Mayfield Interiors Answers Your Questions About Your New Kitchen
As many of us have spent more time within our four walls than ever before in recent times, chances are you noticed a few flaws with your kitchen.
That old-fashioned cupboard … the chipped paintwork … the fridge that’s about the give up the ghost …
If it is time for a new kitchen to be fitted in your home, you will have lots of questions that we can provide answers to.
Mayfield Interiors of Altrincham is the go-to, family-run company for quality, handcrafted fitted kitchens.
How much does a new kitchen cost?
Your dream kitchen might have a decent price tag, yet it is money well spent as it is a long-term investment. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house and if you decide to sell, your kitchen can be a selling point too.
Fitted kitchens are worth their weight in gold in terms of value, attention the detail and craftsmanship.
There is a phrase, you get what you pay for, and this is true of any household item.
Excellent quality fitted kitchens will stand the test of time.
The cost of a new kitchen depends on:
- Room size (usually in square metres)
- How many units you require
- Size and material of any work surfaces
- Number of appliances that are needed
- Utilities such as gas, water and electrics
- Flooring, lighting and the finishes touches
Work out your budget
The first thing to do is to be honest about your budget.
There are several online calculators which can help you work out the costs and you should always have a bit of wriggle room in case there is a hiccup.
Always get the experts in and budget accordingly.
As a guide our kitchen projects normally start from £20,000.
Get in the experts
A new fitted kitchen and installation is a very skilled job and only trained installers should tackle it! There are multitude of steps to go through, from flooring to utilities and much, much more. It is important to get each step completed correctly before the next one begins.
Use of Space
Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, from the straight-forward the awkward! All the best kitchens not only look fantastic, they also make the best use of space and have clever and innovative storage ideas.
The journey will start with a floor plan, designed by your qualified kitchen designers, who will also take into consideration the current layout and whether it can be improved.
It could be existing spaces can be more cleverly utilised, or you could have a kitchen island fitted to give you more worktop surface and cupboard space.
While kitchens tend to have lots of useful clutter, you certainly don’t want to see it! So, getting the most out of those nooks and crannies is crucial and ‘hiding’ all the pots, pans and utensils with superb frontages is the order of the day.
Dream kitchen … Refreshed Kitchen … Extension
In some cases, the layout of the kitchen can’t be improved or bettered. In which case, it is time to replace all the units, or refresh those cupboard doors, maybe rip up and install new flooring and perhaps some new dining furniture might be in order.
A refreshed or refurbished kitchen can breathe new life into a home with some new doors, door handles, taps, sinks and if needed, some new white goods such as a fridge or dishwasher.
Also, one of the most popular reasons for a house extension is to have space for a bigger and better kitchen!
If this is the purpose of your extension, then your builder and local authority can advise as to the safest and the legal steps to take in order to make this happen.
Key factors to bear in mind are the position of drains, electric wiring, utility pipes, extraction fans and fire doors if needed.
Or it could be you love open plan living and the space this gives you. While ‘open plan’ suggests minimal planning, the opposite is true as the planning stage need to be diligently worked out so give that ‘wow’ factor.
Aspects to Consider
As well as the wiring and other utilities, you also need to consider the cost of ripping out the old units and where the old units will go. Can they be recycled or donated?
Are you able to store your new units in your home or garage, as long as they’re safe? Or is it case of ripping out the old in time for delivery of the new, so you have a strict timetable to keep to.
By this stage, you will have selected and purchased your cupboard doors and work surfaces.
Mayfield interiors offer modern and traditional kitchens, and we can also supply kitchen appliances too.
Kitchen Units, Doors, Worktops
Sleek, contemporary, textured, gloss, matte … the choice is pretty much endless.
Your kitchen interiors design team can advise what might be best for your space. If it’s a small area, then they will know way to make the area look larger.
Colours can also help with overall appeal and look of the new kitchen.
It could be you love dramatic, vivid shades or something more soothing.
Worktops are also a selling point in the kitchen.
From top end, cool marble to woods or modern materials, worktops get a huge amount of use and can be a focal point of the kitchen.
Other materials include granite, laminates and other finishes, helping make the most of your kitchen space.
Don’t forget … Flooring
We use it all the time without thinking – flooring!
Many of us forget about this important element of a room.
From expensive tiled or wooden floors to very effective vinyl, some of which can look very chic.
Always consider the aftercare needed. Floors tend to get dirty quickly and as such, cleaning them shouldn’t take longer than necessary
What About The Tiles?
Tiles will be needed in most kitchens, usually around the sink area and preparation sections. You could go for classic, plain tiles or fancy ones.
Tiles are fiddly to fit with all the grouting and smoothing off … let the experts do this for you!
Appliances
Gone are the days when we used twin tubs, thankfully!
Appliances are a must for any modern home. They save time and lots of effort, taking care of dull, time-consuming chores.
Many appliances are now much greener in terms of the energy they use, too.
You get what you pay for with appliances.
Good brands cost more money, but they will nearly always last longer if property used and maintained.
There are also some exciting new appliances such as the Quooker tap which has boiling and iced water ‘on tap’ so you never need to use a kettle again.
Taking care of your appliances will make them last longer and remain efficient for as long as possible too.
It could be you go for a couple of top brands that can really ‘set off’ a kitchen, so a top end fridge can really make an impact.
Snagging
There are all those finishing touches which usually signal you’re on the road to completion! This could include taps, light switches, door handles and the lighting itself.
If you have a dining kitchen, then you might have dining set you’re happy with … or maybe it now looks out of place in your brand, sparkling new kitchen!
There will be areas of your new kitchen that will need a lick of paint.
Your kitchen designer can take care of all this, including getting the right type of paint in your preferred colour.
Ways to Save Money!
So, there are ways you can save money with a new kitchen. Avoid moving utility meters … this is hugely expensive.
Try and avoid the need for huge structural changes to the room – reusing your current space in an effective way will save money and is one of the many skills of the Mayfield Interiors team.
Adding a kitchen island is a great way of creating more storage and workspace. True, some kitchens are too small for this, however it is worth considering if you have space.
Get in touch with Mayfield today!
The team at Mayfield Interiors have years of experience under their belts.
From seeing your current kitchen to coming up with a plan for a new one; working out the costs and the timings, the team take care of every element.
They have a full team of skilled and qualified people that can take care of the joinery, electric, gas fittings, plumbing, decorators and more.
They carefully plan every element of the project so there are no delays or hiccups along the way.
The Mayfield team sit down with clients (or hop on Zoom!) to discuss prices, costs and materials.
With over 20 years in the business, we are a father and son team that work together for you in the North West of England.
