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To think I can fit a kitchen with no DIY skills

38 replies

CloudyYellow · 21/01/2023 19:39

Posted for traffic.

I am on a very tight budget but have a lot of time on my hands. Single and live alone. No DIY skills but would like to fit a new kitchen from scratch. I cannot afford to pay current kitchen fitters rates but will get electrician and plumber in but want to do the rest myself.
Anyone done this?

OP posts:
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RomeoMcFlourish · 21/01/2023 20:37

We recently did ours! We used the IKEA Metod range - SO easy! There’s a metal rail that fixes to the wall and you sort of hang/fox the cupboard off that. Like lots of PP mentioned, we did get a carpenter in for the worktops, and FIL is a plumber so we got him to fix in the sink, but the cupboards and tiling we did ourselves. It’s better than the shitty kitchen that was in there previously (installed by the builders who built the house).

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2023 20:33

“Can you get away with keeping and reusing the tiling? I had plain white tiles so just kept those - I think that would have been one of my biggest concerns if I had had to do it.”

Tiling was the easiest bit 😂 I did most of that, while DP did harder stuff.

Augend23 · 21/01/2023 20:31

Me and my dad (who is good at DIY) fitted my kitchen. I bought all the cupboards flatpack from B and Q and built them. If you are buying cheap cupboards make sure the doors are a single sealed piece rather than made if multiple parts - it should prevent ingress of water/steam which can occur in the joints and then cause the laminate on the cupboards to bubble.

When you are fitting cupboard handles measure twice and drill once (or buy handleless cupboard doors?). TBF measure twice applies to everything.

The worst bit was cutting the hole for the sink - I don't have a worktable and clamps, so we ended up balancing it out the back door and I sat on one end while dad cut through the other end. My worktop was solid birch which was as cheap as laminate at the time, but it was really hard to cut through. I think if I was doing it one my own, a) a work bench would be essential and b) I'd probably have ended up going with laminate just for ease of cutting. Do you have people you can borrow tools from? If not I think buying the right tools for cutting the worktop may be a significant cost. I think if it had involved a corner I would have wanted someone to fit the worktop.

Plumbing wise, if you can use flexible tap tails and push fit plumbing you probably don't actually even need a plumber. My main recommendation is don't think you can reuse pipes. Sometimes you can but sometimes you just end up with tiny leaks from imperfections where you have taken them apart etc.

I think in theory you can get cookers that plug in with a plug so worth checking what you have already as if you do have that and can replace like with like you again might not need an electrician.

Can you get away with keeping and reusing the tiling? I had plain white tiles so just kept those - I think that would have been one of my biggest concerns if I had had to do it. What about the floor - again, are you planning to keep it? I guess you can probably get clickfit laminate or fit lino yourself tbf but I don't know how.

SweetSenorita · 21/01/2023 20:31

I couldn't. I struggle to change a light bulb 💡

Good luck, though 😘

tabulahrasa · 21/01/2023 20:24

i helped DP fit one... not going to lie, there’s no way I could have done it myself tbh - I’m struggles with flat pack furniture level of DIY though.

Oblomov22 · 21/01/2023 20:22

Dh's closest friend is a kitchen fitter. His skills, especially re worktops is superb. You can build the carcass, but please like a pp says pay someone skilled to do the worktop because any poor finishing will show up so badly and make it look cheap and nasty.

Isseywith3witchycats · 21/01/2023 20:21

just hope when you take the old kitchen out the kitchen dosent end up looking like this ours didnt look too bad till we took the units out

To think I can fit a kitchen with no DIY skills
Murdoch1949 · 21/01/2023 20:18

Do lots of YouTube watching. Make sure you have back up facilities while you are ripping out/installing kitchen - set up a camping type facility in living room.

Mumtobabyhavoc · 21/01/2023 20:01

No, but have been thinking same! How difficult could it be??? So many videos on YouTube!!!!

MuchTooTired · 21/01/2023 19:58

We’ve fitted two, and they’re still going strong! Have a look on eBay/Facebook marketplace, can sometimes get lovely kitchens that people are getting rid of that are in great condition. Good luck!

mongoosebaby · 21/01/2023 19:55

We are reasonable DIYers and did our kitchen. It's not especially difficult but I do recommend paying a carpenter or similar to fit the work surface if there is any sort of bend/join or corner. Was only a few hours work so cost us less than £100 and gave it a lovely finish! You will also need a decent powerdrill

CloudyYellow · 21/01/2023 19:55

Thanks so much. Your message has made my day.

OP posts:
TakeABite · 21/01/2023 19:50

Yes!
We bought a kitchen from a store. Due tomDH ending up in hospital, my sister and I built the cupboards & fitted them. Plumber put the sink in. He actually cut the sink hole in the work top too but I was all prepared to have a go.
This was all before videos on YouTube too. You will be able to find loads of tips these days. It was a brilliant kitchen-even if I say so myself.
We had used a free planning service to work out the best layout and what units we needed though.
Go for it!

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