Kitchen remodel project

[GSXRMovistar]

The home project for the first half of this year is to replace and extend our current kitchen which I put in 11 years back with something new, slightly larger and shiny. So I thought I'd create a thread for all the questions I'm going to ask and will also add details/pics of the work once it gets underway.

One thing I have decided though is I'm going to get someone in to manage/do the work end to end this time, as much as I enjoy a lot of DIY tasks I just don't have the time to do something like this these days.

The plan at this stage is for the following:-

• Removal of stud partition wall to extend into old dining room to double the size of the kitchen (both rooms are tiny anyway).
• New skim on ceiling to get rid of the old artex
• Install number of ceiling spot lights
• Fit an under floor heating solution (ideally plumbed, not electric)
• Tile floor
• Fit kitchen cabinets
• Fit worktops
• Fit glass splash backs
• Any remaining painting/finishing

The wife and I have found a kitchen from Ikea we like and I’ve also used their online planner to put together a layout for the kitchen, however we will consider kitchens from other suppliers.

Layout and mock-ups of what we have in mind:-

It's a lot of cabinets for the size of the room but we need the storage and the more we can get in the cabinets leaves the worktops free for actual working use.

Still need to decide on what type of worktops to go for but I want to get some initial quotes for the rest of the work first to get any idea of budgets.

So some initial questions to get the ball rolling:-

1. Anyone recently had an Ikea kitchen fitted and how are you finding it?
2. Any recommendations for suppliers that provide kitchens around the same budget scale as ikea?
3. Anyone have glass splash-backs, are you happy with them and what did you pay for them?

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Appreciate the feedback it's all helpful. in response to the points made:-

• Cabinets 18/19 will have a worktop over them as marked in blue on the plan above. Intention of this was be a small breakfast bar that the kids could sit at. And also allows you to place things being taken in/out the oven/microwave.
• On the worktop above cabinet 15 (to the left go 18) we intended to place an iMac, this area would be a drop zone for the family to check emails/charge phones etc rather than going off to bedrooms. Hence to breakfast bar stools.
• I like the idea of full height cabinets on one side, maybe next to the fridge (cabinet 19), this could possibly be used as a larder.
• If full heights were put in there cabinets 10,11,12 could possibly come out being replaced by a breakfast bar, in turn removing the need 18/19 as they are now.
• Yes separate dining room.
• Door open into the kitchen.

As I say this is all very early stages and just an initial idea, have a designer coming round this evening to discuss ideas with.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Dining room is not connected to the kitchen, there is a lounge in-between. Also not looking to make any major alterations to main structure of the house (that all happened in 2014 with an extension).

The intention of the breakfast bar isn't really for somewhere to eat, just somewhere someone can sit whilst others are doing things in the kitchen.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

What I forgot to add is that there is a washer/dryer in cabinet 2 and there will be a dishwasher where 4/5 are so not as much cabinet space as it may seem. I hadn't put the correct appliance cabinets on the plan at this point as just an idea for a mock up.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Hob would sit over cabinet 6, food prep would be done on worktops over 3,4,5,7, and 8.

We currently have an oven and hob where cabinet 6 is and hate them being in the same space.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Revised the layout and much happier with how it's looking.

Removing cabinets from under the front window means the existing radiator can just be replaced with something more pleasing on the eye; This then means no underfloor heating needed and funds to put towards worktops.

Washer/Dryer held within unit 2
Dishwasher in unit 5
Fridge/freezer in unit 9
iMac will sit above unit 12 (which would be covered by full depth worktop, same for 13)

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Swapping 9 and 16 then just moves the oven/microwave further away instead, which also would mean no adjacent worktops to place hot items going in/out of the oven. Also not sure if oven can go in 9 as 10/11 are intended to be for food storage so unsure if heat from the oven would cause a problem.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

tbh, i still think it's messy - what did the designer think?

Thought the revised version was a good use of space bearing in mind the constraints (available size, door placements, utility feeds).

Any suggestions on how to make it less messy?

 

[GSXRMovistar]

As I've already said it's not a breakfast bar, above unit 12 I'll be sticking my iMac which gets used buy the family for general things. Means my daughter can sit there and chat with us / check her school email whilst either I or the wife are prepping dinner.

We have a similar setup in the old dining room and it works well.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Time to bump this thread, the kitchen is finally finished!

