Installing a new kitchen typically follows this order: strip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, plastering and drying time, flooring (if replaced), unit fitting, worktop templating and fitting, splashbacks, second-fix plumbing and electrics, then appliances and final snagging. Before work starts, confirm the layout, chosen appliances, worktop material and flooring plan, since these decisions affect both the sequence and the timeline. If the project also involves moving a wall or extending the kitchen, that structural work needs its own planning and building regulations check alongside the kitchen fit-out. A written quote covering the agreed scope, and any changes, is the best way to keep the project on track from strip-out to final fit.
Installing a new kitchen touches almost every trade in a house: carpentry, plumbing, electrics, plastering and decorating. Getting the order and the decisions right before work starts is what keeps a kitchen project on track. This guide walks through the practical stages of installing a new kitchen, what needs deciding early, and where to get a written quote for the work.
What "installing a new kitchen" actually involves
A kitchen installation is rarely just fitting units. Depending on the brief, it can include:
- Removing the old kitchen (units, worktops, flooring where needed)
- First-fix plumbing and electrics, including any changes to where the sink, hob, oven or appliances sit
- Making good walls, floors and ceilings before decoration
- Fitting base and wall units, worktops and splashbacks
- Second-fix plumbing and electrics (connecting taps, waste, sockets, lighting)
- Fitting appliances and final decoration
If the brief also includes moving a wall, enlarging an opening, or extending the kitchen into another room, that is structural work layered on top of the installation itself, and it should be scoped and agreed separately in the written quote.
Typical order of work
Most kitchen installations follow a broad sequence: strip-out, first-fix plumbing and electrics, plastering and drying time, floor finish (if being replaced), unit fitting, worktop templating and fitting, splashbacks, second-fix plumbing and electrics, then appliances and final snagging. The exact order can shift depending on the kitchen design, for example whether worktops are a material that needs templating after units are fixed in place, or whether flooring goes down before or after units.
For a general sense of how long each stage tends to take, see how long a new kitchen takes to fit.
Decisions to make before work starts
Having these agreed before the first fix starts reduces changes mid-project:
- Layout: is the sink, hob or oven staying in the same position, or moving? Moving any of these affects plumbing and electrical first-fix work.
- Appliances: confirmed makes and models, so cut-outs, housings and electrical/plumbing connections are sized correctly.
- Worktop material: some materials (stone, some composites) need templating after base units are fitted, which affects the overall timeline.
- Flooring: whether the existing floor stays, is patched around new units, or is replaced across the whole room.
- Access and storage: where units, appliances and materials will be stored on site, and how the rest of the kitchen (or a temporary kitchen area) will work while the room is out of use.
Who coordinates the trades
A kitchen installation usually needs a carpenter/fitter, a plumber, an electrician, a plasterer and a decorator, often in that rough order with some overlap. Carter LS personally manages kitchen installation projects, coordinating these specialist subcontractors through a single point of contact, with any agreed changes to the brief reflected in an itemised written quote.
Structural changes and planning considerations
If installing the new kitchen also means removing a wall, changing an opening, or extending the footprint of the room, that work sits alongside the kitchen fit-out and has its own planning and building regulations considerations. If your project includes this kind of structural change, it is worth reading planning permission versus building regulations for renovations before finalising the brief, and factoring any structural work into the overall scope with your builder.
Getting a written quote
Because the order of trades, the materials chosen and any structural changes all affect cost and timeline, a kitchen installation is best scoped against a clear brief. Carter LS covers kitchen installations as one of its core services, detailed on the kitchen installation service page, with an itemised written quote covering the agreed scope and any changes. If your project also involves wider work, such as opening up the kitchen into a dining space, the house renovations service page covers how that kind of combined project is scoped.
To get a written quote for your kitchen project, book a free quoting survey and talk through your brief, layout and any structural changes before work is costed.
Questions
Related questions
What is the typical order of work when installing a new kitchen?
Most kitchen installations run roughly in this order: strip-out of the old kitchen, first-fix plumbing and electrics, plastering and drying time, flooring if it is being replaced, fitting base and wall units, worktop templating and fitting, splashbacks, second-fix plumbing and electrics, then appliances and final snagging. The exact order can shift slightly depending on the worktop material and whether layout changes are involved.
Do I need to move out during a kitchen installation?
Most kitchen installations do not require homeowners to move out, but the kitchen itself will be unusable for cooking and washing up for some of the project. Many households set up a temporary kettle, microwave and kitchen area elsewhere in the house for the duration.
Can I keep my existing kitchen layout to simplify the project?
Keeping the sink, hob and oven in their existing positions generally simplifies first-fix plumbing and electrical work, since pipework and cabling do not need rerouting. Moving any of these adds work to the first-fix stage and should be confirmed in the brief before the quote is finalised.
What should be decided before the first fix starts?
Before first fix starts, it helps to have confirmed the layout (including any changes to sink, hob or oven position), the exact appliances being fitted, the worktop material, and whether flooring is being replaced or patched around new units. Agreeing these early reduces mid-project changes.
Who manages the different trades during a kitchen installation?
A kitchen installation usually needs a fitter, plumber, electrician, plasterer and decorator, often working in overlapping stages. Carter LS personally manages kitchen installation projects, coordinating these specialist subcontractors through one point of contact, with any agreed changes reflected in an itemised written quote.