Kitchen Fitting Tips

HINTS & TIPS TO PLAN YOUR KITCHEN BEFORE PURCHASE

Planning your kitchen

It's important to design a kitchen that revolves around your needs. Creating a triangle between your cooker, sink and fridge will make a better working environment. This will ensure that your workspace is never cramped, allowing you to move freely between appliances. The layout you choose will depend on the size and shape of your room - and the position of windows and doors. Plumbing and electrical points can usually be moved, so do not let these restrict your design.

It is good to know these points before choosing a Kitchen Fitter to install your kitchen.

Most kitchens fall into four basic designs, a single line of units, a double line (galley), and an L-shaped or U-shaped kitchen. By combining cabinets imaginatively to these designs it is easy to totally transform your kitchen to suit your lifestyle.

HOW TO: DESIGN, PLAN & FIT A KITCHEN

• Try to position your sink by a window, so you have a view.

• Position electrical sockets a minimum distance of 150mm above worktops.

• Position extractors or cupboards a minimum distance of 750mm above hobs.

• Use heat or fireproof cable on cookers or hobs.

• Locate dishwashers and washing machines close to sink to minimise

plumbing work.

• Ensure that wall and floor units are of similar widths-so the doors line up.

• Keep tall units at the end of the worktop runs, to maximise the working area.

• Place your hob or free-standing cooker in position this minimises the distance

needed to carry hot pans across the walkways in the kitchen.

• Allow at least 300mm of clear space each side of the hob to allow for

protruding pan handles.

• Position extractor fans on (or close to) outside walls.

• Allow adequate space around free-standing appliances for easy access,

(refer to manufacturers fitting instructions).

Don’t

• Locate a cooker or hob beneath a window where curtains could catch fire - or where it is dangerous to reach over to the window.

• Plan a wall unit above a hob without an extractor fan.

• Plan a hob next to a tall unit, corner wall or at the end of a run.

• Plan appliances in a corner.

• Put an inset sink near worktop joints.

• Position a sink or cooker near or next to opening doors.

• Box in boilers or other gas appliances as these require air flow to operate

properly and safely.

• Put a cooker hob under or near electrical sockets.

• Position cookers next to fridges or freezers.

• Block up existing air vents if there are gas appliances in the kitchen.

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