We decided the revised layout (or similar) was what we were after so after visiting a lot of suppliers we ended up going with Wren of all places. The design was completely different to what we had in mind, a two tone handless gloss finish but we both really liked it as soon as we saw it.

We went with Wren for the following reasons:-

1. Liked the style of kitchen (obviously)
2. Units came pre-made and are good quality
3. They are very local to us so any issues I could be on their doorstep in minutes (more on that later)
4. Price, after a lot of negotiation (and I mean a LOT) they beat everyone on price for cabinets, worktops, and appliances (including DIY kitchens who were the runners up)

Had to wait a while for our own fitter but his team took care of the following:-

• Removal of old kitchen
• Knocking through to adjoining room
• All electrics (inc. whole new consumer unit and running addition feeds across the house to the kitchen)
• Full replaster (ceiling and walls)
• Fitting kitchen cabinets/appliances
• Tiling floor (which I supplied tiles from tops tiles)
• Paint/decoratoring
• Fitting the lighting I supplied

Things went pretty smoothly with the only real problems all being Wren related. A few damaged/incorrect doors needed replacing (and they messed up the replacements), issues with getting the quartz worktops/splash-backs measured and fitted which had a knock on affect with the rest of the schedule. However they have agreed to pay for the extra labour caused to the fitter/decorator.

Also wasn’t prepared for how much space the kitchen delivery would take up, 50+ boxes which managed to fill our lounge, dining room, part of the garage, and part of my daughters bedroom. We had a weekend without any kitchen facilities and having to squeeze through tiny walkways between boxes (it was stressful with two kids).

What did we end up with?

• A two tone handless gloss kitchen (pale sky for the lower and full hight units, and white gloss for the wall units)
• Pullout larder and corner unit system
• White quartz worktops and full height splash backs all round
• Integrated fridge/freezer
• Integrated dishwasher
• Induction hob
• Large single over/grill (pyrolytic)
• Combined second oven/microwave/grill
• LED dimmerable ceiling spots
• RGBW under cabinet lighting

The kitchen itself have been useable for a couple of weeks now in various forms and we are massively pleased with the layout, it works really well.

Anyway the some photos:-

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Thanks all.

Stools were from http://www.atlanticshopping.co.uk, they have a stupid amount to choose from.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

What is the multicolour light switch and where did you source from chief ?

It's a touch panel RF controller (so it doesn't connect to the lights directly).

Each side of the kitchen has a separate LED controller unit being powered by a 12v drivers. The touch panel then talks to them over RF allowing each side to be controlled independently.

I also have a WiFi unit hooked into it which can be controlled via phone/tablet which in turn sends an RF signal to the controllers.

I got this gear from a company called Hi-Line but there are loads of places doing similar.

I had considered the Philips Vue stuff but at the time of purchase they didn't offer RGBW LED strips, just RGB (wanted a cool/clean white for food prep). Also the strips i'm using are fully waterproof and can be cut/joined as needed (handy when going around hob the extractor).

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Kitchen looks stunning, How did you find Wren? Would you recommend them? They have recently opened a store near us and the wife has fallen in love with a kitchen there.

Thanks, Wren were okay but like most of these places they will bend over backwards to get your cash and then once they have it they will need to be poked/nagged for anything else above beyond the basics.

Obviously ignore all the sales stuff, 'If you don't sign today you will miss out on the one time only deal". They have massive mark-ups so keep pushing them to cut more and be looking to knock at least 50% off whatever RRP they are quoting.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

Thanks, how do you find the quality compared to others? We have a Howdens kitchen in our current house, some bits are very good others are terrible quality.

So far everything seems really good, cabinets are sturdy and well finished, and all mechanisms (hinges, pull/slip out units are smooth running).

There is just over a ton of quartz sat onto of the units so this obvious helps will securing everything in place, however I guess only time will tell with how well it all wears.

 

[GSXRMovistar]

what's the radiator in there?

Generic anthracite oval design which you can pick up from various sellers on eBay/amazon. We have a number of matching upright rads in other rooms which have been great. Very solid and fantastic finish, really can't tell the difference between these and those that cost x5 the amount.

This kitchen one is a double but sits very flush to the wall so not obstructive in any way.

Looks awesome. How much did it cost if you don't me asking? I'm looking to do something similar myself.

Which bit? We have had a load of work done so the overall cost probably wouldn't be very useful.