bespoke
Kitchen fitting and handmade kitchens
Kitchen fitting is the carpentry half of a new kitchen: setting the units level and square, hanging doors, scribing worktops to the wall, and cutting in the sink and hob. Labour for a standard kitchen usually runs £1,500 to £5,000, separate from the units themselves.
What it costs. Kitchen fitting labour costs £1,500 to £5,000 for a standard UK kitchen, separate from the units and appliances. Full cost breakdown for kitchen fitting.
What the job covers
- Fitting a flat-pack or rigid kitchen
- Handmade in-frame kitchens
- Worktop templating and fitting
- Replacing doors and drawer fronts
- Utility and boot rooms
What is involved
A fitter works to the floor and the wall, neither of which is straight. Base units are levelled off the highest point of the floor and packed down from there, because a run levelled off the lowest point leaves a unit unsupported. Wall units hang from a rail or from batten, set from the worktop height rather than from the ceiling. Doors and drawer fronts are adjusted last, and this is the part that shows: consistent shadow gaps between fronts is the single clearest sign of a good fit.
Worktops are their own job. Laminate is cut and jointed on site with a router and a jig. Solid timber is scribed to the wall and needs oiling on all faces including the underside and the cut edges, or it will cup. Stone and composite are templated after the units are in and fitted by the supplier, which means the kitchen is unusable for a week between the two visits, and that gap needs to be in the plan.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask to see a run of doors on a finished job and look at the gaps. Ask whether the fitter does the worktop or the supplier does, and when. Ask who is doing the plumbing and electrics, and whether the fitter co-ordinates them or you do.
Common questions
How long does a kitchen take to fit?
Five to ten working days for a standard kitchen, plus a break of a week if stone worktops are being templated. Old kitchen removal and any plastering add to that.
Should I use the retailer's fitter or find my own?
Both work. An independent fitter is usually cheaper and easier to hold to a date; a retailer's fitter is simpler if something arrives damaged, because the supply and the fit sit with one company.
Does the fitter do plumbing and electrics?
Usually not. Most kitchen fitters are carpenters who work alongside a plumber and an electrician. Ask early who is booking them.
Can I keep my existing worktop?
Sometimes, if the new units are the same depth and the cut-outs line up. It is worth asking before assuming, because a matching worktop is a large saving.