mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ive got a few weeks off and im gona attempt to fit my new kitchen myself to keep costs down. any body with minimal experience like myself done theirs? any tips? also how much have people payed to have theirs fitted? if the costs are less than i expected then i may be tempted to splash out and get a pro in to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Depends how handy you are and who you know. You'll need an electrician/plumber/gas fitter unless you're unusually competent. I've fitted several kitchens for friends/family. None were what I'd call professional standard though. Be careful. Even "getting a Pro in" is fraught with potential problems and often the kind of guys that fit DIY kitchens are little more than chancers (like me). Don't rush starting it. Plan well ahead and do your homework properly. It can easily turn into an expensive mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CoolsBlue Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ive had minimal experience, i put a table in ours, shouldnt be to hard have a saw, drill, screws and a torch + a socket set, seen it on tv, think you could do it in 60 miniutes from what they say;) sorry i have no clue:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr lover Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 I have a team of guys that work for me based all over, charge at around £250 a day, what sort of kitchen is it, big small, bespoke, flat pack, granite tops etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 ive got an electrician and plumber coming back to finish off their second fix so i will just be fitting the units and worktops really. there arent that many to fit (a central intergrated oven plinth with a base unit either side and then an intergrated fridge one end and an intergrated freezer the other + an island which is just a 1200mm base unit + a few wall units) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Adjustable legs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 I have a team of guys that work for me based all over, charge at around £250 a day, what sort of kitchen is it, big small, bespoke, flat pack, granite tops etc ive put all the cabinets together (flat pack). its consists of.. 2 x 600mm base units 1 x 1200mm base unit 1 x intergrated fridge 1 x intergrated freezer 1 x oven plinth 2 x 400mm wall units 2 x worktops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Adjustable legs? yeah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ive got an electrician and plumber coming back to finish off their second fix so i will just be fitting the units and worktops really. there arent that many to fit (a central intergrated oven plinth with a base unit either side and then an intergrated fridge one end and an intergrated freezer the other + an island which is just a 1200mm base unit + a few wall units)OK then. As a rule of thumb we used to estimate £50 per unit for installation. That would cover the fitting of worktop/plinth/cornice/pelmet/end panels/etc. Just to give a realisitc 'ballpark' figure, like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movistar Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hire a template when cutting the worktops and measure twice and cut once! Dad was a plumber and owned his own kitchen and bathroom buisness/shop.... If your thinking of tileing the floor go right under the unit's it makes for a better finnish when fitting the plinth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 ive put all the cabinets together (flat pack). its consists of.. 2 x 600mm base units 1 x 1200mm base unit 1 x intergrated fridge 1 x intergrated freezer 1 x oven plinth 2 x 400mm wall units 2 x worktops The Int Fridge and Freezer are built-in (tall housing) or built-under (just between two units)? What do you mean by 'oven plinth'? Like a built-under oven housing? (Worktop over the oven with a hob cut into the worktop) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Remember, cut your worktops face down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hire a template when cutting the worktops and measure twice and cut once!Do you mean for routered 'hockey stick' 90 degree corner joints? There's a bit more to it than measuring twice. It's very easy to fook up a very expensive 3+Mtr worktop if you've not done it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Hire a template when cutting the worktops and measure twice and cut once! Dad was a plumber and owned his own kitchen and bathroom buisness/shop.... If your thinking of tileing the floor go right under the unit's it makes for a better finnish when fitting the plinth. ive tiled all the floor. as for the worktops there are only 2 and they are not joined so no fancy cuts needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter richards Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 in the middle of it myself matt , sparks just put the lights in , kitchen designer came this morning to measure up , done the plumbing myself , and will fit the units . might get a carpenter to fit the work tops . cheapest quote i had to fit it was £1000, and that was just the units an the top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 The Int Fridge and Freezer are built-in (tall housing) or built-under (just between two units)? What do you mean by 'oven plinth'? Like a built-under oven housing? (Worktop over the oven with a hob cut into the worktop) the fridge and freezer are built under with the matching kitchen door fitted to it (will be fitted to them). these have the adjustable legs aswell. yeah the oven plinth is the built under oven housing and the worktop cut to accomodate the hob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 in the middle of it myself matt , sparks just put the lights in , kitchen designer came this morning to measure up , done the plumbing myself , and will fit the units . might get a carpenter to fit the work tops . cheapest quote i had to fit it was £1000, and that was just the units an the top ive got few carpenter contacts who i may get in touch with just to get a price. i cant see it being really expensive as its easily only a days work (i would imagine) for someone with a bit of experience. where did you choose in the end for the kitchen itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robzki Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 if you need any bits give me a shout and I'll send em cost + postage. or any advice just pm. fitting can get mega expensive.I'm on a 20k 2 week fit atm with corian w'tops Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Sounds easy! If you've got granite or mad worktops then I wouldn't risk those but if's it's your usual stuff then go for it, just take your time and like Jake said plan it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordy07 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Just take your time,throughout the process and think before you set about it.Ive not personally fitted one but ive helped my dad and uncle do it. And i work in the new housing game as an electrician and seen kitchens fitted hundreds of times,sometimes in a day(but thats with pre built units). It would be best not to give yourself a time limit and just take your time and do it at your own pace that way theres less chance of making an ar$e of it. Good luck. Give me a shout if you need any advice on the electrics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 From quite a bit of experience most diy'ers like myself are ok with most bits but i would always reccomend paying a pro to mitre the worktop as this will be hard to hide if you mess it up. I have done a few work tops and hate it. One slip and its pooped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordy07 Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 He doesnt need to mitre the worktop its 2 straight cuts,im sure he said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Man Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 If your kitchen shell is a f@@ked as mine then don't bother DIY. My walls were not straight and floor was not even, luckly my brother in law is a builder and we did it together. Putting it together is easy but to get the finishing perfect is the difficult part. I got my DIY kitchen timeline picture in my face book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathew Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 just a quick update. decided to cut the worktop this afternoon and measured the gap its going in, then measured again. marked it on the worktop then got some masking tape and put that where the worktop was gona be cut (apparently it stops the top from splintering). when the tape was in place i measured and marked on the tape this time. cut it no probs. went to put it in place and holy shizzle it was too small!!!! when measuring i had the tape upside down so instead of me cutting at 2910mm i cut it at 2610mm (it had been a long day!). bearing in mind ive worked with measuring tapes for 11 years i was a bit embarrassed for myself:D but not to worry as the 2610mm cut will now be used as a breakfast bar the other side of the kitchen which i was planning on doing in the first place but decided against it as i didnt want the cost of another worktop which now looks like il have anyway:D so after that episode i have decided to get someone in to fit the kitchen as i dont wanna be ruining anymore worktops let alone everything else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted September 22, 2008 Share Posted September 22, 2008 Ok, so that's now, measure thrice cut once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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