New galley kitchen needed

GDB2222

ThisIsWeird said:

DanielDeronda said:

Am looking at renovating my 1 bed flat, room by room.  The kitchen needs most work.

Given the size of the space, I won't be changing the structure of the room. But want more than just changing colour schemes. The existing cupboards, worktops & flooring needs to be taken out & replaced.

I've got 11 cupboards in total, one which has 3 drawers instead.  9 of the cupboards are along one side of the kitchen & other 2 are under the sink area.

I've got a freestanding fridge freezer & cooker, as well as a washing machine under the sink. Am replacing the washing machine but new 1 should fit under sink.

Ceramic tiles I think on the floor, what advantages do any other flooring offer me?

Don't need to change lighting & have a double glazed window looking over the sink & washing machine area.

Have a reasonable budget but want maximum value.

Who should I ask to give me a quote? And how long would jobs take? And could I live in the flat when work is being done?

I've not really had much significant work in the flat, more just me refreshing paintwork & little else.

Pros and cons of ceramic tiles floor? Well, the cons are that they will most likely require far more prep, depending on how much movement is in the existing subfloor, or else you may get one or two cracking in a few years time. And they will cost a lot more due to both the material, and amount of labour involved.
Then, as said before, they can chip if heavy objects are dropped on them (as can other surfaces, of course, but most alternatives are more absorbent), but also they are more likely to cause dropped objects - mugs, plates, glasses - to break if dropped.
Pros? I guess the quality look, which will be important if you are going smooth and shiny.
But, if going non-shiny and textured, consider alternatives such as SPC (rigid core tiles) which are strong (if thick enough), easy to lay (so quicker and cheaper), fully waterproof, and the woodgrain ones I've seen have had accurate and well-defined textures.

Can you give a link to some decent SPC, please? 

silvercar

Ceramic floor tiles are cold underfoot, particularly in winter. They are also less forgiving when items are dropped on them - they can chip if you hit a side and the item can smash.

We've just changed to glue down LVT and it's a big improvement.

Downsides of living with the mess are washing up in the bath, no washing machine and restricted cooking facilites - in that order. 

Bookworm105

ThisIsWeird said:

But, if going non-shiny and textured, consider alternatives such as SPC (rigid core tiles) which are strong (if thick enough), easy to lay (so quicker and cheaper), fully waterproof, and the woodgrain ones I've seen have had accurate and well-defined textures.

thank you, not aware of that product, sounds just what I need to replace current laminate

DanielDeronda

TELLIT01 said:

If you are on a budget have you considered just having the doors and worktop replaced if the carcases are still in good condition.  Far less disruption to the kitchen and probably completed in a couple of days.

That's a good point, think the carcasses of the cupboards look ok structurally just need a decent clean.

Want some colour with the new cabinet doors, but not really sure what finish to go for. Think I painted over the existing doors.

DanielDeronda

Flugelhorn said:

if they are within budget then consider pan drawers rather than all cupboards - we have all our pans and crockery in them and they are great as everything much easier to get to 

Yes have got 3 drawers, 1 for cutlery & 2 others that could house pots & pans and crockery. I need to declutter these drawers beforehand.

ThisIsWeird

GDB2222 said:

ThisIsWeird said:

DanielDeronda said:

Am looking at renovating my 1 bed flat, room by room.  The kitchen needs most work.

Given the size of the space, I won't be changing the structure of the room. But want more than just changing colour schemes. The existing cupboards, worktops & flooring needs to be taken out & replaced.

I've got 11 cupboards in total, one which has 3 drawers instead.  9 of the cupboards are along one side of the kitchen & other 2 are under the sink area.

I've got a freestanding fridge freezer & cooker, as well as a washing machine under the sink. Am replacing the washing machine but new 1 should fit under sink.

Ceramic tiles I think on the floor, what advantages do any other flooring offer me?

Don't need to change lighting & have a double glazed window looking over the sink & washing machine area.

Have a reasonable budget but want maximum value.

Who should I ask to give me a quote? And how long would jobs take? And could I live in the flat when work is being done?

I've not really had much significant work in the flat, more just me refreshing paintwork & little else.

Pros and cons of ceramic tiles floor? Well, the cons are that they will most likely require far more prep, depending on how much movement is in the existing subfloor, or else you may get one or two cracking in a few years time. And they will cost a lot more due to both the material, and amount of labour involved.
Then, as said before, they can chip if heavy objects are dropped on them (as can other surfaces, of course, but most alternatives are more absorbent), but also they are more likely to cause dropped objects - mugs, plates, glasses - to break if dropped.
Pros? I guess the quality look, which will be important if you are going smooth and shiny.
But, if going non-shiny and textured, consider alternatives such as SPC (rigid core tiles) which are strong (if thick enough), easy to lay (so quicker and cheaper), fully waterproof, and the woodgrain ones I've seen have had accurate and well-defined textures.

Can you give a link to some decent SPC, please? 

Nope... :-(
I have had samples recently, and I very much like the finish. But they are only 6 or 8mm thick, and the 'click' edges look thin.

Emmia

I think SPC and LVT are in many ways quite similar products.

Mnoee

I have a galley kitchen that we renovated last year including laminate floors, lower-end appliances and replastering for about £14k, using a local company. I have no wall units aside from a small one above the extractor/hob but a huge 7ft tall cupboard, and a bar running from that to the wall opposite to dangle things from - not for everyone, works for me and my giant pans! 

To maximise storage I spent a fair whack of the budget making sure the only standard 'cupboard' was under the sink. The rest may look like cupboards, but all have drawers or pullouts inside to make getting to the back easy - they technically take up a bit more space than a standard shelf, but you can actually use the entire depth for things you need to get to every day. 

I know ikea have that sort of thing on a nationwide level, ours are mostly hettech.

I am generally not a fan of airfryers, but one was certainly handy for sausage baps in the living room during renovations. We have a utility room with a sink (and washing machine) so not may other tips - I know friends used paper plates. 

Our renovation was a bit of a nightmare to be honest, mostly due to the recommended builder who was very unreliable - someone working from home meant he took that as a sign that there was no need to say if and when the various tradespeople would be there and the projected two weeks spiralled into six. Three different family members recommended the same kitchen company... All had the decent builder who also works with them, we got the cowboy. Don't mean to scare you, but it certainly can happen, even with local companies that have a good reputation and personal recommendations.