Kitchen - Got myself a bit confused!! Help please.

[STENDEC]

Hi

Some advice please.

I have just finished pulling out all my old kitchen units and pulling a ropey old ceiling down and taking about 60% of the plaster off the walls in the room, which was in bad condition. (its quite a big old room too)

Now, I know I need to get the kitchen fully replumbed and re-wired (It's in a shocking state at the moment, almost literally!). I will obviously need a new ceiling and plastering of the walls done etc. Then I can get someone in to fit the new kitchen.

My question is this...

Can anyone tell me what order I should do this in? I was thinking of getting the sparky in first and then the plumber. Lastly the plasterer before finally getting the new kitchen fitted in. Is this the right order???

Also... Will I need to knock off ALL the plaster on the walls? The remaining is stuck fast to the wall and is obviously newer plaster than the rest (I suspect some sort of decent previous replastering effort on parts of two walls). I know this will be a living nightmare to remove. I have chased it back to nice straight lines down the walls, so its not all higgledy piggledy patchy plaster remaining. We are talking half a walls worth here and a third of a walls worth there - that sort of thing.

I am hoping that a good plasterer can skim over the entire wall to the same depth without me needing to take ALL the paster off the walls first. Is that possible? I don't really want the hassle of putting up plasterboard on the walls first and I just hope that new plaster can be put directly on the brickwork and skimmed over the remaining sound plaster.

Please help. I am confused and am not afraid to admit to being a bit stuck at the moment!

 

[nstreet]

Normally you would have first and second fixes of both the plumbing and electrics and the plasterer would come in between. The first fix is the running of wires, pipes etc that will be concealed by the plaster. The plaster would then come in and plaster over, then the trades would come back and do all of the fittings.

If the remaining paster on the walls is sound, I dont see much point in removing it, a good platerer should be able to patch the rest of the wall and give a neat finish to the old plaster.

 

[k2kris]

This is an age old problem! The seperate trades may well need to visit twice to undertake first & second fix. i.e the wires & pipes installed then the sockets, cooker & taps are installed after. Plasterer will come in in-between first & second fix

But I persoanlly would get the electrician in first as there is probably a large amount of cutting out required in walls & ceilings & also gives you the flexibility to add & remove sockets etc change around the layout etc the plumber in second as replacement pipes will normally stay roughly in the same position as drains & main supplies coming through floors will be difficult to move. Plasterer in last to replace what you have taken out. The sparks will probably need to come back to put the cooker in as well. Remember there is a new part to the Building Regs (Part P) which, in theory you are required to fulfill, so when getting quotes ask the electrician if they are Part P compliant. Contact you local Building Control department & they should be able to give you further details.

With regard to plastering if you get a good plasterer they will be able to advise you on what needs to be replace & what can be kept. Remember in kitchens there is large amounts that will be hidden by both wall tiling & by wall cupboards, so cost depending poorer plaster can be 'hidden' obviously you want a quality finish so all depends on the pennies the way you tackle this but savings can be made. I think your thoughts are correct, a good plasterer will be able to render to the existing thickness then a good quality finishing skim to go over the entire walls will stop any lines being seen. A cheaper option maybe well be to build up the layers first with say a 9mm board but the time over money divided by hassle equation comes into play!

 

[rhonddaspark]

1. Design kitchen
2. 1st fix electrics and plumbing to locations required
3. Plaster walls
4. Floor covering (if wall to wall. ie : under base units)
5. Fit kitchen
6. 2nd fix electrics and plumbing
7. Tiling and finishes

Hope this helps and good luck.

Andy

 

[STENDEC]

Thanks for that. I was tearing my hair out!!

Just to confirm:- As I understand it, the way to go is:-

I'll get the sparky and plumber in first. They can do the main work (Laying the new cables and pipes to the areas where my new kitchen will need them). Then I'll get the plasterer in to plasterboard the ceiling and work his magic - sounds like he will be able to plaster over the remaining plaster from what you say. Then when my new units are here and fitted in the plumber and sparky can come back to connect the sink / plugs / sockets etc for the new kitchen appliances.

Hope thats right? Thanks again for the tip!!

 

[STENDEC]

I should have added that the work is slightly complicated by the fact that I am changing the entire layout of the kitchen and fitting a new rear door where one of the windows was. Although I have worked out a solution.
I would also like to move the mains stop cock to a different wall...but I'll save that question for the plumbing forum...sounds like it'll be expensive!!?

Its like a big blank canvas..almost.

Thanks again for the help. I'll get the tradesmen round!!