Please talk me through the order

[pegasussy]

I have a few things to do to our kitchen/diner, but I really need someone to check I'm doing the following in the right order:

1. Knock out wall between kitchen and diner (after getting structural engineer to confirm ok)

1. Demolish and remove kitchen units

1. Remove radiators

1. Replace flooring (carpet and tiles) with engineered wood; add underfloor heating at the same time

1. Strip wallpaper off walls; replaster

1. Paint walls

1. Fit kitchen

It's the biggest project I've done, so I'm doubting myself. Please can someone review the order? Any related advice would also be gratefully received. Thank you.

Just thinking of how you’re protecting the wood floor for the following steps?

And lighting, changing that ?

I’d say 2,3,15,6,4,7.
Maybe shuffle around the last 3 .

Plumbing and electrical sockets?

Not an expert but we did the floor last to avoid damage from other work

This is why I asked the question here - you are all amazing. Thank you for the new order @Chumleymouse

@SantaMonicaPier a kitchen company I spoke to said people usually do the floor (to the walls) then the kitchen units on top. Did you consider but reject this option?

@GinIronic when you say plumbing and electrical sockets... I don't think we'll be changing where the taps are. We will require new sockets to be added as we're putting in a kitchen island. So where does this step go?

A related question is what is the minimum number of sets of workmen/women required? Obviously it'd be great if one single builder could do it all, but I don't think that will be possible. Can workpeople work in parallel?

Is your kitchen company undertaking the whole job. Demolition, steel, floors, plastering, making good, installation and water/gas/electrical work etc?

We're ordering carcasses from IKEA and doors from Naked Doors. So will have to source our own fitter.

What about the other trades?

Just finished similar.

1. Remove kitchen
2. Take down radiators
3. Take out walls
4. Take up flooring
5. Strip wallpaper
6. First fix plumbing and lighting
7. Plastering
8. Rehang radiators
9. Painting

10. Floor laid 11. Kitchen installed.

I think!

We had a builder who coordinated the subs, electrician, plumber and plaster. Electrician is two guys, plumbing same. Don't know about the plasterer. Builder plus one for other labourer work. Took approx 6 weeks.

Plaster and paint before putting the floor down. That's what our plasterer insisted on anyway.
Having never had replastering done before, I didn't realise how messy and dusty it was.

@Pucarbuile ah thank you! I have lots of questions if that's ok? I wasn't envisaging getting a specific plumber or electrician for this job - if the taps stay where they are, and no complex changes to electrics, do I still need them?

And wow re project length. That's a lot longer than I was expecting. We're not taking down a whole wall, just making an arch bigger. I hope that makes it quicker...

Am I allowed to ask how much it all cost please, excluding materials/kitchen itself? I can PM you if you prefer. Thanks so much!

I'm not in the UK so pricing is probably isn't too helpful. We kept the sink in the same place but still needed plumber for moving rads and disconnecting/ reconnecting sink. You may well have the skills to do that yourself. We also needed new lights and sockets so electrician was essential (also to connect hob and oven in new kitchen). Our builder was brilliant, told us exactly what we did and didn't need. We had to have 2
steel beams put in so if you don't need that you could well be quicker but no matter what, it will probably take longer than you think!

Thank you @Pucarbuile !
We probably do need a plumber and electrician then. Did you hire a builder who went and arranged all that for you? I don't know if I should be calling up builders, plasters, plumbers, etc. or just a builder?

Yes, our builder has a network he brings in as needed. They are all independent but do a lot of work together and he co-ordinated them. (He was brilliant.) I'd call a couple of builders first and talk through your plans and see what they can do.

One final question @Pucarbuile if I may - the arch currently has an RSJ running through it. The beam goes from wall to wall. We want to widen the arch which we think should be ok, but will need a structural engineer to confirm. Or can the builder confirm?

I've no idea, I would guess you'll need an engineer for sign off though?

I would say you need to chop the plaster off above the arch to see what is up there before spending any money on engineers , someone might have already installed a rsj in there before or there might be nothing up there ? But until you expose the area nobody can be sure.

Any pictures ?

@Chumleymouse there's an RSJ in there. I don't have any photos at the moment unfortunately, as we're towards the end of the conveyancing process and haven't yet completed.

Will you need building regs sign off?

@PragmaticWench definitely not. The arch is already there and is just being made slightly larger to accommodate a kitchen island.