new kitchen and bathroom

[llizzie]

I would like to have some suggestions - practical because the insurance is dealing with who they employ etc., from experiences about kitchens and bathrooms. They might ask me.

I do not need forwards to kitchen companies, because I won't be paying for it, but if any one could tell me what's new in kitchens, it would be helpful. I don't care about the bathroom upstairs. It was only ever used ny visitors since it was last decorated.

This is because of the leak - end July - from the upstairs loo, which soaked through the kitchen cupboards, ceiling (asbestos) and the next room, after it had soaked through the bathroom floor and walls, before it was discovered. I don't use upstairs so didn't know until it reached saturation point.

I have to have a new kitchen downstairs and a bathroom upstairs.

The dryer has been up there for since August. The emergency/temporary kitchen expert is coming tomorrow. I am hoping that means they will start taking the ceilings down soon.

OP, the insurance company might be sending their people, but it’s your kitchen, and in order to know what you want, you need to look at some kitchen magazines/ catalogues to see what’s trending and what you might like. To me, the most important bit of a kitchen is the appliances - I certainly wouldn’t be happy to have any old hob and oven, and I would also want the sink and fridge that I wanted. If your appliances have been ruined, I’d find out whether the insurance company are going to replace them with like for like, and decide whether you want something different. Having had work done on my house by an insurance company, it’s not always ideal because the builders are working for them and not for you. I needed replacement windows and had quite a job to get what I wanted, and not what they thought they were going to put in (I live in an Edwardian house and I wanted it to look the same - in the end, I managed to prevail and got a specialist company to do them, after the insurer’s builders had done the rest of the work). But I would advise having a look around and finding the “look” that suits you and your house, so that you have something to show the people who are going to be doing your kitchen.

It’s your home. They pay and contract.

what do you want/need/like? What’s new is an odd question to ask. This is about you and having a kitchen fit for purpose. Unless you don’t use it.

Thank you for your post. It is very helpful and appreciated. The insurance company will gut the kitchen and upstairs bathroom and replace everything, so being well insured makes it easier.

The guy from the Temporary Kitchen people, contracted by the loss adjuster came today to see where to put a makeshift kitchen, so perhaps it won't be long before the dryer has finished. He asked if the temporary sink should be low so I can use it with the wheelchair. Then we had the problem of the carer having to sit down too. He has taken away plans of the house to see what is best.

The insurance company hasn't said anything about paying for extra carer hours or a laptop to use in the bedroom. I am glad of the temporary kitchen though.

The charity bookshop came today as well and took boxes of books away. That helped.

The guy today suggested putting all the stuff in the kitchen cupboards storage. I told him the stuff wasn't worth the storage cost. I can replace them.

The problem is the asbestos ceiling, Asbestos contaminated water has soaked into the kitchen cupboards! I will not be able to access the computer, and it is virtually my means of contacting the outside world, so I have asked an organisation which supplies laptops if I can at least borrow one.

I always thought life was hard enough being housebound. Now I discover what it is like having no access to the computer room. It is possible for someone else to access by going out of the front door and coming up the wheelchair ramp. I will miss the sunshine, too, because that is all in the front.