A Simple Guide to Kitchen Extensions

Our kitchen designers in the Wirral and Cheshire areas have decades of experience in helping clients with their kitchen extensions. If you dream of a large luxury kitchen but haven’t got the space, an extension might be your best bet. But with such a big project on the cards, how do you get started? Here are some of the many tips that our kitchen fitters in Wirral and Cheshire have learned over the years, many of which we often give to our clients when they visit us in our bespoke kitchen showrooms. This guide is by no means exhaustive, but there should be plenty of advice here that helps you plan your perfect kitchen extension.

Start planning

Firstly, you will need to book an appointment with an architect who can produce initial drawings of the planned extension. They will consult with you on how you want your building to look and where you’d like your space to be extended. This process, along with finalising a drawing, should take two months – that is if you have neighbours who will co-operate with your plans. Depending on the type of extension you are having and the kind of building you are extending, you may not need an architect and may be able to work with a surveyor instead. Do your research carefully to ensure that you find a reputable architect. Once you have planning permission, you can get in touch with our helpful kitchen design team in Wirral or Cheshire to help you plan the actual space of the kitchen. After this, you’ll need to hire some reputable builders. Remember that the cheapest builders will not always mean that they are the best! Having a good relationship and strong communication with your builders is essential to ensure that your project runs smoothly.

During your kitchen extension project you may find it useful to move in to rented accommodation or move in with family or friends while the work is being carried out. If you are going to remain living in your home, think about setting up a makeshift kitchen in another room that you can use to prepare simple meals and keep your fridge and freezer in while your other kitchen is being created.

Consider the design

When you design your dream kitchen extension with us at Mayfair Kitchens, our designers in Wirral and Cheshire will ask you about your family lifestyle to ensure that your kitchen delivers on what you need. Our kitchen designers will advise on things like positioning of plug sockets and units, where to place the boiler unit, pipes, underfloor heating, as well as where to position windows and doors. You’ll be presented with various ways in which your kitchen space would look – usually this is narrowed down quickly once you start to tell the designer what you’d like from your kitchen. The most common elements frequently used in new kitchen designs are an island or peninsula, sliding doors into the garden or another room, skylights, a breakfast bar, a larder and underfloor heating. Our designers can also advise on colour schemes and materials that will work well for your project, as well as lighting that will add character.

The installation process

A kitchen extension is a large project which can sometimes come with unexpected problems and delays. Planning can avoid most of these problems, but sometimes builders and designers can run into issues that are unavoidable. Always consider how long the installation process will take, including the amount of time it will take to make the cabinetry and worktops (up to two weeks), install plumbing and underfloor heating/radiators, and well as electrics. Ideally, you will have already had the space painted so that you do not risk getting paint on your brand new kitchen. Typically, most units, windows and doors will be made specifically to order, which should be kept in mind when you are booking a date for kitchen installation. Another thing to keep in mind is flooring and how long concrete can take to dry, and how long wooden floors can take to acclimatise, which can take up to a fortnight. Changing your mind on the design can also cause delays, so try to be as sure as possible that you are happy with your design before committing to it to avoid waiting longer than you have to. As a final point, a kitchen extension is obviously quite a messy project, so be prepared for some dust and dirt along the way, but if you carefully plan your project and have clear communication with your designers, architect and builders, things will go much more smoothly and be worth it in the long run.

Get in touch now to start planning your kitchen extension with Mayfair Kitchen Studio.