Five Mistakes Amateurs Make When Installing A Kitchen

Five Mistakes Amateurs Make When Installing A Kitchen

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Its happened to many an amateur DIY enthusiast: flush with the success of throwing up a few rolls of wallpaper in the front room and giving the skirting boards a lick of paint, the Reg Prescotts of this world suddenly feel the need to prove their skills on slightly more daunting tasks. Those once forgotten conversations about getting a new fitted kitchen installed are suddenly remembered with barely disguised glee as the keen DIY enthusiast cannot wait to get their hands dirty working on their own kitchen installation.

Occasionally, though, things dont always go to plan. Listed below are some of the more unusual mistakes made by amateurs when they attempt their own kitchen installation.

1. Measure in haste, repent at leisure

Key to all professional installations are exact measurements. This is why a professional kitchen designer will measure up every aspect of the kitchen in painstaking detail before beginning the installation. The benefit of this soon becomes apparent when the amateur DIY enthusiast begins his/her own measurement scheme (one that is often as baffling as it is inaccurate).

Half a centimetre out on a single measurement does not sound like much, but in a fitted kitchen, where measurements are often down to the millimetre, that mistake is quickly compounded by other inaccurate measurements, meaning that dishwasher you thought would fit under the unit now no longer does.

2. Remember, kitchen sink units have curved corners

Sometimes, even accurate measurements are not enough to prevent disaster. You need to check the design of your new kitchen sink unit, especially the corners. Dont simply measure the unit at its widest length and width and use your router to cut out the same sized rectangle in your brand new work surface. Many sink units corners are rounded for safety, and if you cut out a perfect rectangle you will find that when you finally get the sink in place you have four lovely holes visible next to the units curved corners.

3. New flooring can impact current kitchen design

Sometimes, it does not have to be a complete kitchen refurbishment that causes problems; even changing the floor can have potentially disastrous consequences. A good example of this is when an amateur DIY enthusiast grows tired of the somewhat dull kitchen vinyl floor and decides to liven up the room by making an alteration.

Out come all the white goods, including the under counter dishwasher and washing machine, and the new laminate or tiled floor is installed. It is only when you come to push the dishwasher or washing machine back into their rightful place, do you realise that the extra height of the new floor means that these kitchen items no longer fit in their designated spaces.

4. Who needs a workmate when you have a work surface?

A classic amateur DIY mistake is to assume that because a new kitchen installation has plenty of shiny new work surfaces, it is an ideal place to perform a number of DIY tasks. There are limitless possibilities for disaster here, such as spilling glue or sealant on a new surface, scratching it with carelessly discarded tools or perhaps the most depressing of all, cutting wood or tiles with a saw while using the surface to support the wood.

5. Plumbing and electrics: A recipe for an expensive repair bill

One of the most worrying aspects of a misguided DIY kitchen installer is their insistence that not only can they do DIY, but that they have also become expert plumbers and electricians. The world of DIY is fitted with horror stories of bodged jobs; washing machines that have leaked water slowly onto laminate floors, ruining them within weeks of their installation; plumbing from newly installed sinks or dishwashers that refuses to drain or leaks continually; brand new taps that flood the house; the list is endless.

More worrying is DIY electricians who attempt to wire in a new cooker, or new light fitting only to discover that flicking a switch tends to result in a shower of sparks and singed eyebrows, or a 20 ft journey across the room, rather than a working appliance.

When you consider that these mistakes are five among thousands, it quickly makes sense to get the professionals in. An experienced kitchen designer and installation team will have your dream kitchen up and running in no time; meaning that dont have to make do with a building site, rather than a kitchen, for too long.

About the Author:
Kitchens UK are a family based company with over 10 years experience who offers bespoke kitchens to the majority of the UK.
http://www.k4ukitchens.co.uk



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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