Choosing the kitchen is the fun part – doors, worktops, colours, and appliances. Installation is where all of those decisions come to life, with real walls, pipes, and deadlines to fit around. It is also where quotes differ the most, because “installation” can mean very different things from one company to the next.
A full kitchen installation should cover delivery scheduling, fitting the cabinets, worktops, and appliances, finishing details, and someone managing the whole job. What varies is the trade work around it, from plumbing, electrics, and gas to any building work required, which should always be set out in writing before you agree to anything.
In this guide
What a Full Kitchen Installation Includes
A properly managed installation takes the approved design and turns it into a finished, working kitchen, without leaving you to coordinate every stage yourself. The cabinets have to be level and square even when the room is not, door gaps need to stay even along every run, and end panels have to finish cleanly against walls and ceilings.
Worktops then sit on top of that structure, and accurate joins, cut-outs and edges make a big difference to how the finished kitchen looks. On a handleless kitchen, alignment matters even more, because the design relies on straight lines rather than handles to break up each run. It is one reason why handleless German kitchens need an experienced fitter.
The part people most often get caught out by is the trade work around the kitchen. Moving a sink, adding sockets, or changing the position of the hob can all require plumbing, electrical, or gas work. Gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and new electrical circuits should be installed and certified by a qualified electrician. Ask exactly which of these are included in your quote and which you need to arrange separately.
What is usually included
- Scheduling deliveries and managing the fitting team
- Fitting base units, wall units, tall housings and panels
- Fitting worktops, including joins and cut-outs
- Installing the agreed appliances, sink and taps
- Final checks and finishing touches before handover
What to confirm in writing
- Removal and disposal of your old kitchen
- Plumbing, electrical and gas work, and who carries it out
- Any building, plastering or tiling work
- Whether flooring goes down before or after the cabinets
- The expected schedule for your project
From Home Measure to Final Fit
Good installation starts long before the first cabinet arrives. Accurate measurements decide cabinet runs, appliance clearances and worktop sizes, and they matter even more in older Essex homes, where walls and floors are rarely perfectly straight.
At Kitchens by Guy, every project starts with a free home design and measure. We survey each project two to three times before delivery, prepare a detailed 3D design, and invite you to the showroom to go through every detail before anything is ordered. That way, the fitters arrive with a fixed plan rather than having to solve design problems on site.
For fully installed projects, your kitchen is fitted by our own dedicated fitting team, overseen by an installation manager, with a project coordinator coordinating the electrician, plumber, and any structural work around the kitchen fit. Most installations take one to three weeks, depending on the kitchen’s size and complexity, and you get a schedule for your project rather than a one-size-fits-all estimate.
Before fitting starts
- Free home measure and design consultation
- Detailed 3D design and itemised quote
- Survey checks before delivery
- Appliances chosen and built into the design
- Delivery and fitting dates agreed
During the fit
- Services prepared by the relevant trades
- Cabinets and panels fitted and levelled
- Worktops fitted, with joins and cut-outs finished
- Appliances, sink and taps installed
- Final checks and snagging before handover
How to Decide
When you compare kitchen fitters in Essex, look past the headline price, because two quotes can look similar and cover very different amounts of work. Ask who will actually fit the kitchen, whether they will work from the final approved design and measurements, what exactly is included, how plumbing, electrical, gas and building work are handled, and who you call if something needs adjusting during the fit.
If you already have a builder or fitter you trust, buying the kitchen supply only can make sense. Our Supply Only vs Supply & Installation guide explains when each option works best.
Kitchens by Guy designs, supplies and installs kitchens from our Ongar showroom across Essex and North East London, including Ongar, Chelmsford, Epping, Brentwood, Chigwell, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Woodford, Wanstead and Walthamstow. If you would like to see ranges and appliances first, here is what to look for in a kitchen showroom.
Book your free home design visit
We will measure your room, talk through your layout and installation options, and give you a clear, itemised quote.
FAQs
What does a full kitchen installation include?
Usually delivery scheduling, fitting the cabinets, panels and worktops, installing the agreed appliances, sink and taps, finishing work and managing the job through to handover. Plumbing, electrical, gas and building work vary by project, so check your quote.
Who installs Kitchens by Guy kitchens?
Our own dedicated fitting team, overseen by an installation manager. We do not hand your kitchen over to subcontractors.
How long does a kitchen installation take?
Most installations take one to three weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the kitchen. You get a schedule for your own project before work starts.
Are appliances fitted as part of the installation?
They can be. We supply and fit appliances from brands including AEG, Miele, Franke and Quooker when they are part of the agreed project and planned into the design from the start.
Is plumbing and electrical work included?
It depends on the project. Our project coordinator lines up the electrician, plumber and any structural work around the kitchen fit, and your quote sets out exactly what is included. Any gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe-registered engineer.
How do I arrange a home survey for my kitchen renovation?
Call 01277 281 414, email info@kitchensbyguy.co.uk or book online. We visit, measure the room and talk through how you want the kitchen to work. The home design and measure is free.
Can I book a kitchen planning appointment at the showroom?
Yes. You can book a free design consultation at our Ongar showroom, which is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm. You can also drop in to browse without an appointment.
Can I buy a kitchen without installation?
Yes. If you already have a builder or fitter, we can supply the kitchen only. You still get the free design service and made-to-order cabinetry, worktops and appliances.
Why does accurate measuring matter so much for installation?
Cabinet runs, appliance gaps and worktop sizes all depend on it, and older homes rarely have perfectly square walls. That is why we survey every project two to three times before delivery.
Which areas do you install kitchens in?
We install kitchens across Essex and North East London, including Ongar, Chelmsford, Brentwood, Epping, Chigwell, Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, Woodford, Wanstead and Walthamstow.
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