Range cooker install, before or after rest of kitchen?

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Soldato
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I'm getting conflicting views already from our kitchen provider (local indie) and range cooker shop (a specialist). The range cooker shop told me it's best to get the cooker in situ and then the kitchen providers can do their final measurements around it for a perfect fit. He told me horror stories of there being massive gaps left for a cooker to go in afterwards (because that's better than it not fitting at all, presumably), worktops being cut wonky etc. It totally made sense to me, afterall we all have the plans and can see exactly where it's supposed to go, and we also need to put a hole in the roof and pipe out the extractor.

However I just had a slightly short reply from our kitchen provider saying the cooker just goes in afterwards. Hmn. :confused:

Thoughts? Anyone had a range installed and remember which way round you did it?

Cheers.
 
Cooker always goes in after in my experience. No reason for it to go in first, unless the installers cant use a tape measure that is.
 
Range went in last in both our houses, the cookers come in standard sizes so any gaps left are down to the incompetence of the kitchen designer / fitter.
 
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Always seen cookers go in last. Even if its a non-standard size it shouldn't be an issue at all for the fitters to make sure the exact space is left for it.
 
Hmm weird. It’s a standard 900mm. I wonder if it’s just best for the cooker installers/shop themselves to go in first, they may as well ask I guess.
 
My cooker went in first as I didn't have a kitchen to go in before! The oven can move around so I see no reason why it would be better to wait until after.
 
Trifid said:
My cooker went in first as I didn't have a kitchen to go in before! The oven can move around so I see no reason why it would be better to wait until after.
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Because a cooker in place in more likely to get damaged whilst the rest of the kitchen is being fitted.
 
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Trifid said:
The oven can move around so I see no reason why it would be better to wait until after.
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The idea of measuring around the cooker sounds good to me, to get it exactly right for the worktop etc. But like stated above, they're a standard size anyway so shouldnt make a difference. Probably just either parties trying to make their lives easier.
Firestar_3x said:
Because a cooker in place in more likely to get damaged whilst the rest of the kitchen is being fitted.
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This is true!
 
Scam said:
The idea of measuring around the cooker sounds good to me, to get it exactly right for the worktop etc. But like stated above, they're a standard size anyway so shouldnt make a difference. Probably just either parties trying to make their lives easier.

This is true!
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You can fit the cooker after kitchen has been fitted but before worktops are templated if you are worried.
 
200sols said:
You can fit the cooker after kitchen has been fitted but before worktops are templated if you are worried.
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Ok, yeah the worktop is the important bit I guess. We're getting Silestone Quartz so probably quite expensive if either party gets it wrong!
 
200sols said:
You can fit the cooker after kitchen has been fitted but before worktops are templated if you are worried.
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This is how ours was done
We already had the range when I fitted the new kitchen, but it was "in place" when they came to template the worksurface. It was then removed again for tiling.

I wish I had asked for an extra couple of mm. We have about 1-2mm per side gap and when trying to get in into place a gap that small means you have to push it directly backwards or it snags. I believe the worksurface overhangs the cupboards by 1mm or so each side. I am sure I allowed 5mm gap total just because there can be a tiny difference in size of 90cm ranges.
Seeing as it weighs best part of 100kgs and its on feet not wheels thats "fun" moving it
 
Scam said:
Ok, yeah the worktop is the important bit I guess. We're getting Silestone Quartz so probably quite expensive if either party gets it wrong!
Click to expand...
Yes well when they template all the work is done anyway so the cooker can be in place and working. They may well insist on that anyway.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior said:
This is how ours was done
We already had the range when I fitted the new kitchen, but it was "in place" when they came to template the worksurface. It was then removed again for tiling.

I wish I had asked for an extra couple of mm. We have about 1-2mm per side gap and when trying to get in into place a gap that small means you have to push it directly backwards or it snags. I believe the worksurface overhangs the cupboards by 1mm or so each side. I am sure I allowed 5mm gap total just because there can be a tiny difference in size of 90cm ranges.
Seeing as it weighs best part of 100kgs and its on feet not wheels thats "fun" moving it
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Yeah, I think most of these cookers will state 5mm either side. Mine is done like that.
 
Cooker goes in after the kitchen cabinets are fitted.

Then quartz guys will come back, likely a different lot from the kitchen fitter as it’s more specialist trade and prefab everything in MDF for a template so it’s bang on.
 
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Reuben klang said:
Cooker goes in after the kitchen cabinets are fitted.

Then quartz guys will come back, likely a different lot from the kitchen fitter as it’s more specialist trade and prefab everything in MDF for a template so it’s bang on.
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MDF?

Mine was all templated with lasers which created file to be fed directly into the machine that machined out the pieces
(obviously I saw the laser part but the rest was what i was told at the time)
 
After cabinets, before templating for worktops.. just to avoid damage.

I’ve installed some kitchens (DIY for friends/family) where we made the gap 10cm wider, then after fitting the cooker, ripped down an end panel and filled the gap neatly to the cooker, with the worktops templates 1-2mm up to the cooker, then silicone applied to give a seamless built in look.
 
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Scam said:
I'm getting conflicting views already from our kitchen provider (local indie) and range cooker shop (a specialist). The range cooker shop told me it's best to get the cooker in situ and then the kitchen providers can do their final measurements around it for a perfect fit. He told me horror stories of there being massive gaps left for a cooker to go in afterwards (because that's better than it not fitting at all, presumably), worktops being cut wonky etc. It totally made sense to me, afterall we all have the plans and can see exactly where it's supposed to go, and we also need to put a hole in the roof and pipe out the extractor.

However I just had a slightly short reply from our kitchen provider saying the cooker just goes in afterwards. Hmn. :confused:

Thoughts? Anyone had a range installed and remember which way round you did it?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Cooker goes in last.

Provided that you know which one you are getting then you can make it a good fit. There should always be a little wiggle room (5-10mm) so the cooker can be removed again if there is a problem.
The problem with putting it in first is it gets in the way, and will get hit with debris.

The shop will want you to fit it first, they don't care if it's in the way of the fitters, and they especially don't care if the fitters damage it. Fitting it first guarantees nothing is their fault and also that it can't be returned because it is too big/too small.

The fitters, however, will definitely want it fitted last for the above reasons.
 
I'd argue the cooker sales people know very little about fitting cookers other than anecdotes they've come up with themselves.

Source: used to sell cookers, would say anything to get the sale.
 
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