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Original poster

Any tips for when we're getting our kitchen fitted?

29 replies

Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 19:00

Getting a new kitchen fitted in a couple of weeks. Will be without it for a week. Any tips for keeping sane?

OP posts:
isseywithcats · 18/11/2018 19:06

move your fridge freezer microwave and kettle into your front room or another spare room, get easy to cook food put essential crockery cutlery and utensils into a big box so they are not all over the place, use the bath or bathroom sink to wash up and warn any workmen about any pets you have ( my jack russell trapped workman in the bathroom )

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 19:10

We're going to try to cope without a fridge.... Our current one is integrated and I don't think would stand up on its own? Getting new freezer delivered tomorrow which will live in the garage. Kettle, toaster, toastie maker, actifry and microwave will all go in dining room.

OP posts:
Annajohnsdottir · 18/11/2018 19:18

An integrated fridge freezer will stand on its own. It's just a regular fridge with no fancy door on the front. We pulled ours into our living room to form part of a make shift kitchenette when we had our kitchen done a couple months ago.

Stock up on microwave meals and create a temporary work top to use also. Sweet talk nearby friends and family into letting you do your laundry at theirs. Also, Make a plan for if it should overrun. Ours was meant to take 2 weeks but took 4 in the end. All that time with no washing or cooking facilities drove me crazy!

LittleAlbatross · 18/11/2018 19:21

IKEA do a portable induction hob for £35. Saved my sanity when we did ours. I set up a mini kitchen in the living room with that and a microwave. I also cooked loads of meals and froze them ready to be reheated but I had access to my fridge freezer throughout.

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 19:31

I'm figuring we can do toasties with chips, soup, beans on toast, chicken salad and nice bread, and takeaways...

OP posts:
PineapplePen07 · 18/11/2018 19:33

Be prepared for it to over run and take longer then a week...

shutlingsloe · 18/11/2018 19:38

The IKEA induction hobs are amazing.
We used our integrated fridge - was fine.

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 20:15

No no no
It's NOT going to run over. It'll all be done (bar the painting) by the Friday at 5......

OP posts:
Lughofthelongarm · 18/11/2018 20:48

Paper plates and plastic cups to save washing up.
Lots of bottles for drinking water.

Annajohnsdottir · 18/11/2018 20:50

You need to accept that it could genuinely overrun OP. I thought the same as you and it caused me untold stress when it happened to me because I never thought it would. It'll all come good in the end but it's wise to hope for the best and plan for the worst.

Maybeicanhelp · 18/11/2018 20:55

It will surely take more than a week.

Prepare for 3-4 weeks and camp out in the living room witjh a microwave and disposable plates and cutlery.

And takeaway menus Grin.

TheBigFatMermaid · 18/11/2018 21:01

Mine was meant to take a week and actually took a week and a half!

We piled all our stuff into boxes in the living room, then ate at Morrisons and friends for a week, then it was usable, so we ate at home"

Longdistance · 18/11/2018 21:02

When we had our kitchen fitted due to an extension we had dds on school dinners, so they had a light meal when coming home.
We usriyhd microwave a lot. Restaurants like Beefeater with 40% off, and take away or Asda hot food. Not the healthiest, but meh 🤷🏼‍♀️

We had the kettle, toaster and microwave in the living room. Everything was bought fresh after work, so no fridge needed.

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 21:03

Why do I need bottles for drinking water? We'll have plenty of working taps?? And how could it take 3-4 weeks???!!! Luckily mil lives 5 mins away, we can use her washing machine if needed.

OP posts:
Annajohnsdottir · 18/11/2018 21:11

That's what I thought. I thought when they say it'll take 2 weeks then that's gospel. It doesn't take into account so many things, like waiting for replacement parts for any that are damaged, the fitters finding things in your kitchen that they couldn't have known about before they started that delay things, waiting on subcontractors to do their bit before the fitter can make progress, poor project management etc.

Our kitchen was started in the first week of September and it was only finished this week! Luckily they left it in working order for the last 4 week's while we waited for various things. We literally peeled the plastic off our new cupboards on Tuesday! Ours was exceptional circumstances but it didn't take the 2 weeks quoted 😭

Annajohnsdottir · 18/11/2018 21:16

Sorry I know my previous post said it was all done in 4 weeks and looks misleading. It kind of was. It took 4 weeks to get it to a useable condition and the rest of the time was left waiting to make it look nice and have the finishing touches done, IYSWIM. So no washing or cooking for 4 weeks and then having use of an unfinished kitchen up until now.

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 21:20

4 weeks??? Ok, we're not getting any tiling out flooring done. Not having to move sink etc - mostly going back in roughly same place as old kitchen, do don't need services moved.

OP posts:
4strings · 18/11/2018 21:21

We’re a month in, sorry OP... There was a problem with a couple of the cupboards which has held the whole thing up. We’ve been living on toast/microwave meals. We at least got a working oven last week so that’s something.

Paper plates are essential.

Original poster
Ffsnosexallowed · 18/11/2018 21:25

But what about Christmas dinner???????

OP posts:
heyjude12 · 18/11/2018 23:23

Mine took a week. Started Monday at 9 finished Friday at 5. Tiling and floor included. I cooked a full lunch on Saturday.
My tip would be to label the boxes and work out on your plan what you want to go and where. Took 2 hours to get my kitchen back up and running

DisgraceToTheYChromosome · 18/11/2018 23:36

Four days for us, but I'd already done the floor, the pipes and the wiring. Had to reverse the sink traps and put in two rawlplugs, but it didn't need any other snagging.

Doubletrouble99 · 19/11/2018 00:47

Good idea to have bottles of water to fill up the kettle and a washing bowl because the water could well be turned off for periods during the fitout.

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 19/11/2018 01:31

In that situation as we speak, so far so good. Set up a litte stastion as PP have said. Luckilly kids like hot dogs (warmed with kettle water), fresh pasta is microwaveable, tesco microwave meals are totally fine, I even had a (microwaved) bacon sandwich today. It's a bit like glamping.

TheDowagerCuntess · 19/11/2018 05:19

Were heading into week 4, but needed to get some demo and building work done first.

Hoping kitchen will be fitted Friday/Monday, but there will still be more work to do after that, including tiling and getting the bench templated.

Am over it.

Vitalogy · 19/11/2018 05:36

If there's any way you can seal off the area to avoid dust spreading to the rest of the house then do. Can they go in and out of your back door to avoid trailing through your house. Although they'll have to use the toilet won't they. Or get them a porta loo, it'd be worth it! Plastic seal with tape around btw.