Kitchen fitting, where to start?

[Ian H]

I've just had a kitchen delivered so I'm looking for some advice.

I thought first fit the wall units so they are out of the way but now it's here I'm not sure if I should fit the base units first?

Wall units are 900mm tall so what height should I fix the brackets? We are not tiling the wall between the base and wall units.

Cheers, Ian

 

[Ian H]

I looked on the manufacturers website and the tall larder units are 230cm with legs so I put a couple of wall units on at that height.

The first was a corner one and a pain in the arse!!

 

[Doggit]

You start with the base units, and work upwards. Your floor may not be level, so you'll start with your kitchen legs at about 150/155, and then get everything level - then you can do a final adjustment on the legs if necessary. Then you'll fit the larder unit, and then work downwards from the top of it for the wall units. If you fit the wall units first, you may find they're in the way when you come to put the worktops on, and need the wall space to manoeuvre them round the kitchen. In addition, if the walls out, you'll be struggling to crane your neck under the wall units to sort out the back of the worktop. If you're not tiling, how are you going to cover the inevitable gap between the worktop and the wall.

 

[Ian H]

Damn, I'm doing it backwards!!

I drew a line all round at 226cm and drilled for the brackets on that. First one was the old 'measure once, drill twice' and I put the brackets on 100mm too wide.

We don't have a larder unit, I just borrowed the measurement to work out the height of my wall units. The missus wants to paint the walls and fit an upstand between the wall and worktop.

This is as far as we got before we had to go and pick the kids up:

I'm not sure how she will reach the baked beans from the top shelf

 

[Doggit]

They look as though they're set a bit high for anyone. What's the height of the lowest point of the cupboards.

 

[Doggit]

Just worked it out; you could have come down 50mm, possibly100, but she'll still need a step.

Whose hinges are you using. Howdens do very nice easy quick release ones.

 

[Ian H]

137cm (once the floor is tiled), 140cm as you see it now.

 

[Doggit]

Have you thought about a brushed and oiled floating wooden floor. Much warmer, not so hard wearing, but can be maintained fairly easily. Assuming a 720 base unit, 150mm legs, and a 40mm worktop, you'll have a 460mm gap between the worktop and the wall units, but this could be reduced.

 

[Ian H]

Would that be wood floating on insulation?

Some friends of ours have the electric underfloor heating in their kitchen and we both really like that. That's our plan upto now but the heating or the flooring hasn't been chosen or bought yet.

These were in with the kitchen, it's from DIY-kitchens.com in Pontefract, I though that was a nice touch from them:

Even though I hate tea!!

 

[matz]

all I can say is good luck! I have a woodworking background (near 40 yrs) and am fitting ours at the moment. Only my second kitchen I've ever fitted and this job is really taxing me. I now have massive respect for kitchen fitters!! One thing to consider if you are having a hob especially if a gas one, where you are placing it in conjunction with the wall cabinets/ larder units. There are regs for distance from hob to cabinets and if you dont get that right gas safe wont sign off the hob install ( if gas)..... for example I'm fitting a BQ kitchen and their standard wall cabinet height is not high enough for the manufacturers fitting spec for a Hotpoint gas hob so I've had to up the wall cabs 20mm approx and will have to build up the top of the oven cabinet and stick a chopped down door at the top. Also some regs for wall sockets distance from hob I believe. And the tool with my fit thats getting most use - the spirit level!

 

[Ian H]

The good old sport level!!! I never believe what they say

We are having a 90cm range cooker in the chimney so it's a bit away from any units.

I'm looking forward to cracking on this weekend, hopefully I won't get so angry that I smash it up.

 

[chris1982]

We recently fitted a kitchen ourselves (well I keep postponing the last bits, plinth etc). I would add to the above, start with the base unit in the corner. And when adjusting the base units' feet, start with the lowest one.

 

[Doggit]

Would that be wood floating on insulation

I've just used 5mm fibreboard, as woods a pretty good insulator in it's own right. On the current job, I've laid the floor wall to wall, then used steel legs at the front, and plastic at the rear, and I've been asked to put leds under the floor units, but I think I'll need to put a separate switch in, otherwise they see how much dirt is under there. I'd only use UFH on tiles though, as they can get damned cold in the winter.

It's 65mm from the cooker to the extractor; are you able to extract to the outside of the house.

I was up at Tool Fair yesterday in London, and managed to pick up a new laser level for £60. What's this with the new green lasers that are now showing up.

 

[Ian H]

Yes, I can vent to outside. The chimney it's going in is wide but the one in the room above is very small so I can go out sideways.

Here's the jigsaw:

 

[Doggit]

Under the circumstances, I can see the reason for starting on the wall units. Make sure you keep all your mdf doors and panels flat on the floor, as they'll bend if you lean them against anything.

Okay, so did anyone spot the deliberate mistake. The extractor hood must be a minimum of 65cm above the cooker, not 65mm. Gotta stop drinking scotch late at night when I'm on this site.