Kitchen refurb - where to start??

[graciefielder]

We want to completely refurbish our kitchen but I have no idea where to start or who to even ask to quote.

Would include

• knocking through between existing diner and kitchen
• putting in French doors
• all flooring, worktops, units
• under floor heating
• move a boiler

It feels like it's too big a job for someone like Wren? But I feel like we need design and planning help but I'm not sure a builder would do that?

Basically I've never done any kind of renovation project before and don't really know how to get it off the ground. Any advice is appreciated!

Following because we want to do exactly the same (well, when our much overrunning loft conversion is finally finished), but also don't know where to start! 🙈

You probably need more than one trade - I'd start with a builder to get your head around the eventual space you'll have, and then you'll be able to get a kitchen quote. You'll also need plumbing and electrics but a good builder may well already work with those or have details of people they recommend.

A good builder should also have contacts with a kitchen provider/ design company and they normally have a discount deal so could save you some money on the kitchen units. Looks into Howdens.

We did all this except knocking through, and builder sorted everything except kitchen design and ordering. We went to Ikea for the design and units and then used a company that makes fronts for Ikea kitchens. Builder installed it all and also organised electrician, plumber, underfloor heating specialist and ordered window and door. Just make sure you get FENSA/building regs for any windows and doors and building regs for electrics.

Btw our Ikea kitchen designer was brilliant

Find a builder first. Generally the type that does extensions and garage conversions will also do kitchens (incl knocking down walls etc). Generally we've found they're pretty open as to where you order your kitchen from. Get a quote for all the building work, flooring etc and labour for the kitchen install. Get a kitchen design & quote from a kitchen place (or eg DIY kitchens) - they'll be able to quote supply only.

I'd treat this as two jobs:
Job 1: Knock through, French doors, underfloor heating, boiler, flooring

Get some quotes from builders. Many builders will have a network of other tradespeople who they can bring in to do the other jobs like flooring and plumbing. Or you can get a seperate builder, plumber and floorer.

Job 2: Kitchen fitting

Builder should be able to quote for the whole lot and bring in specialists where needed (eg if you need support for the ceiling). You then get the kitchen company to do the design and builder installs it.

Thanks for all the replies.

Just thinking about how it would work if elements of the kitchen design depend on the building work and vice versa. For example, where we move the boiler to and where/how big we make the window. So I feel like we'd need the full design for the whole room in place before we could get the builder to do the work.

So would we get a kitchen design company on board to sketch it all out, then go away and find a builder to do the bare bones, then go back to the kitchen people for the units etc?

We've had a big kitchen extension refurb which included knocking down a wall, taking out the old kitchen, new bifolds putting in new kitchen etc. it was a big job. Our builder came and discussed what we wanted, came back with a design/build price for us, drew it up and did the the lot. Came out exactly as we wanted and on budget.

Thanks @nokitchen that sounds like exactly what we want. How long did it take? And if you don't mine me asking, how much did it cost? I know there are lots of variables but we have no idea at the moment.

You need to do it the other way round. So we are getting rid of boiler and having air source heat pump instead. It (or a boiler) can only be sited in certain places, and some positions would be more expensive (eg if having to move lots of pipes) so you need to decide on that before designing a kitchen around it.

Same with window - builder can advise on whether size/location of it is feasible before you get the kitchen design done.

Wren have a horrendous reputation in some places op
You should Google their reviews
Ide Google everyone you look at

This is very useful advice thank you @RidingMyBike

We had a Wickes kitchen about 10 years ago and getting a Howdens one in the house we're renovating now.
IME the kitchen designers just work out which cupboard would fit where, suggest things to make it look symmetrical and try to convince you you need things you don't in the space. We found the Wickes designer was great and really put thought into maximising our storage in a small kitchen. The Howdens designer has been less impressive so far.

If there's any actual reconfiguring of space, walls, windows, boilers etc going on then they're pretty clueless and leave that up to the builder (or architect/structural engineer). We used our own builder but the Wickes' installers, if we'd used them, wouldn't have done the work to enlarge the window, install new double glazing and reroute the soil pipe that we also did at the same time.

So, last week, we got about two thirds of a kitchen designed with Howdens, using some plans drawn up by our structural engineer. This week we (or rather DH!) will meet the builder and kitchen designer at the house to confirm location of hot water cylinder which has to go in a certain place. Kitchen designer will then work a matching cupboard for that into plan.
Once that's sorted, we can then finalise the kitchen design.

@graciefielder It was a big extension so an extra room of about 20ft x20ft Cost was £130,000. We are Essex

And took 6 months with builders here every day

Thanks @nokitchen but also oh god !

Hoping ours is a much smaller job. Tbf we're not looking to extend at all, just combine the kitchen and dining room into one and put in a new window.

I will dig out our figures later. We are doing similar (along with works to the rest of house/roof).

We had similar, and had one set of builders quote for a do the lot. My advice would be to get your own kitchen design done though. The builders I have dealt with like to be told exactly what to do rather than have anything to do with the planning stages.

I second the suggestion to do plenty of research before you use Wren, the reviews are eye-opening and not in a good way. Howdens, Benchmarx and Ikea all have good planning services and good quality products. When you have a plan you like, it's always good to cost it up with a supply-only firm like DIY Kitchens to see if there is a saving.

I've just done all of the above, with an added extension. To be fair, mine was relatively easy, in that most of the utilities have stayed where they were, which made life easier in terms of planning. I knew pretty much what was going where, so used the architect's floorplans to design the kitchen (purchased from DIY-Kitchens, £20k less than Wren). Found a builder, told him what I wanted, and Bob's your uncle!

Jesus, can't believe prices today. We had a double storey rear and side extension done 10 years ago doubling the size of the house and that was only 150k. Dread to think what it would be now.

We are going to knock through then get the kitchen designed around the space that we then have .

Howdens planning and designers are hit and miss. I did not like the Howden's service, staff or system. On the other hand, their units were good quality.