Howdens kitchen advice

Kaipa88

I’m having a kitchen designed by Howdens fitted at the moment. The fitter has put the units at the correct height however I was hoping that the wall cupboards would have totally covered the electrics and I could just box in the cables. At the moment the top of the electrics stick out which is an eye sore. I’m thinking to get some plasterboard and box it in but if there’s any other solutions I’m open ears! 

Grumpy_chap

If the Fitter is worth his salt, he should be able to obtain a "fascia panel" (or infill panel) from Howdens and create a removable / openable infill that runs along that whole length above the units.
You would not want to simply box that in with plaster board as it looks as though the cut out and meter is located there, which you may require access to, even if infrequently.  A ventilation panel might also be advisable.
It is also worth asking the Fitter to cut back the plasterboard immediately at the meter and ensure there is working access if the meter of cut out ever needs maintenance by the electricity board.
The Fitter might ask for additional payment but it will probably be far easier and cheaper to have this all accessible and looking nice now than needing to change things if there is a call-out that requires attention.  

QrizB

Grumpy_chap said:

You would not want to simply box that in with plaster board as it looks as though the cut out and meter is located there, which you may require access to, even if infrequently.  A ventilation panel might also be advisable.

Plus a consumer unit, that I can see. Presumably the other cunsumer unit(s) are easily accessible via the cupboards and not hidden behind anything solid? Otherwise, the next time you have to reset a RCD or MCB you're going to have to hack a hole in your kitchen.

Grumpy_chap

QrizB said:

Plus a consumer unit, that I can see. 

Yes, I missed that.  It might even be only part of a consumer unit we can see with the remainder already behind the plaster board?

Kaipa88

My fitter has put a removable face over the electrics. What you see sticking out above is what Octopus energy installed. 

Grumpy_chap

That actually looks pretty good.
Can the Fitter replicate the same idea above the cupboards?  Plenty of ways to make a bit of boxing in look like it was always meant to be so.

QrizB

THe three things I've drawn red circles around all need to be accessible fairly easily.

Leftmost is a small consumer unit. Do you have an EV point, or a detatched garage, or something like that? Under the cover you should find at least one MCB/RCD/RCBO.

In the middle is your DNO cutout. A big fuse that all the electricity to your house pases through. Hardly ever cause issues, but if you do get a problem (eg. like this) you need to have ready access.

Last, on the right, your meter. Hopefully you won't need to touch it (it's smart, after all) but all the same you miht want to read it every few months, and once in a blue moon you'll get a visit from a meter reader who will want to see it. And in a decade it'll want replacing.

Kaipa88

I have a detached garage. 

I was thinking to possibly just box in the following area but my joiner said he’d use plasterboard so wouldn’t be able to temporarily move it for access. Not sure what the other options would be but I agree it would be happy to access JUST INCASE. I just want it to look as inconspicuous as possible 

Grumpy_chap

What options for fascia panels or infill panels do Howdens offer for the kitchen style you have chosen?
That could be built in much the same way as for a plasterboard box in, but then the front could be affixed with easy removable fasteners.

If it were me, and assuming it gives sufficient clearance, I'd run a fascia panel the full length of that row of cupboard units for the height from the top of the cupboard to the ceiling and have the front flush with the box out already created near the window.

Doozergirl

Use mdf, attached to a stud work frame from the ceiling.   Paint it in the same colour as the units.  

But double check that it is actually okay to cover those things under the building regulations.  

Is your hob above the oven?   Because the height of the wall unit is awfully close to the heat/steam.  

WIAWSNB

Kaipa88 said:

I’m having a kitchen designed by Howdens fitted at the moment. The fitter has put the units at the correct height however I was hoping that the wall cupboards would have totally covered the electrics and I could just box in the cables. At the moment the top of the electrics stick out which is an eye sore. I’m thinking to get some plasterboard and box it in but if there’s any other solutions I’m open ears! 

I don't understand that first pic - the cornice looks funny on my phone?!
Anyhoo, if given that the second pic is a true rep of how much is actually visible from most of the kitchen by a standing person,  then you have little that still needs hiding - essentially just the cables.
A few things you can do. See the pelmet panel? I guess it's only 18mm thick, but adding a matching strip like this to the top, with the cornice then added on top, would hide more - possibly everything other than the cables?
If an extra 18mm doesn't do it, is there a thicker decor panel available that might?
This will just look like a more substantial corn.
Then a lightweight MDF freestanding cover, painted the wall colour, sitting on top of the unit, as hard against the electrics as possible, will make it nigh on invisible. If only the cables show, then perhaps even a semi-circular shroud - half of a soil pipe or similar?
I think it'll be one of these things that, once 80% is hidden, you'll soon ignore the remaining 'boxing' required. But if you don't think you can ignore a small boxed area, then, yes, a full-width, freestanding panel may be needed. This can theoretically pull/fall forwards when access is needed.
Another solution, but presumably more work than you'd want to do, and could also compromise the working height of that microwave, is to raise the height of all the wall units. If it were not for that 'wave, you could have the cornice almost touching the ceiling, the electrics accessible from within a unit, and a shallow, worktop-matching shelf running along that wall, around 200mm below bottom height, for your nicely-contained spices and condies.
Yes, the top shelf may need a roller-stool for shorter folk, but you put your rarely-used stuff up there, and it will also give your kitchen a surprising feeling of being larger. 
Just seen this done recently, and it transformed and opened the feel of a narrowish kitchen. If not for MW, this would be my solution, having seen it done.