2016 kitchen extension / fitting thread anyone?

[PlaymobilPirate]

I've got a couple of kitchen threads from here saved and will be using them loads when we start planning our extension and kitchen refit early next year but thought it might be nice to start a new one for new ideas?

We've been living with a kitchen last done up in about 1970 for 5 years (3 cupboards, sink, drainer and awful cheap and nasty gas cooker) and I HATE it - I'm desperate for storage space and I'm sick of eating off my knee in the living room!

We're hopefully going to extend the mortgage by about 25k to do the extension and re-fit, dp used to be a brickie in a past life so that and his contacts will keep costs down.

I'm hoping to have a utility with floor to ceiling cupboards for storage and just base units in the actual kitchen if possible as I hate wall units.

Happy to throw money at it but terrified that we'll make mistakes along the way and regret doing / not doing things.

Is anyone else planning a new kitchen next year??

[5amisnotmorning]

MyDearChild we looked at bespoke and Higham but really liked the Devol shaker and the price was very good. They also have some new colours and all the prices are on their website so you can tot it all up to see if it is doable. We have kept costs down by building an under stairs pantry as we already had a door to the kitchen which would otherwise be blocked up. It's costing £13k for all our appliances and delivery. For the quality it is a very good price.

[Mydearchild]

Thanks 5am thats really useful info and good luck with yours sound like it will be amazing.

We finally got the architects final drawings yesterday which will go to the council on Monday then its the 8 week wait. We havent discussed it with our adjoining neighbours yet so i am whimping out and sending dh round later but i have a feeling they will object to the building as they have a conservatory and it may block some of their light, although the architect is pretty sure it will be passed as we are keeping within the 45 degree code. We have also tried to offset this by keeping the roof as low as possible and building a metre from the boundary, i still feel guilty though! I may be over thinking things.

[JuanPotatoTwo]

Hi, joining in if I may. We're hoping to have an extension and new kitchen, with the work beginning in March/April. Existing kitchen is pretty big but badly laid out due to lots of windows and doors. Extending to either side to make a T-shaped room, and using extra space for a utility room which I've always wanted.

Have seen a kitchen in Neptune's which I like, but probably going to use a joiner that our builder knows to copy it. I'm drawn to light grey units but I'm a bit hesitant as everyone I know who's had new kitchens has done the same!

[Helenluvsrob]

Place marking for a good read later.

[Goingtobefree]

Marking my place, hoping for an extension and new kitchen before summer.

[Mydearchild]

Well dh went and spoke to the neighbour and said he seemed fine with it, resigned to the fact that people like to extend these days. The neighbour directly at the back of us has just had pp passed to build a 3 storey extension so the neighbours are all in for a noisy summer!

I keep going back and forth with the actually kitchen. Titsywoo i have been looking at DIY too and they look great, if we go for a handleless design we will use them they have a fantastic range of styles and sizes far better than the likes of Ikea. My heart is set on painted shaker style though but it will really depend on budget. Ideally i would love carrara marble too or some sort of light quartz.

Now all we need to do is persuade the other neighbours....

[JuanPotatoTwo]

Miaow sounds like your mum has the best of both worlds - lovely outlook from her kitchen, and all the bits she couldn't have in her kitchen in yours! Liking her style!

[sweetheart]

Can I join in too. We actually started work on 4th Jan so it's all systems go at ours. I'm currently spending hours on the internet comparing prices on everything!

We moved in November last year and were hoping to begin work by Easter 2015. However with one thing and another we eventually got planning last last year and have just started the 12 week build. We originally had an L shape at the rear of our house which had a kitchen / diner and a separate study. We are building out the L into a square room and removing several internal walls to make a large open plan kitchen / diner / lounge.

The most extensive part of the work is steel work as we are removing a lot of walls and that is going in this week.

I'm waiting on a kitchen plan back from Howdens and will go from there. Issues so far have been finding a worktop we like - don't think we can stretch to Granite and trying to pick a range for our new kitchen. I was planning to buy a lovely grey kitchen but I couldn't find a colour scheme I liked whilst keeping the place feeling warm and homely so we've switched to a cream colour and will go with neutrals and probably a wood floor.

I have spend hours and hours trying to figure out kitchen layout but it seems to be finally coming together.

[blueandgreendots]

Marking my place. Extension still with the council for planning permission but all being well we will have a mid to late February build for our new kitchen diner. Baby due at the end of April so it's all go here!

[SandrasAnnoyingFriend]

Can I join in?
We have planning permission and have paid building control etc. just need to choose a builder and have a drain assessment then we're off.

We're doing a side return and additional rear extension to create a big kitchen diner, WC and small utility room.

