new kitchen diner - decisions I'm likely to forget?

[Lottle]

Hi
I'm having a new kitchen next month. Also involves knocking through kitchen and dining room. This will be done by a team of trades people.

I've tried to make as many decisions well in advance as possible e.g. which appliances etc (currently sat in my ao basket ready) but could anyone help me with little decisions I might forget and then have to make quickly?

So far...
Ordered kitchen and have plan of layout
Chosen appliances
Chosen lights
Nearly chosen cabinet handles
Choosing floor still
Chosen splashback and upstands
Chosen worktop
Got an idea of radiators

Please could you helpful Property Mumsnetters see what I might have missed/share your experiences? Any other advice (e.g. how to prepare for the building works or when exactly to order certain things) would be great, thank you.

Are you having under counter / plinth kick board lights as well as normal lighting?
How about positioning of light switches or which light goes to which switch (so I have a 4 gang switch 1. Under cabinet/plinth lights 2. Island light 3 dining area light 4. Lounge area light

Where will you put your bins?

Do you have a microwave for the time you are without any cooler?

Electrical layout plan- every appliance, socket and light. We have automatic lighting that comes on when larder doors are opened. Dead handy.
Also think about every single appliance you might use and make sure there's a socket for it.
You don't want to unplug the toaster when steam mopping the floor..
Hsat /smoke alarm (and wiring for it)

Of you’re getting rid of a wall you need building control to sign it off.

@Cupcakegirl13

Of you’re getting rid of a wall you need building control to sign it off.

This Plus electric sign off

We recently did a kitchen diner and one thing that got missed off was how the extractor fan extracted.
The extractor that got can do both recirculating or ducting but needed an extra kit for both. The kitchen supplier only supplied the extractor, not the extra kits and made no specification for it either. the fitter only fitted it but it never worked properly as the extra bits were missing.
The hob is positioned against a house wall so we decided to have it ducted. So we had to get a huge hole drilled through the house wall for the ducting kit AFTER the kitchen was fitted. It would have been much easier to do whilst the building works were taking place. Thankfully it all worked out, but it could have been more complicated with cupboards, electrics in the way.
So I would recommend to look out for that!

Order more electric sockets than you think and have some of them (especially in the dining area) with usb sockets so phones etc can be plugged straight in rather than using an adapter which can be a fire hazard. Once you have worked out how many sockets you need, add some more for the devices you don't yet know you need.

Fab
Thanks everyone. Will get thinking!

I'd get sockets that have USB charging points.
I'd get a boiling water tap! But it is about £1000.
Just imagine yourself preparing dinner. Where do you like to stand? Next to the hob to prepare? Put an integrated bin there if you can, or near the sink, or both!
Think where your cups are,, tea, kettle (if not getting boiling tap). Is there a place for all nearby? Same for bread/toaster. Cutlery drawer near dishwasher. Pots and pan drawer near oven. Do you bake?
The mistake I made with my current kitchen is I made the island not wide but long, with seating at the far end. It means I have a tiny space next to the hob to prepare food, and a huge expanse between hob and seating that just seems to collect clutter. My son and I disagree where the bins are - I put them near food prep, he likes them nearer the sink.

I missed the corner piece when doing measurements - I can't remember the name of it, but it's an L-shaped strip that runs between the cupboards where they meet in a kitchen corner. You need to allow about an inch for each side.

Are you getting a fridge/freezer with filtered water and ice... and if so, ensure you've factored this into the plumbing plans.

Where will your tea towels and hand towel hang? Over cabinet handles, will they go over radiator or will you need a rail? We have moved to a house with a great kitchen but nowhere for the towels - vertical radiator and small cabinet handles. It is a real pain!

What I found useful (once I knew my proposed plan like the back of my hand) was when I was doing anything in the old kitchen, to imagine the same process in the new one. It helped me visualise if the layout suited the way I work.

A friend of mine had her dishwasher right near the kitchen table and not next to the sink which at the time I thought abit odd.

But after meals she just stacked it straight in and bypassed the kitchen drainer. and then emptied the plates back onto the table again ready for the next meal and it works really well for her.