Some people think that the key to a beautiful new kitchen is design, but this isn’t strictly true. While careful and clever design is important, the fitting of a kitchen can be just as crucial. If you get it right, the finish will be exceptional. Get it wrong and your hard work designing the kitchen will go to waste.

To help you get it right, here are the 6 biggest kitchen fitting mistakes to avoid:

1. Gaps! If you haven’t measured properly, haven’t accounted for uneven angles, or have forgotten about filler panels and strips, you’ll end up with unsightly gaps in your kitchen. This looks amateurish and can ruin the look of your kitchen, so it must be avoided at all costs.

2. Not measuring properly. Accuracy is everything when planning a kitchen, so measure and measure again to get the correct figures down to the last millimetre (tip – always measure in millimetres for greater accuracy).

3. Not allowing enough space for drawers, cupboards and movement. This is more of a design than an installation problem, but it can be spotted at the fitting stage. Many people plan kitchens with doors and cupboards shut, but you need to allow enough clearance for everything to open without obstruction.

4. Not preparing walls and floors properly. When renovating a kitchen, it isn’t as simple as taking out old units and putting new ones in. Instead, it’s the ideal opportunity to carry out necessary repair work to walls, ceilings and floors before the new kitchen goes in – it could make a difference to the finish.

5. Uneven worktops and units at different heights. When it comes to fitting a kitchen, a tape measure and a spirit level are your best friends. It can be painstaking work ensuring that everything is level and units are at the exact heights, but it ensures a professional finish and a smooth sweep of units and worktops across the whole room. If something isn’t level, you will definitely notice it – and it will drive you to distraction!

6. Doing jobs out of order. A kitchen renovation needs to be very carefully planned, with as much attention paid to the different stages in the fitting as to the design itself. You can't simply rush in and do everything at once – the jobs need to be done in a very particular order. Jump too far ahead (i.e. fitting units before the electrics are done) and you could end up with a serious problem. Professional kitchen fitters know this and are able to plan out a schedule of works, so it might be a good idea to get some expert advice if you're not sure what comes first.

To avoid kitchen fitting mistakes, of which there are many more than those listed here, it might be a good idea to consult a professional. A&J Kitchens have vast experience in kitchen fitting, and often have to swoop in to rescue poorly fitted kitchens. If you want a professional finish, it makes sense to use a professional fitter like A&J Kitchens.

An essential guide to worktops – from choosing the right one to installing it properly

Worktops not only work the hardest in most kitchens, but they also play a huge part in the look of a newly designed kitchen. However, they aren’t cheap, so you’ll need to make the right choices when it comes to choosing, fitting and looking after your worktops. 

Choosing the right worktop for you

Price will always be a consideration when choosing a new worktop, but you also need to think about durability, longevity and value for money. It could be worth paying a little more for a better quality product, one that will last for many years without needing to be replaced. 

Your main choices will be laminate and wood-effect, solid wood, granite and stainless steel, but you may also come across glass and composite stone. Granite tends to be the most durable, resisting everything from scratches to heat stains, while stainless steel is the easiest to keep clean. Solid wood also has anti-bacterial qualities, whilst wood-effect worktops will need oiling regularly.

Give the practicality of the worktop you choose equal priority with the way that it looks, think about how you use your kitchen and how much maintenance you can spare the time for.

Worktop fitting

If you have a medium level of DIY experience and ability, you may be able to fit your kitchen units yourself – although it can be really time-consuming. However, when it comes to worktops, it is almost always recommended to get a professional kitchen fitter in to do the job.

It sounds like it’s going to be easy, but there are lots of things that can go wrong. The worktop needs to be measured and cut perfectly to fit your kitchen design, and corners require a skilled approach to get a professional finish. It can be fiddly and time-consuming, plus the fact that worktops can be very heavy. If in doubt, call for a professional – it just isn’t worth spending the money on gorgeous worktops if the installation and finish is poor.

Maintenance

Once properly installed by a professional, most worktops should be ready to use. All you’ll really need to do is to keep them clean, making sure to mop up spills and stains straight away to prevent damage. However, with some worktops such as wood, you’ll need to seal them with a specialist oil to protect the surface. It’s always a good idea to look into how much maintenance a worktop needs before you buy it, and make sure you follow all instructions once the worktop is installed.

If you’re daunted by the idea of installing a worktop, or you simply need a reliable, skilled professional to replace your kitchen worktops, A&J Kitchens can help. We’re experienced in all areas of kitchen fitting, with worktops a particular speciality. Don’t ruin beautiful worktops and a great kitchen design with shoddy fitting – call in the professionals first.