decent idea of what i want but does anyone know how far away from my larder cuboard my oven should be?

MagicCats

Kitchen_DesignR wrote: »

Larder from hob, Gas safe now says 300mm

CDDC, everything you've said in this thread has been helpful.
If someone doesn't give you all the factors, your never solve their problem.
Sometimes though, perhaps we should walk away and let them get on with it.
If they know best, who are we to give advice?

Yet again someone with snide comments. I suggest you read from the top. Again.

I don't come on this forum to aggravate people so I'm bemused as to why people got their knickers in a twist. In the first instance I wanted a good planner with possibly a guide to using it, alongside a guide to a companies units and how the work together. I think that's a reasonable request?

What has become apparent through looking at my kitchen more in depth, and speaking with a designer, is that it may be better moving it across the room. This depends on major plumbing issues being resolved.

I fail to see how not posting my complete life story, house location and actual kitchen dimension plus cupboard contents provokes responses such as this; being accused of giving people half a story. Granted had I asked for help to actually design the kitchen and was vague with info I'd agree with the comments. I didn't however. I asked a simple question.

southcoastrgi

Op ...................

Leif

Kitchen_DesignR wrote: »

Perhaps its because when you write a post it comes across like you have a massive chip on your shoulder.

Please calm down (and others too). I cannot agree with the above. The OP started out polite. The thread was polite until post 8 which comes across as aggressive, and suggests the poster had not read the original post. I would be annoyed. The OP made it clear they were not looking to take someone for a ride i.e. use a design service when they have no intention of buying from them. I had the same attitude too.

I am tempted to say "Calm down dear, calm down", but if you are female, then you might accuse me of sexism c.f. Cameron and the female opposition MP.

Leif

Kitchen_DesignR wrote: »

Thanks Leif, but I'm perfectly calm.

If people don't want opinions, then public forums isn't the place for them.

You and cddc insulted the OP which was uncalled for. I thought the OP's response to post 8 quite reasonable given its rudeness. And then in post 10 cddc tells the OP off, when all they asked for is an online planner. I get the impression cddc and you got out of the wrong side of bed. Lighten up please, there is no need for abuse.

OP: One alternative it to pay a designer for a plan. I'm not sure how much you do pay, but it might be worth it to get an experienced person's insight, although there is a risk they design something to make more profit, rather than suit you, but I think they normally respond if you say "No, don't like that". I'm sure designers are nice.