Not enough sockets in kitchen.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Currently having a new kitchen fitted. Because it's a slightly different lay out. The existing sockets have had to go. As too close to the hob. The kitchen planner did not tell me this was going to be an issue. It leaves me with one useable socket on the wrong side of the kitchen. Argh! What do I do. The fitter is not an electrician so can't do too much electrical work.

Get on to an electrician ASAP. You need more sockets. What a pain!

He knows one but because the worktop has already been put in. We can't put them where it would be best. It didn't occur to me that the sockets would not be replaced.

The fitter should plan where they go and hire an electrician or he’s not much of a fitter.

We've come to a compromise. That should work ok. Though it's going to rankle for at least the next ten years! My house is already tricky for sockets any way!

ask around for an experienced local electrician by personal recommendation, and verify that they are a member of a Competent Person Scheme (ask which one, and look them up).

A good way to fit kitchen sockets is to have a row of them, about 150mm above the worktop, with the cable running horizontally between them in conduit under the plaster. This makes them quick and easy to fit, and you can have the switches or FCUs for your undercounter appliances and above-counter extractors and lighting, in the same row. If you decide to add an extra one later it is easy, because you can cut into the wall and use the existing conduit in the same row. IMO a kitchen should have a row of sockets and switches going all round the room, at intervals of 600mm or less.

Only the first and the last sockets on the wall need to have a cable going down to the floor (or up to the ceiling, wherever your circuit runs).

This is easier and cleaner before you have the wall tiled. If not, it will probably need (at least partial) retiling afterwards.

If you don't want to hack into the walls, you can have surface mounted sockets, but these are less elegant.

The appliances are ok. There are sockets enough for them. It's just the stuff like the kettle and coffee machine.

How about getting one of those socket towers? They can either sit on the worktop or be set in a hole cut in a worktop and then they can be pulled up

I would still add extra sockets in a row

@loopylindi that's a good idea.

So he's managed to add another socket on the breakfast bar on the other side of the kitchen. The kitchen is tiny. So it's not ideal but better than it would have been. Kettle can go next to the sink and coffee machine on breakfast bar.

You are paying for this. If he has to take the counter off and reinstall it after an electrician has been so be it.

I agree with being a bit more forceful now to get what you want. You will really regret not having enough sockets.

Am thinking about getting one of those pop up sockets put in the worktop instead. Presumably they plug in somewhere to a normal socket.

A good electrician could probably chase down behind the worktop to fit a conduit it for more sockets. Like they do when they add a socket over skirting board and just drill/chase behind it. Bit riskier with a new worktop though.

@Toddlerteaplease

Am thinking about getting one of those pop up sockets put in the worktop instead. Presumably they plug in somewhere to a normal socket.

the maximum load of all the sockets in use at one time will be 13Amp

So one kettle
or one tumble drier
or one toaster
or one washing machine during a heating cycle
or one dishwasher during a heating cycle.

Not two or more of any of the above at one time

however, you can connect a vast number of phone chargers if you wish.

@PigletJohn think won't need to use any of those things together. I do t have a dryer it dishwasher and rarely use the toaster. The coffee machine and kettle will have their own socket. The only other thing I use will be the contact grill

He's out a double socket on the breakfast bar and converted a single socket near the draining board to a double. So I think it will be ok. The kitchen looks amazing and he's done a really good job on it.