Kitchen from scratch - what order?

[bitzermaloney]

We are planning to build an extension and put our kitchen in it, and I've no idea what order we need to do things in: flooring (planning to put underfloor heating in as well), fitting kitchen units, painting walls... and anything else that will need doing. Like if we want electric sockets just under the worktop, would the kitchen fitters do it or the builders? Would appreciate MN advice!

Build shell of extension
underfloor heating (if pipes)
electricians put in wires for all plug points
plastering
floor fitted
units fitted
work surfaces
decorate
tiling (don't paint where tiles will go)

Kitchen fitters will often have electricians who works alongside them. Our builder's electrician who was doing all the other electrics did them for ours.
Some kitchen companies will offer longer guarantees if their fitters do the fitting but builders can get narky with people they don't know on 'their' site. Make sure you make it very clear who is doing what before you sign any contracts. HTH

Thanks so muc, really helpful.

I have heard conflicting things about putting floor or units in first - man at the kitchen shop I spoke to assumed we would put floor in afterwards. What are the issues around that? On the downside I guess we would be paying for floor that would then be hidden under units if we did it the other way round.

Anyone done the floor after the units, or before? Anyone know the reasons for and against?

If you do the units first, you can only fit the floor up to the edges, so you get a dirt trap and not such a
nice finish. Do the floor first. You don't need to lay it over the entire room, just a bit further than where the units are starting, so it looks like it continues underneath them instead of stopping where they start. Does that make sense?

If you do the units first, you can only fit the floor up to the edges, so you get a dirt trap and not such a
nice finish. Do the floor first. You don't need to lay it over the entire room, just a bit further than where the units are starting, so it looks like it continues underneath them instead of stopping where they start. Does that make sense?

Yep thanks, will do.

Plumbing, drainage, waste pipes etc othewise what ADuckCalledErnest said.

And when planning, bear in mind that kitchens (and some tiles as well) will have a 6 week lead order time so you may need to choose and order them well before time for fitting.

When we did this we did basically Ducks order (with tiles running under the kitchen units) but its worth mentioning that we had first fit electrics and plumbing) before the plastering and then second fit I think last, after everything else.

Do the floor first in case you decide to move the units/island round in a few years time....

OK noddy question, but as we are having underfloor heating which won't be going under the units, won't it make the floor wonky?
(You can tell I've never had any work done on a house before...)

Ours is throughout except under our big island - it depends what sort you have in terms of wonky or not - we have a water based one that is then buried under screed ( a light concrete which takes foreeeeeever to dry ) and then the floorboards on top.

If you can, paint before units go in - otherwise you'll spend hours covering up and fretting about getting paint on. Even better if you can paint before the floor goes in!

If you can't then try and get the undercoats on, and only painting topcoat at the end. It's so much quicker without units in the way.

Thank you, good tip!

wrt the wonky floor, I mean do you have to put something underneath the units so they will be at the same level as the floor? Am guessing it will be a bit higher whatever kind of underfloor heating we get.