The order to fit a kitchen and built in cooker..

[ch123]

Hi there,

I'm having my kitchen completely refitted. I'm having builders come in to help me fit the kitchen, but they don't do gas or electricity fitting.

So I'm buying my built in electric oven and gas hob (2 pieces) from Currys, they deliver and install at the same time....The problem is that I had to specify a delivery/install date when I bought it.

The builders are booked in for Monday to Saturday (roughly) to do the kitchen. I've booked the cooker installation for the Wednesday...(they also had the Friday available)

I'm wondering if this sounds about right in the order that kitchens are to be done?

The worktop will have to be cut by the builders so the hob fits in it, I'm guessing the worktop needs to be in place before the hob is reconnected and fitted? (but then they won't know the exact size of the hob to cut out the hole until it's delivered?)

Can the oven be just put into the oven cabinet and connected if the cabinet there already?

These builders have always delivered on time so, I'm expecting the finish date to remain the Saturday.

The builder are on hols, so I can't ask them about the timing, and Currys couldn't give me any advice....

I would appreciate any advice you have!

Thank you.

 

[JohnD]

Are all the pipes and cables readily accessible even when the cabinets have been fitted? You don't want the cabinets to be in the electrician's way.

The hob will come with a template to cut the worktop, I would expect the kitchen fitters to be willing to do that so that the hob will fit in afterwards.

See if the retailer or manufacturer will give you a template or tell you the hole dimension so you can have it ready in advance.

 

[Scrit]

I'm having my kitchen completely refitted. I'm having builders come in to help me fit the kitchen, but they don't do gas or electricity fitting.

Arghh!!!!! I wonder how they'd feel if I started building walls......

The builders are booked in for Monday to Saturday (roughly) to do the kitchen. I've booked the cooker installation for the Wednesday...(they also had the Friday available)

Well if you'd used a kitchen fitter instead of a builder he could have told you that a gas hob generally requires a switched outlet socket and will need to have a fixed gas pipe run to it (flexibles not allowed according to my CORGI man) with a stop-cock (isolator) in line. That normally means you need to run the gas pipe in to where the hob will sit BEFORE installing the units. The units are installed, then the tops, the cut-outs done and finally the CORGI man called back-in to connect-up the hob.

Similarly any chasing-out, wiring, new sockets, plastering-in, etc will need to be done before installing kitchen units ensuring that any and all switched outlets are behind the unit adjacent to the one where the appliance is (so you can actually switch it off in the event of a problem - there's also generally a clearance problem if you put the socket behind the appliance. I've seen professional electricians get this wrong in their own houses let alone builders make a c*ck of it. BTW all new electrical works need to be carried out to spec. by a Part P-certified tradesman, who will also need to issue a certificate of works.

The worktop will have to be cut by the builders so the hob fits in it, I'm guessing the worktop needs to be in place before the hob is reconnected and fitted? (but then they won't know the exact size of the hob to cut out the hole until it's delivered?)

They'll know the size if they've already looked on the manufacturer's web site - most appliance manufacturers are only too happy to supply installers with details.

Can the oven be just put into the oven cabinet and connected if the cabinet there already?

The "connection" normally just comprises plugging in at the socket - the problem sometimes comes where the oven has to be mounted on rails attached to the carcass sides - in that case it's easier to install the rails and do a trial fit and then remove the oven before installing the hob, but after doing the cut-out. If your doors are vinyl wrapped or foil-wrapped MDF I'd also recommend installing heat shields on the units either side of the oven as this can prevent scorching of the door edges over time. One other point- make sure these guys seal any cut edges (such as cut-outs, scribed back edges, etc) with something waterproof like silicone, varnish, etc before instralling anything

I would appreciate any advice you have!

I suppose it's a bit too late to say that house builders build houses , whilst kitchen fitters fit kitchens - the clue's in the job title

Scrit

 

[ch123]

Thanks John and Scrit for your detailed answers. They are very useful!

I will find out the size and cutout measurement from the manufacturer. There is already a gas hob and electric oven there, so I hope this will make things easier for installation and reconnection...

 

[Scrit]

One other little tip - when you put in the power feed for your extractor, make it a double socket. That way you'll be able to run both the extractor and the pelmet lights off separate switched outlets which can make sorting out problems later a bit easier. The transformers for the lights are then screwed to the top of the upper cabs

Scrit