I'm already feeling depressed at how many compromises we're going to have to make. I thought our budget was generous but the outlays just keep stacking up! I'm also really taken with one building firm and am awaiting their quote on mon/tues next week, I'm going to struggle if they price themselves out as they really understood what we're hoping to achieve.

[sw15mum]

Am lurking but jut wanted to say to the poster wondering whether DeVol would come to Scotland that my friend has just had a DeVol kitchen fitted in St Andrews so they do!

[ftm123]

So what's everyone going to use for flooring? I can't decide whether tiles or something else.

[Upthenoonoo]

ftm we have just gone to planning for a full width rear extension. I'm planning on untreated wide plank oak that I will oil once down. I love oak floors but not the shiny lacquered type, it has to be matte finish. I wouldn't go near tiles unless I was having under floor heating.

[ftm123]

Thanks noo noo. We would do underfloor heating with tiles, but adds to expense/complication. I was worried about wood in the kitchen given the likelihood of water spills, although would like it. One of the reasons I was asking is to see if people were using it anyway, and if there were any tips on type of wood ( I had heard bamboo was better).

[Marmitelover55]

We had a kitchen/diner extension last year. Our budget didn't stretch to UFH unfortunately. We chose engineered oak - wide planks treated with uv lacquer - it looks completely matt and has been very durable so far . This is how it looks in situ: www.houzz.co.uk/projects/787449/open-plan-extension-with-office-corner

[suffolkpunch85]

We are having a rear extension this summer (roughly 26m2) and then knocking through internal walls to have an open plan(ish) lounge/dining area/kitchen/office/family area. The utility will remain separate.

Problem is I want all the flooring to be the same throughout but we are quite messy/spill a lot of stuff. We got a price for Karndean which was 5k including fitting which we can't afford as the extension has come in at more than we thought.

We have laminate the the moment and haven't had an issue with it so thinking a greyish tinge wood laminate. What's everyone else doing?

[SandrasAnnoyingFriend]

We are having underfloor heating with engineered wood. Currently leaning towards some whitewashed oak. The kitchen units are going to be navy, so we want something light.

[nimo123]

We are planning a whole house refurbishment as well as a single story rear extension and partial double and a loft conversion thrown in! Still in final planning perm stage and it has been a nightmare. Hopefully will be sorted in a week. Anyone have any good builders to recommend in the SW London area?

[nimo123]

ftm123, we have wood floors in the kitchen in our current house and they are alright. But for the new house we are going with cement tiles with underfloor heating. I'm sure your wood floors will look great. We are having parquet downstairs and did consider running that through to the kitchen but then thought we might as well give a different feel to that space.

[KerryatDurham]

Hi there, I've read this thread with interest. We're part way through a kitchen & utility refurb so I thought I'd share our experience.

We're doing the work in two stages due to amount and cost of the works. Utility (which was horribly dated and needed lots of tlc)has been done just before Xmas, kitchen is later this year where we are planning to replace large window with French doors straight out to a decked area of the garden and fit an island in the space created.

We ended up going with Howdens cream soft-closing cupboards, integrated handles with oroko worktops.

This bit might be helpful for anyone starting out - In the research stage we had a few companies round to quote, and did Internet research. Didn't like the salesy approach from the companies and didn't think we had enough knowledge to plan and order online. We ended up instructing a local builder/kitchen fitter who was recommended to us. This was the best move we made as we needed a lot of work doing in the utility - ceiling removed and replaced, all walls plastered, electrics sorting and floor levelling. They spent a lot of time going through what we wanted and what needed to be done to the room first so that the end result would be right. They also did it all themselves before fitting the kitchen, so we didn't have the problem of organising lots of tradespeople to come round at the right times!

The final finish was excellent and the cost was a lot cheaper than other quotes because the fitters used their trade account to get us some discount from Howdens. Happy to pass on contact details for any north east dwellers if that's allowed?

We've gone for engineered oak flooring which matches elements of the oroko worktop nicely and the utility area looks great now it's done. We painted the walls an off cream colour, and that looks good with the cupboards, so I'm very happy with how it looks. Looking forward impatiently to getting the kitchen done now!

[thesilentone]

Hello!
I'm wanting to remove a supporting wall, remove a crappy kitchen and put in a modest sized kitchen diner. Also convert half the garage into a basic utility room. Had a local builder visit today and he gave an estimate of 27k all in - 8k ish of building work/electrics/plumbing and then the rest presumably on vat and the kitchen and fittings.

Having previously and pretty badly fitted a b&q kitchen myself in the past this seems a lot of money. What are people's thoughts? Is this amount the right ball park?