Kitchen refurbishment without replacing units/doors?

[roundandroundthehouses]

Gradually moving through our tatty and outdated house, getting things fixed up.

Our kitchen is probably next. I've looked at various refurbishment companies, but they all seem to be about replacing your units, or 'giving your kitchen a facelift' by replacing the cupboard doors. But I quite like our doors, and the carcasses are OK too. Layout is also fine. All I need is new worktops, new tiles and possibly some under-cabinet lighting.

I'm starting to think I'll have to find a different tradesperson for each job. If that's the case, I'm wondering:

• what sort of tradesperson (joiner?) replaces kitchen worktops?
• am I right in thinking that the worktops would need to be replaced before the tiles, as the new tiles would be damaged by the old worktops being removed?

Any experience appreciated :)

We did exactly as you suggest in our last house. Really made a huge difference for comparatively little money.
We had a kitchen company do the worktop as we were having a new sink and the gas hob had to removed and refitted. We knew a tiler so he did that for us. DH did the replacement lights and I painted.
Tiling is definitely after worktop to ensure a good fit.

Thanks, Giddy! It's good to know that it'll make a big difference as well :)

The trade depends a little on the work surface type. Wood - carpenter would be good. Quartz type may require a specialist for templating then polishing out any joins.

Definitely tile or splash backs after the surface is down. Sometimes replacing the kickboards tidies things up too.

I was literally just looking at the kickboards and thinking the same thing. Good point on the work surfaces - I'll decide what we want and then try to find the best type of fitter.

You could even put led lights underneath once you've replaced the kickboards to change the look. Quite cheap but quite a makeover. But the blue led look does remind me of boy racers in their escorts..