5 Questions you Need to Ask Your Kitchen Fitter

House 2 min read

28 Aug 2020

House2Home: The Complete Guide to Renovating or Redecorating

This blog is part of our  House2Home series, where we're sharing expert advice, resources and style ideas on renovating or redecorating your home. For more great kitchen design inspiration, check out the House2Home kitchen content on our landing page.


Once you’ve got the bones of your kitchen laid out, either by yourself or by a designer, then it’s time to turn your attention to the installation. You may have been offered a kitchen fit as part of a package with a kitchen company, you may have decided to enlist the help of an independent tradesman. 

Hiring tradesmen for any job is a big consideration – there’s a lot at stake, and you need to be sure they can deliver everything you need. Communication being key at every stage: you’re going to want to ensure that whoever is doing the job, they’re going to do it right, on time and in budget. 

To help, we've listed below five key questions that you should ask a kitchen fitter before starting any project. 
 

1. Can You Fit Everything in my Kitchen?

A kitchen is a complicated area. You have fittings, like the wood joinery and then also electrical and plumbing – (fitting gas/oven) new sink-  so one fitter may be able to do all of these things, but if they can’t, it’s best checking if you need to hire an additional workman, or if they will recommend someone for you.

Be careful that more money does not accrue in this instance; and ring around to get a few quotes yourself.
 

2. How Much will the Kitchen Fit-Out Cost?

Obviously this is the key question, and you will need to ensure they can do everything on your list for the price they have quoted you.

It’s important to have quotes from at least three tradesmen, and do some research beforehand on average prices. Prices vary, obviously depending on kitchen size/materials – we found that a large kitchen fit-out could cost between €1,500-€2,000. 

3. How will Payments Work?

Most fitters won’t ask for payment upfront - maybe just a deposit. It’s important to work out a contract from the out-set which outlines payment schedules and amounts.

Some kitchen fitters will charge a flat fee for the work, while others will charge a daily rate. Always check how long the job will take with the flat fee. A flat rate could be slightly higher sometimes; but they might have to work longer than anticipated due to an issue that arises.  
 

4. How Long will the Kitchen Installation Take?

Another obvious question, and very heavily dependent on what needs to be done – but a fitter should always know how long it should take; while also going through each step with you, and an outline of a timeline.

Even if things crop up that are unaccounted for that could mean the project will take longer, your fitter should keep you up update on changes and be confident with new turnaround times. 
 

5. Can you Send me your Qualifications?

Another obvious one is to ask the kitchen fitter to send on qualifications. Don’t be scared to ask for these and their safety certs; especially if the fitter says they can do more complex work like plumbing and fitting your cooker – especially dealing with gas.

Check they have at least entry level requirements for electric, plumbing and gas.

Planning a home renovation? Keep up to date with all the latest articles from Roisin Murphy on our landing page and keep an eye out for #House2Home across out Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more great advice on planning, budgeting, as well as design and style ideas and inspiring stories – so you can turn that house into the perfect home.

 If you need any help with budgeting or financial support with your project, (big or small) don’t hesitate to contact your local credit union - we’re here to help. 

The content of this blog is aimed to provide general advice and information to the public only. Readers should seek professional advice when it comes to renovations.