Builder wants to fit kitchen during lockdown

[sk1601]

Hi. New kitchen was due to be fitted mid April. We assumed it would be postponed due to lockdown. Builder phoned yesterday and wants to go ahead. We appreciate that’s their income but there are now supports being put in place. DH and I do not want it to go ahead, we are both WFH, have young children and there’s no way we can isolate ourselves from the builders. Also worried we would end up with half a kitchen.

Are we doing the right thing?

You are definitely doing the right thing.

The guidance is that working in people’s homes is allowed as long as social distancing measures can be maintained. If they can’t then you are correct to decline. Not to mention the practical risks involved in and removing a working kitchen, everything is so subject to change at the moment you’ve no idea when the new one might be completed, leaving you without a kitchen for potentially months.

Can you set up a temp kitchen for yourselves and close the kitchen off? Back door?
How were you going to live without a kitchen before?

I’d do it, but disclaimer - my kitchen fitter is our best friend, trust 1000% and can be left downstairs to come and go as he wants without interaction or any worry of dishonesty.

Same for plumber, floor fitter, decorator etc - all friends of cabinet fitter/joiner (kitchen fitter)

I accept I am the exception rather than the rule.

My DD was expecting a new kitchen last week. The company postponed delivery and fitting - I think that was the correct thing to do. No restaurants or cafes are open and her boyfriend was self isolating.

Can he actually get the kitchen? Have you paid anything yet? We’re in the middle of a project, having a kitchen fitted in a part of the house which can be completely separated, separate entrance, outside water supply etc so all being done without ever coming in to contact with the household but we’re stuck at first fix because Howden’s has closed. My worry when all this started was that we’d pay for a kitchen which wasn’t delivered then have thousands of pounds in someone else’s bank account for an undefined period of time in a very uncertain financial climate.

We were planning on staying with family when it was getting done, obviously can’t now. I’m not convinced we can maintain social distancing and we have young children. Was different when we could take them out. We have a garden but the kitchen opens out into that and I suspect the builder would use there for cutting etc.

I don’t think it’s possible to be done safely right now.