Kitchen/diner - roles of builder, kitchen company and interior designer

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There's some great advice on here. Thanks to everyone who contributes.

We're moving and the new house - west London victorian terraced - needs a new kitchen/diner. We want to add a downstairs loo and space for washing machine near the stairs but no other structural work would be needed.

2 questions. Am I right in thinking we need to talk to builder first, then a separate specific kitchen company? (is Magnet a terrible idea). If we'd like a bit of guidance on things like the colour palette, sofa, lighting etc when should an interior designer get involved?

Second question. The overall space is about 9.7m x 3.6M.

Including everything - flooring, lighting, kitchen, appliances, fitting etc etc is 30 - 35k ambitious?

I realise it's a bit how long is a piece of string and haven't got a clue yet about the flooring which can obviously make a big difference but if we're assuming kind of mid level pricing for things is that kind of budget going to work?

Is the space already there and you are remodeling/refitting, or are you extending to gain the space?

The space is already there - will just be taking a bit of the room to extend the understairs space for the downstairs loo but otherwise its a fixed space

Anyone have any thoughts on this - or are my questions just too stupid/vague!

Our builder is doing our extension and fitting our kitchen but we designed it in B&Q. I'm not going down the interior design route as I like to choose things for myself but our decorator will do the work.

I'd speak to the interior designer first, depending on the service you go for, they might design the kitchen for you, at the very least they'll give you an idea of what to go to the kitchen company with. You can then decide if you want the kitchen company to supply and fit or just supply of your builder is going to fit.

Thankyou that's interesting. I hadn't thought of starting with the designer but it's kind of logical now you say it.

So I need to find a designer.

Any thoughts on the budget?

My sister had an interior designer with a specialism in kitchens design her kitchen diner and utility room, though she herself is excellent at colour palettes etc, so the designer didn’t do that part. She then dealt with all of the organisation and liaison with fitters too. Cost her around £20k for an enormous room and utility without any structural work BUT this is up in Lincolnshire. Everything up there is phenomenally cheap compared to down here in the SE. I think I’d expect to pay more in London.

I’d skip the interior designer if I were you. Just get some inspiration on Pinterest or Instagram then ask a kitchen company for help planning out the kitchen layout.

Thanks both. I'm reasonably confident about the kitchen design - and it seems those companies help you anyway - but the room needs to encompass a kind of living area as well and I think maybe an interior designer can help with that. Although it's hardly an unusual layout so maybe between the builder and kitchen company I'll be fine. I think I just need to start talking to building companies and interior designers and see who feels right.

If you go with a designer, then it's them, then they design the kitchen and then the builder gets involved. Builder can't do anything without a plan.

I went for a bespoke kitchen because the space was a bit tricky and the kitchen designer recommended the contractor who co-ordinated everything - decorating, electrician, floors, kitchen fitting. We didn't need any "building" but for a job as minor as what you're after I'm pretty sure the contractor would have covered that too.

Depends on the value of the house really. If it's a west London Victorian terrace worth a million or two then I wouldn't put in a Magnet kitchen. Ikea carcasses with good quality doors would be a better option than that.

House value is around 1.3. I've no idea about the various kitchen firms. Suggested Magnet because of Which.

With your suggestion who does the doors?

Anyone suggest a company better than magnet but not really high end?

I have 2 companies near me. Mark Wilkinson and John Lewis of hungerford but I think they'd be 50k+.

What about actual John Lewis?

We are probably talking about different price points, but have a look at DIY Kitchens, supply only and online - although they do have a showroom in Yorkshire.

In terms of who to approach first, I planned my own but it was a refit having lived in the house 20 years so I knew what I did and didn't want.
I measured and remeasure and planned and replanned and looks at lots of kitchen sites and ideas.
I had Wickes in, who gave me a plan which was nothing like what I wanted, and eventally went with DIY Kitchens.

I then contacted a few kitchen fitters/builders and got quotes. The one I went with I'd used for a small a few years earlier and they sorted the electrician and I sourced the plumber (again one I'd used for other stuff) separately. I basically project managed it myself.

I'm not averse to the process of project managing - or the time - but have no experience if how to source things - ideas or actual things so I feel like I need help there. DIY sounded too cheap to me but is that not the case? Literally just going from the name.

I think it maybe depends on your price point, they have a variety of different finishes at different levels but the carcasses are pretty good solid units.
They are well rated by Which? but they obviously aren't your handmade ranges.

This is mine (2 of kitchen & 1 of utility).
I got worktops separately from Worktops Direct and sourced sinks, taps and appliances separately (although also reused some existing).

I think the fit is VERY important though, the couple of niggles I have with mine are fit related rather than the actual kitchen.

Depends on price you are willing to pay and your time. In process of getting kitchen done and designed it and project managed ourselves . The price is v good but my God co-ordination of trades, bifold door installation and building works, plasterer, plumber, electrician, fitter, ( who is doing some bespoke), flooring has been a series of postponements with knock on effect to other trades. At moment I would be inclined to say get one firm in to do it all, possibly different answer in a couple of months!
Gone with a mix of howdens, b and q, the solid oak waterfall breakfast bar the wood was bought direct but can't remember the company - the fitter/ joiner made it plus did a couple of other bespoke bits

The other thing with project managing it yourself is you get what you want - I am quite particular about how I want things, I did a lot of thinking and planning beforehand, some bits were a squeeze and the different trades didn't appreciate how I needed it to all tie in together, little bits that I knew I wanted from living here etc.
I'm sure I would have got a perfectly good usable kitchen if I'd just had one business in to do it all - but I don't think I'd have got it exactly as I wanted.
Yes it was cheaper, but my main objective is getting it how I want it.

My friend on the other hand has no really interest in all that thought process and just wants someone to come in and sort it out.

Good point. This is a house we're buying so haven't lived in it yet to know the specifics of this kitchen. But do know what we want to do/avoid based on current kitchen. But I think I'm leaning towards not doing all the project management and having a designer that can liaise with everyone or a builder that has design capability. And I think I'll use magnet's design service to have a starting point for a plan.

Thanks for input. Any other help most welcome.

I've just designed my own kitchen dinner, we had a builder to do all the structural work as we knocked through to make it one big room. They did plumbing, electrics etc etc and we have gone with a kitchen from diy kitchens. I'm really impressed impressed with the quality of the units. We have a quartz worktop being fitted next week and we have sourced that locally as it worked out slightly cheaper. All in our kitchen is costing about £15k. That's not including a floor as we were lucky to find original parquet. It's also not including a fridge and range cooker as we already had these.

That's very helpful. Thanks. I love the look of wood but worry about keeping it like that. Quartz seems a good choice.

@Chasingsquirrels your kitchen looks great. The floor and worktops look really good together. Is that real wood? Also think the black sink is cool. Where's that from?

Neither are real wood.
The worktop is a walnut wood laminate.
The floor is a wood effect LVT - Polyflor Camaro (can't remember the actual type).
We already had the LVT flooring in the hall and I wanted to carry it through, and looked at a lot of laminate worktop & samples to find one I was happy with.

The black sink, argghh I can't remember the model - I would have preferred a 1.5 bowl, but could only have a single to fit in the space, and the one I wanted was discontinued. Searched for ages and found one new but unused in ebay for £85. Was v pleased.