Kitchen Project :: Finished! (well nearly)

Hi All,
We are just in the process of buying our first house and plan on changing it about a bit to make it our home!
I've got lots of inspiration and tips from here and plan on posting a work in progress of each project.

Our first project will be the kitchen which will combine the current kitchen and dining room.
I've uploaded a plan of the kitchen (photos to follow) and would really like your input on ideas.

We saw an identical house round the corner with the whole room open plan and it was huge! however with the capped gas in the "to be removed" wall i'm toying with the idea of a single unit depth island with the hob in, although this would lose the openess.

What do you guys think?

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that may very well be a load bearing wall as it runs from front to back of the house.. so be sure to check first before removing it..

HI ColJack

Yes I intend to find out just to be on the safe side but its made of that horrible courigated paper stuff they used to use and is about 9cm thick

The only solid wall is the one with the arch.

Hi MDJ1 I have been a kitchen designer for years and the first thing that I would say is if you want to remove the wall do it. There is nothing worse than looking back after spending thousands and thinking "I wish"
Personally I would open the room up. I did the same in my house and never looked back. When you do decide on what you are going to do have the kitchen proffesionally designed. Don't be scared to ask for what you want but listen to the designer because the may have a few pearls of wisdom for you.

Well things are moving on now so I thought I would start some updates as things progress.

I got a quote from a local builder to remove the back door, brick and block up, supply and install 1 window, remove the internal wall and make good. He wanted £2500! I laughed at him.

Before we started the kitchen project we decided to have the back boiler in the living room removed and changed for a Combi in the loft. As well as new radiator in the living room (there wasn't one) and also pipes moved from right inside the front door (they we're the first thing you saw!) to the corner of the living room so I can box them in and then these run through the wall into the now replaced hallway radiator, no more horrid pipes!

Oo and my very first project. I successfully installed a really nice YoungMan loft ladder which is a great bit of kit and worth every penny of the £99 I paid for it.


So that set me back a few weeks, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

SO on with the kitchen.

I got a brickie, recommended by my plumber (whos a friend) to do the brick / blockwork, cost for labour and materials £250. Good Result?

I decided to replace both the windows in the kitchen and also the downstairs toilet window (which was the original wood from 40 years ago) cost for windows £360 + window fitter £135.

nearly £2000 saved on the builders quote and i've got three windows instead of 1. I know i've still got to take the wall out but really, it's not going to cost that much!

The kitchens been ordered and I've already got the timber and plasterboard for the new stud work to fill in the archway between the dining room and the living room.

So A few photos.

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The windows are now installed and look great, I will add some photos of them in the next update.

Next on my to do list is to get the stud wall installed in this gap and board one side of it.

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This will minimise any dust thats created from removing the wall and ceiling.

Looking good!

So how much did you spend on the kitchen itself?

Kitchen is solid oak and was £2800 not including appliances, We have opted for Quartz worktops and these will be an additional £2200 approx.

Ive now put the stud wall in and taken the cupboard out, I will upload some photos later.

Had a couple of days off from the kitchen before getting back into it. Had some sad new this week. One of my much loved cats passed away on Sunday night which was a shock and not what you want when you move into a new home.

Hoping to get some more done tomorrow before the kick off!

Anyway, some more pics of progress.

Windows Fitted.

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Stud wall up, cupboard and dividing wall removed! I've also removed the rendering from the wall around the stud work as it was very uneven. This pic was taken Sunday evening and you can see molly in the picture.
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From another angle, ceiling gone aswell now
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Just a progress update on the new kitchen.

The walls a ceiling have now been plastered (just some skimming to do over the cabled areas)

The floor insulation is down as well as the underfloor heating and the tilling is being done tomorrow.

Kitchen arrived today so im hoping to get it fitted at the weekend.

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that electric UFH?

yes, why?

just wondered since you didn't mention digging the floor out for new screed and insulation you'd need for water UFH..

It also looks like most of your wiring is well outside of the safe zones...

Well, I thought it about time I did a little update.

So the kitchen is nearly finished and we also manages to get the living room done before Christmas aswell which mean't it was out turn to put on Christmas dinner!

No photo's of the living room yet, it needs some homely touches. Cant't find a TV stand and a couple of lamp stands that we like.

Anyhow, here's some pics of the kitched. You can remind yourself what it looked like at the top of this thread.

Coments welcome (as long as there nice lol)

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Just a few bits left to do. Cooker hood / Splashback, door surround, skirting and pelmet.

Did you get the non-compliant electrics fixed?