Installing kitchen...

[ewant]

Hi

I'm planning to remove a (small) old kitchen and replace it. The units are from Ikea and most of the appliances are being bought from a seperate supplier.

I'm pretty much committed to doing the majority of the work myself (ie. the removal, the re-flooring, the decorating, the unit installation and other cosmetic stuff).

However, there's a series of tasks I clearly need qualified professionals for: there are no fittings for a dishwasher and one will have to be plumbed in, the hob will be very near the original hob but I'll need a Corgi certified plumber to make the installation safe, I'll need an electrician to move and install points (not least to put the necessary wiring in for an electric oven).

I'm not a total beginner at DIY, but then, most of the jobs I've tackled up to now have been pretty simple. I've never tried to oversee a project that has involved outside professionals coming in.

My questions are therefore:

Am I being naive? Is this a false economy, rather than employing a builder to run the whole thing for me (nb. the quotes I've seen so far have been steep and I'm running out of recommendations)?

If I do go the route I'm thinking of - can I be assured that the kitchen will be safe and meet all current safety standards (because I've employed registered tradesmen to do the work)?

Lastly (unless people here advise me that this isn't a wise route to go) does anyone have advice about how to lay this out clearly in the planning stage, or is there a book or website that helps people like me try to structure these kinds of projects so they run as smoothly and safely as possible?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Ewan Thomson

 

[AdamW]

I think you are taking the right approach here.

I took much the same approach. I have done my own kitchen entirely by myself, apart from the gas (still need to find a CORGI to plumb in my hob).

The only problem I hit was when I tried to find someone to fit the worktops for me. They all gave answers like "Job's too small, I would do a whole kitchen but not just worktops" and so on. So, be prepared to do that yourself. I completed it last weekend (router and jig) and am very satisfied with the results.

With the dishwasher plumbing: it is highly likely that the new sink will not match up with the old plumbing. So you are going to have to do that bit anyway. Might as well do the dishwasher bit too. Pushfit joints are so easy, that for a couple of small jobs like that, they work out a lot cheaper than getting a plumber.

 

[Kuzulvad]

Hi,

I've installed an IKEA kitchen a couple years ago and was very pleased with the quality of the units. I cut 2 solid 40mm beech worktops with a hired router and jig. It was a first time so I took great care to get the measurements right. It would have been quite an expensive mistake otherwise...

What I would advise you to do is to measure the dimensions of your kitchen (Exactly). Also watch out for walls not meeting at square angle.

Next, draw a plan of your kitchen with all the units in.

Also draw a copy of this plan with power sockets in relation to the units.
Very handy to explain clearly to the electrician what to do.

Same thing for plumbing requirements. But really, if you want to install a kitchen, I'm sure you can install a couple pipe fittings yourself.

The reason you have trouble getting people cutting worktops is that it is quite a tricky job. Not technically difficult if you have the right tools (Powerfull rooter advisable and good quality bits), but no margin for error and precision required! Once it's cut, it's cut! So if your fitter refuses to cut your worktop, don't let him install your kitchen either!

Also think carefully of the ceiling lighting in relation to the position of the units. Think of how it would complement the lighting on the underside of the wall units. In a kitchen, to centre the lights is not necessarily right...

Make sure the floor is as level and flat as possible and also make sure your bottom units are perfectly level, otherwise your worktops won't meet perfectly in the corners, and neither will your wall tiles if you use them.

I found that planning was half the battle won when I installed my kitchen

Good luck and let me know how you get on!

 

[ewant]

All very useful advice.

I've no experience in the plumbing dept. whatsoever, so I'm planning to get a professional to sort out the sink and washing machine. I've read a few posts on this forum about problems when the waste from both are joined together (ie. water from the dishwasher bubbling up out of the sink!)

Vis-a-vis the work-tops. Interesting point about the integrity of the floor. It's just an old concrete slab under cork tiles. I plan to line it with DPM and then put down engineered oak with the recommended underlay. I hadn't been pouring down any levelling compound. But if it helped later with getting the worktops right... maybe I should think about it.

Also, interesting the point about the units and the squareness of the walls. As far as I can make out the room is slightly off ie. 2-3cm wider at one end than the other. Any advice on how to deal with that much appreciated.

Sorry, I haven't figured out how to do that handy "quoting" thing people do here in order to reply to points.

Cheers

Ewan

 

[Kuzulvad]

Hi Ewan,

You'll be able ro adjust the level of your units with the scrwe in feet, no prob. But the reason for having a level floor is so that when you put the skirting board inder the units, it's flush with the units and the floor without unsightly gaps.

The wall units have got adjustable brackets to deal with uneven unsquare walls. Start in the corner with the corner unit and go from there.Doin't try to "force" the unit into the angle, it won't work.

For the dishwasher/sink waste plumbing, it's piece of cake, really.
Get a basic plumbing guide, go to B&Q to have a look at the fittings, and go for it.


Eric

 

[ewant]

Thanks again,

Good to know that I can tinker with the units height. I guess the main problem I'm likely to run into with the work top then will be because the room is wider at one end than the other. Meaning, I suppose, I can cut the neatest corners you like and it still won't fit flush at the walls. (I can imagine that's not a common problem?)

Suggestions/tips more than welcome (let me know if I need to be clearer about the issue - I can post a plan on the web if necessary)

Cheers

E

 

[masona]

Some useful info here

 

[JayS]

I'm just in the process of installing my kitchen (IKEA as well).

In addition to all the advise already given. Here's another suggestion. If you fit a batton along the wall to stand the lower units on it's easier to get them level. Fiddling around with four adjustable legs makes it very difficult to get them straight...

You can do the same for the wall hag units, but after they are up you just remove the batton. And they are all level!

Otherwise I must say it's gone a lot smother then I expected. I'm sure something will go wrong soon...

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