Kitchens in Northamptonshire

A kitchen fitter is a trained professional who installs kitchens, both in homes and workplaces. As part of the kitchen fitting service a kitchen fitter will typically be involved in the whole kitchen installation process, from measuring up and removing old units through to assembling kitchen units and installing worktops.

You may find that some kitchen fitters specialise in one area of kitchen installation services, such as tiling, carpentry or plumbing. They may even offer kitchen design and fitting as part of their services.

Common kitchen fitting tasks

Here are some of the most common jobs that a kitchen fitter would carry out when fitting a kitchen:

• Advising on kitchen designs to make the most of the space

• Measuring up the kitchen according to design plans

• Removing and disposing of old kitchen units and appliances

• Locating pipes and cables to plan the kitchen installation

• Handling worktops (including measuring, cutting and fitting)

• Assembling kitchen units

• Fitting kitchen accessories (such as cornices, pelmets, and plinths)

• Tiling kitchen walls and laying flooring

• Replacing light fixtures and fittings

If you’re looking for a good kitchen fitter in Northamptonshire, use our handy search – it’s a quick and easy way to find the best kitchen fitting services recommended by your neighbours.

Benefits of using a professional kitchen fitter

Here are some of the great reasons why hiring a professional for your kitchen installation can be a good idea:

• You’ll get a high quality finish for your kitchen when it’s installed by an experienced kitchen fitter who knows what they're doing and works with care and attention

• They’re experience is invaluable when it comes to dealing with unforeseen problems or challenges during the kitchen installation process

• A professional can offer advice and collaborate with you to come up with the perfect kitchen installation based on what you need for your home

• It saves you time, stress and strain of having to do the strenuous work yourself

• They have the right tools and an eye for detail that are needed in order to make sure all the elements of the kitchen are installed safely and securely

• They’ll clean up after themselves as part of the job, and you better believe that kitchen installations can be a messy job

Reputable kitchen fitters offer an aftercare service to ensure that you’re completely happy with your new kitchen, even after they’ve left

There’s a big difference between finding any old kitchen fitter and finding a good kitchen fitter that you can rely on. To make sure you hire the latter, here are some of our top tips for finding a good kitchen fitter…

1. Use our search

Our search tool is a quick and easy way to find good kitchen fitters in Northamptonshire. Searching for kitchen fitting services on Checkatrade means you can see each kitchen fitter’s profile with information about services they offer, as well as customer reviews and ratings. You can also be confident that you’re dealing with professional, reliable tradespeople as we check all our members to verify their qualifications and insurance.

2. Get personal recommendations

Ask your friends, family and neighbours if they can recommend good kitchen fitters in Northamptonshire. Getting recommendations from people you trust means you already have a positive first-hand account of the quality of their service and professionalism.

3. Choose an approved kitchen fitter

Ideally you want to hire a kitchen fitter who’s dedicated to their trade and shows evidence that they work to a professional standard. Most reputable kitchen fitters will be registered with an appropriate trade association, such as the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installers (BiKBBI) or the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA).

4. Ask other tradespeople for recommendations

If you’ve worked with excellent tradespeople in the past, it’s worth asking them for kitchen fitter recommendations. Reliable tradespeople like to work with other reliable tradespeople, so a good plumber, electrician or gas engineer will generally be happy to recommend kitchen fitting experts that they know and trust.

5. Always check customer reviews

Nowadays it’s super easy to find customer reviews for tradespeople, especially if they’re good. Take time to do your homework by reading previous customer reviews for local fitters in Northamptonshire. Don’t worry if you spot the odd negative comment, just as long as the majority of their reviews are glowing.

6. Ask for references and examples of their work

One of the best ways to choose a good kitchen fitter is to see their previous work and speak to previous customers. By seeing kitchens they’ve installed before (either in person or in photos) and speaking to customers who’ve hired them before, you’ll get a good idea of the quality of finish you’ll get from the kitchen fitter.

7. Choose a kitchen fitter with local experience

If possible, you want to hire a kitchen fitter who knows your local area, regularly works with other local tradespeople and is experienced working on properties like yours. Where possible opt for a kitchen fitter who’s based locally, rather than a national kitchen fitting service that might not give you the personal experience you want and deserve.

When planning a new kitchen installation, budget will always be a factor that influences your decisions – both for the kitchen units and appliances, as well as the kitchen fitter you choose. Keep reading to find out more about how much kitchen fitters charge.

Kitchen fitter day rate

If you plan on hiring a professional, the cost of fitting a kitchen is usually charged at a daily rate. The average kitchen fitter daily rate in the UK is somewhere in the region of £120 to £240 per day, depending on the size and complexity of the kitchen installation, and the experience of the individual kitchen fitter.

Kitchen installation cost

The cost of kitchen installation will vary depending on the size of the kitchen, the quantity and quality of units and appliances being installed, and the overall complexity of the kitchen installation.

As a guide, the average cost of fitting a kitchen is usually somewhere in the region of £1,200 - £1,800 per job. That’s just for the labour cost of kitchen installation, which is in addition to the cost of the kitchen materials and appliances.

Material cost of fitting a kitchen

If you’re looking at materials, the cost of kitchen installation will again depend on the size of the kitchen. Here are some average prices for the cost of kitchen units:

• Units for a small kitchen – £1,000 - £2,000

• Units for a medium kitchen – £4,000 - £6,000

• Units for a large kitchen – £7,000 - £8,000+

For more information about prices, take a look at our guide to new kitchen costs.

