How to Choose a Kitchen Fitter in Sussex: Survey, Sequencing and the Millimetres That Matter

If you are choosing a kitchen fitter in Sussex, prioritise the accuracy of the survey and the coordination of plumbing, electrics, worktops and appliances before you compare the cabinet-fitting price.

Kitchens are unforgiving.

A wall 20 mm out, a socket in the wrong place or an appliance specification changed after ordering can ripple through the whole installation.

Start with a measured plan

Before installation, somebody needs ownership of the dimensions.

Confirm:

• wall lengths;
• ceiling height;
• door positions;
• window positions;
• sill height;
• pipe locations;
• boiler position;
• soil/waste routes;
• consumer unit constraints;
• floor level;
• alcoves/chimney breasts;
• appliance dimensions.

If the kitchen supplier produced the design, ask what dimensions it relied on.

If you measured it yourself, consider having the fitter verify critical dimensions before units are ordered.

Decide who owns the design risk

If a cabinet does not fit because the room was measured wrongly, whose problem is it?

That sounds confrontational, but it is worth clarifying before ordering.

Possible models:

• fitter surveys and supplies;
• retailer surveys/supplies, fitter installs;
• homeowner supplies from their own measurements;
• independent designer specifies, fitter installs.

The more separated the responsibilities, the more carefully interfaces need to be recorded.

Strip-out reveals the real room

Old kitchens hide:

• damaged plaster;
• poor floors;
• leaking valves;
• improvised electrics;
• redundant pipes;
• damp;
• uneven walls.

Ask what normal making good is included and what becomes additional work.

A fitter cannot price unseen structural floor repair with certainty.

They can explain how discoveries will be handled.

Get services in the right place before cabinets close them in

Kitchen fitting and first-fix services must coordinate.

Confirm positions for:

• sink waste;
• dishwasher;
• washing machine;
• fridge supply;
• oven;
• hob;
• extractor;
• sockets;
• lighting;
• boiler controls;
• island services.

A beautiful drawing is not enough if services cannot physically reach the positions shown.

For larger alterations, involve the plumber/electrician before finalising the plan.

Electrical work deserves its own scope

Kitchen projects frequently include:

• additional sockets;
• appliance circuits;
• oven/hob supplies;
• lighting;
• extractor;
• under-cabinet lighting;
• consumer-unit work.

Ask who is carrying it out and what testing/certification will be provided.

Use an appropriately competent electrician.

If the fit requires regulated electrical work, do not let it become an undocumented “small extra” hidden inside the kitchen invoice.

Gas work is separate too

If a gas hob, cooker or boiler is moved, regulated gas work requires an appropriately Gas Safe registered engineer.

Verify that separately.

A kitchen fitter who is excellent at cabinetry is not automatically a gas engineer.

Cabinets need to be level before worktops

The base units set the foundation for:

• worktop level;
• door alignment;
• appliance fit;
• splashback line.

Ask how the fitter deals with an uneven floor.

Adjustable legs and scribing are normal tools of the job, but significant floor problems may need attention first.

Do not rush worktop templating until the cabinets are properly fixed and level.

Worktops can have their own contractor

Stone and solid-surface worktops are often templated and installed by a specialist supplier.

Clarify:

• who books template;
• when template happens;
• sink/hob details needed;
• lead time;
• temporary worktop if any;
• who reconnects sink/hob after installation;
• what happens if the walls are not ready.

This gap can be one of the biggest programme interruptions in a kitchen refit.

Appliance specifications must be final

Integrated appliances are not all identical.

Check:

• niche dimensions;
• door fixing method;
• ventilation;
• electrical requirements;
• plumbing;
• hinge positions;
• clearance.

Changing an appliance model late can require cabinet modification.

Give the fitter the exact product list before final fit.

Finishing trades should be sequenced

Agree who handles:

• plastering;
• painting;
• splashback tiling;
• flooring;
• silicone;
• boxing-in;
• final decoration.

Flooring sequence varies by kitchen and product.

Do not assume the fitter and flooring contractor have made the same assumption.

Landlords: choose for replacement and maintenance

For rental kitchens, think beyond the installation photo.

Useful priorities can include:

• replaceable standard units;
• durable worktops;
• accessible valves;
• common hinges/handles;
• sensible appliance sizes;
• surfaces that can be repaired;
• spare plinth/end-panel material.

Highly bespoke components can make future tenant damage harder to repair.

What to inspect at handover

Open every door and drawer.

Check:

• alignment;
• soft-close operation;
• cabinet fixing;
• plinths;
• end panels;
• worktop joints;
• sealant;
• sink leaks;
• appliance operation;
• extractor;
• sockets/lighting;
• waste connections.

Look for service access.

Collect electrical/gas paperwork where relevant and appliance documents.

Service voids and appliance ventilation are not wasted space

Some kitchen designs try to use every millimetre for storage.

But services and appliances need practical space.

Ask how the design accommodates:

• pipework;
• wastes;
• appliance plugs;
• ventilation gaps;
• boiler clearances;
• ducts;
• access to isolation valves.

Do not box important service points somewhere that requires destroying a cabinet to reach them.

Plan the period between old kitchen and finished kitchen

A kitchen refit can leave the household without normal cooking or washing facilities.

Ask the fitter for the expected sequence:

1. strip-out;
2. first-fix services;
3. wall/floor preparation;
4. cabinet installation;
5. worktop template where required;
6. worktop installation;
7. final plumbing/electrics;
8. tiling/decorating;
9. appliances and handover.

If there is a gap for templated worktops, plan a temporary sink or basic food setup if needed.

For landlords, this also helps decide whether the property can realistically remain occupied during the works.

Using TradeKind

You can browse kitchen fitters across Sussex or post your kitchen installation.

A useful post might say:

“Kitchen already designed and ordered for Shoreham-by-Sea. 12 units plus island. Need strip-out, cabinet installation, plumbing changes and coordination with electrician/worktop templater. Delivery due mid-November.”

That lets fitters judge the real scope and timetable.

Final comparison

Before choosing, establish:

• who surveyed;
• who owns design errors;
• strip-out/making-good scope;
• service changes;
• electrician;
• Gas Safe work if relevant;
• worktop responsibility;
• appliance list;
• finishing trades;
• waste;
• programme.

Kitchen fitting is precision work surrounded by other trades.

The fitter who controls those interfaces well can be more valuable than the person who simply gives the lowest cabinet-installation number.