Kitchen layout. Which comes first?

GLENNFALLON

Hi Guys.

Im currently a couple of weeks away from roofing our new build bungalow. When it comes to the kitchen Im a bit confused. Should I have the kitchen plans done before I wire for appliances etc. I should I get the wiring done, with having a good guess of where Id like things, fridge, hob, cooker etc. I don't want to have the wiring done, only for a kitchen planner to say well it would work better if you put you hob there. Any advice please

Marcusm

I'd worry more about water, waste and gas (if any) than electrics as cable can be more easily accommodated afterwards. Having just ripped out a 10 year old kitchen in a 120 year old house and changed the layout of every appliance I can tell you that services can define layout but it is much better to decide on a functional layout suitable for you and your family and lay the devices for it than to let the builder run services and you have to change your layout to suit.

Depending on whether this is simply a kitchen or an eat in kitchen or an open plan kitchen -living - diner will influence your layout as will entry points and Windows.

Think now about how you want the kitchen as, more than any other room, you are constrained for the future by the decisions you make now. Wil lulu want eye level ovens/grills?, a wider hob? A double fridge with ice/cold water? One big pantry unit of lots of little cupboards? Do you want the sink under a window?

Cathmandooo

Definitely do your plan first. Your electrician will be asking you for appliance locations before first fix goes in. Try out the planner on the Ikea website, I found it great for deciding on my kitchen layout. You can always print it off and take it to any kitchen showroom. It's worth bringing your ideas to a showroom to get one of their sales people to give it the once over, they tend to make good suggestions and could possibly give you a ballpark figure on cost.

GLENNFALLON

Ok thanks. I have an appointment with kitchen planner in the next fortnight. so I know most appliances are standard size. But double ovens and integrated microwaves are different sizes. Should I know what make and size I'm going to buy before I visit the planner. As I want to choose my own from electrical retailers not buy from kitchen suppliers

Graham

Most integrated ovens/microwaves are designed to fit into a standard 600mm wide cabinet.

Thinking about it, so are most integrated appliances.

GLENNFALLON

It the height of appliances Im more worried about

Graham

GLENNFALLON wrote: »

It the height of appliances Im more worried about

Most integrated appliances come in one of 3 or 4 heights, most kitchen cabinets can be ordered in standard configurations (including doors) to fit whichever appliances you choose.

It's usually one of the following combinations:
single oven (height 460mm/485mm/530mm/674mm)
double oven (height 900mm/1114)
single oven & microwave/coffee machine (e.g. 1055mm combined height).

Even if you do find an appliance outside of the normal heights (unlikely), your kitchen supplier should easily be able to supply a non-standard door if necessary.

Try one of the online kitchen planners to get an idea how it will all hang together. Ikea or Magnet (UK) both offer them and both give you a reasonable 3D rendering of your proposed layout.

Unless your buying an Ikea kitchen, I'd use the Magnet planner. They both use the same planner software but Ikea sizes can be unusual.

shel64

I would work out the plan of your kitchen, my daughter just moved into a bungalow and where the space for the dishwasher is there isn't any sockets, also get where the water is etc, where the sink is freezer fridge and hob/cooker , we are in the process ourselves of buying where the very old kitchen is to be ripped out so as my husband is an electrician he wants to know now where the appliances are to be and also the work space (island) for recessed overhead lighting,