Cost of kitchen design and fitting

If you want to enlist the help of a professional kitchen designer for your new kitchen project, you’ll be looking at a cost of around 10% of the total kitchen cost. To find out more, check out our guide to kitchen design cost.

Quotes for kitchen fitter costs

As with all home improvement projects, we always recommend obtaining at least three quotes from different kitchen fitters in your area. You'll want to shop around to make sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work. And, thankfully, we've got a tool that makes finding multiple quotes super easy.

Our request a quote feature is perfect for getting multiple quotes. You simply post details about the work you need doing and we’ll send it out to local kitchen fitters in your area. Try it out – it's quick and easy!

It’s hard to give an accurate timing for fitting a kitchen, mainly because each kitchen project is so unique. One of the important questions you should ask a kitchen fitter when you’re discussing your job is ‘how long does kitchen fitting take?’. That way, they can give you an informed answer based on the details of your home and the specification of your kitchen.

As a rough guide, you can expect the kitchen installation services to take around one week (5 working days) for an average sized kitchen. That’s if you’re keeping the same layout for your kitchen and there’s no need for new flooring or redecorating.

If, however, you have a larger, more complex kitchen installation planned that requires a change of layout, moving appliances, laying new flooring and/or redecorating, then you could be looking at up to 4 weeks for completely fitting a kitchen.

Factors affecting kitchen installation times

As with most home improvement projects, the time it takes for fitting a kitchen will depend on a number of factors, including:

• Size and layout of the kitchen

• Quantity of materials and appliances

• Complexity of the installation

• Rearranging the layout of the kitchen

• Any prep work that’s needed (plumbing, electrical, gas)

• Heavy worktops and materials

• Number of kitchen fitters

The kitchen installation process

When dealing with kitchen fitters, it’s useful to understand the process that they follow when fitting a kitchen. Here’s a quick summary of the kitchen installation process:

1. Water supply is turned off at the stop cock in order to drain pipes and allow fitters to carry out any pipeline work

2. Your old kitchen and appliances are removed and disposed of

3. Preparation for any plumbing and electrical work is carried out

4. Plastering and wall repair is done to make sure the kitchen walls are ready for the new kitchen to be installed

5. Wall painting will be done once the walls are in good enough condition

6. Flooring is laid after any painting but before the kitchen units are installed

7. Kitchen units are installed, starting with the base units and then the wall units

8. Worktops are cut to size and installed, including cutting out holes to fit hobs, sinks and other appliances. The sink will most likely be installed and connected at the same time as the worktops going in.

9. Walls are tiled once the worktop has been fitted

10. Unit finishes are added, including cupboard doors, drawer fronts, plinths and cornices

11. Appliances are installed, which may require a qualified specialist if you have any gas appliances in your new kitchen

12. The kitchen fitter will issue you with a certificate to confirm that any electrical, plumbing and gas work meets current industry standards

13. The clean up is done to get everything clean and clear of rubbish

14. Your final inspection is the last step in the installation process, and you should check all units, drawers and appliances to make sure that you’re happy with the end result

Whenever hiring a professional kitchen fitter, it’s always a good idea to discuss the kitchen installation process and how they work when fitting a kitchen. That way both parties are clear on what the plan is before starting.

The key to success when planning the fitting for your new kitchen is preparation. That means thinking about the various elements of your kitchen and considering how they all fit together. These elements include:

• Layout

• Utilities

• Quality of materials

• Flooring

• Decoration

• Ventilation

1. Kitchen layout

The layout of the kitchen is one of the single most influential factors that will affect your kitchen installation. The simplest option is to keep the layout the same as your existing kitchen, if that works for you. However, if you want (or need) to change things up and move appliances and features around, make sure you discuss the details with your kitchen fitter so that they can factor this into their cost and time estimates.

2. Utilities

As part of the layout of the kitchen, you also need to think about the utilities and where the pipes, cables and outlets are in your kitchen. Plumbing, electrics and gas all need to be considered as part of planning your kitchen fitting.

3. Quality of materials

Whenever you’re choosing a new kitchen, you’ll find you’ll be confronted with a whole range of options for the kitchen units, light fittings, taps, sinks and other accessories. It’s always a good move to buy the best quality you can afford – so think about your budget before you start planning. That way you can choose units, appliances, fixtures and fittings to suit your budget.

4. Kitchen flooring

If you’re fitting a kitchen, it’s a great time to consider the flooring and change it if you need to. Nowadays there are thousands of options of kitchen flooring available, from vinyl sheets or laminate planks, to real wood, ceramic tiles and many more.

Looking for inspiration? Check out our kitchen floor ideas.

5. Decoration

Don’t forget to plan the details of how you’re going to decorate your newly fitted kitchen, including paintwork, tiling, grouting, and splashbacks. The best kitchens require the least amount of maintenance so make smart choices like mould resistant grout, or paint and decorated surfaces that are easy to wipe down. Your future self will thank you for those decisions.

6. Ventilation

It’s wonderful to cook up a storm in the kitchen, but you don’t want the smells and excessive heat to linger. That’s why you need to think about the ventilation in your kitchen. Plan to have a suitable size extractor fan, trickle vents and windows that you can open easily.

Ready to find a local kitchen fitter?

Start getting quotes from the best kitchen fitters in Northamptonshire with our super useful request a quote feature. All you need to do is post the details of your kitchen fitting job and we’ll contact local kitchen fitters for you and ask them to get in touch with you directly.