Kitchen Fitters in Reading
Welcome to Teak Interiors, a family-run business specialising in kitchen, bathroom and home renovations. We collated this list to help you better understand the steps involved when planning and having your new kitchen fitted. To view our full offerings, please visit our services section on our home page.
Kitchens are becoming increasingly important in entertaining and becoming a social space in people's homes, with a variety of ranges available. It is important to ensure you fully understand all aspects of a kitchen fit so you can work with us or your chosen fitter to ensure a successful fit that you will be able to enjoy for years.
Whilst this may vary slightly for each project, below are the most common steps involved when having a new kitchen fitted.
Choosing a design/ making your purchase
The benefit of purchasing your kitchen from a retailer is that they have the ranges available to view in-person and the software available for you to visualise your chosen design in your given space. It is important to ensure you share with your designer the correct room measurements and inform them of any windows, boxing etc. so this can be considered when creating your new kitchen space.
Whilst this process is important, the individuals creating your design are designers and may not be carpenters/ kitchen fitters and may not take into consideration electrical and plumbing requirements for your kitchen. Often sockets need to be moved, or perhaps the current consumer unit cannot withhold the more modern and powerful electrical appliances and could cause some challenges for you. Always engage with your kitchen fitter to discuss these details with them.
Early considerations
A water softener can be a smart idea to prevent the build-up of limescale.
If you're knocking down walls, moving or adding windows, or putting in new joists, check with your local building control office about whether you need Building Regulation approval.
Consider underfloor heating prior to beginning your new bathroom install.
Removal of the existing room
The first step is the removal of the existing kitchen which can typically take a day or two. Our fitters carry a waste license so you can be sure that we will remove and dispose of your existing bathroom adhering to all legal requirements, and recycling where possible. As well as removing existing cabinets and appliances we may need to lift and remove existing floor. Where tiles are removed we may have to remove any stubborn pieces of tile adhesive.
Important note: our fitters have completed asbestos training and will notify you if they believe any flooring tiles or artex ceilings appear to be asbestos. A specialist asbestos tester and removal company may be required if materials are suspected to be asbestos. This may be more likely the case if the house was built in the mid-late 60’s up until 1999 when asbestos was banned from use.
Routing new services and building alterations
Once removed this will provide a blank shell to allow our team to chase the walls and floors to run new electrical and plumbing supplies. Whilst we do our best to minimise this, this phase can be quite dusty so ensure any furniture is covered. At this stage we would complete any building alterations to the room if required i.e. add/ remove walls.
Plastering
Most rooms will need plastering or at a minimum require what is referred to as making good. A smooth finish can ensure a better quality kitchen fit and finish. Expect a few days work for this activity and drying time.
Decorating
Now, this will depend on personal preference and budget. Sometimes clients prefer to decorate or at least put a base coat on the kitchen prior to install as this limits the coats required after install. This decision will depend on the painted space that will be available in the kitchen, timings available during the fit and budget.
Lighting
If we have been working on the ceiling, we will arrange for the electrician to install the ceiling lights.
Cabinet & Appliance Fitting
This is the largest and often the most time consuming part of the job and depending on the number of units and appliances and room size can take one-three weeks.
Flooring
Flooring is commonly fitted after the units are installed. Occasionally some clients prefer the floor to be fitted first and covered throughout. This is possible but please note this can increase the risk of scratching during the fitting of the units and appliances.
Worktops
Worktops require templating (templating means accurately measuring, sometimes using physical templates made from board, sometimes using laser measuring systems). The templates will be created after the base units have been installed and will be shared with the company manufacturing the worktop.
Sometimes the company can send a representative to create these templates and this is something we can liaise with them on regarding timings. Worktops can often take two weeks from templating so our fitter can arrange for a temporary worktop to be installed so you have some functioning space.
Electrical and plumbing connections
Once the permanent worktops have been fitted the sink, taps and hob can be fitted and connected. Ovens and appliances are normally connected and working by now too.
Wall finishes
The finish will depend on your design, personal preference and budget. Splashbacks will now be fitted and these can be glassed, tiled or another panel material. A recent popular option is to now use the same materials as the worktop as an upstand and splashback behind the hob, in which this case all that is left is the decorating.
About us
Teak Interiors is a family-run kitchen and bathroom business based in Hurst, Berkshire, specialising in the renovation of home interiors. To discuss your project, contact us today!
We offer kitchen fitting in the following areas:
Kitchen Fitters in Reading
Kitchen Fitters in Wokingham
Kitchen Fitters in Bracknell
Kitchen Fitters in Henley