In which order? - refitting kitchen

[simulet]

Hi, Our current diy project is refitting the kitchen. We are not making any major alterations, as the use of space in the kitchen is at its optimum presently. The following jobs are to be done: A. Changing the kitchen cabinets B. Tiling the floor (currently a horrible pink lino) C. Removing and putting new tiles on the wall (as splashback) D. Removing Oven and fitting new one E. Removing Extractor fan and putting new one F. Changing Sink G. New Worktop H. Painting the walls.

This project will be our biggest diy job so far, and I don't really know where to start (I guess the most difficult part of any job is where to start). In what sequence would you suggest we start the project? Did I think of everything that has to be done?

Thanks a lot. Simulet

[Andy Hall]

Remove old kitchen furniture and appliances including sink and oven. Fix up temporary arrangement for these if you can. Remove old wall tiles and flooring and thoroughly clean.

First fit any electrics and plumbing to positions of use - i.e. wiring

• boxes and pipework.

Fit new cabinets but not doors.

Fit new extractor fan and oven

Fit worktop with hole cut for sink.

Fit sink.

Fit floor tiles, tiling under cabinets part way.

Fit wall tiles.

Final electrical fit of sockets etc.

Painting.

.andy

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[Kalico]

I agree with the above but have often tiled the floor first (if solid concrete) so that units without kick boards can be chosen if desired. Depends how much area the units will occupy but often not much in it and a neater job can be done of the tiling then just plonk the units on the tiles.

Rob

[Andy Hall]

That's true. However, if base units with kickboards are to be used then it is only necessary to tile up to just underneath the kickboards and of course all the way back to the wall where there are free standing appliances. If the flooring is relatively expensive, then this can be quite a cost saving.

.andy

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[Simon Avery]

Hello simulet

Floor tiles LAST, after everything, even painting. Otherwise you can guarantee something will break them, or you'll drop paint or grout on them.

As for the rest - it can be done pretty much in any order. I'd prolly do one side of the room at a time, that should give you enough left behind to live with if things don't go smoothly and you don't end up rushing or getting ill-tempered because you need to go down to B&Q to get a 3/8ths wangle-shaft and you're being shouted at because the sink's out...

Rushing DIY jobs just messes them up, ime.

[simulet]

Hi, I understand that kickboards are plinths (!?). Well the hubby wants to have tiling under the cabinets as well, and I want to have a plinth (more practical for cleaning).

Thanks for the order, it certainly makes it "easier" to start now.

Do you know how much it costs roughly to have a gas oven removed? I was looking in the Classified Ads but could not find a person/ company who could do such stuffs.

Simulet

[Michael Chare]

Clearly it depends on the design/ job in hand, and I am assuming ceramic tiles.

I removed my old quarry tiles after losening the old kitchen units and removing as much of them as we could live without.

Prising up one tile typically losened the tile next to it, so removing just part of the floor was no really an option.

Such tiles as I did leave behind (under the boiler and one of the walls were the door had been moved), I had to cut with an angle grinder, a job which filled the air with a fine dust that settled everywhere.

There was also the problem that the concrete base of the floor had sunk and was no longer hoizontal.

After laying the new tiles, I always kept my heavy tools at ground level, to reduce the chances of one of them falling on the floor and damaging a tile.

Generally I followed Andy's sequence. but I painted the ceiling and the walls much earlier on. No point in flicking paint over new kitchen units, though emulsion paint washes of easily enough.

One mistake I made was not to temporalily fit at least one of the cabinet doors to check that the units were true and square before securing the worktop.

I connected my old sink using old washing machine hoses and isolator valves. For part of the time it resided outside over the drain. The hoses passed though the wall via the drain hole.

Michael Chare

[RichardS]

I'd plan to do any fitting essential to normal domestic life on a Saturday. Since advent of Sunday Trading legislation 4:05PM on a Sunday is guaranteed to be the time that a vital drill bit breaks or you discover you don't have the correct sized spanner for a tap....

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[Lobster]

To be honest if I'm putting down a permanent-type floor like ceramic or slate tiles, I put them down first on the grounds that a full kitchen refurb is going to come round before the next renewal of the floor covering. Different matter if it was a cheap, thin, vinyl floor though. Much easier that way, although it may be prohibitively (and/or painfully) expensive to fit floor covering where you'll never see it! Our current kitchen features a SWMBO-designed peninsula, which I can't stand; but it stands on a wall-to-wall covering of ceramic floor tiles so I know that Next Time it won't to be much grief to design out the peninsula. Maybe.

David