Kitchens and bathrooms are where design and build projects get real for most homeowners. These rooms get used constantly. They’re expensive. They’re complicated. They have more systems running through them than any other room in your house. Understanding how design and build company london approach kitchens and bathrooms specifically, or learning what decisions you actually need to make before work starts, helps you avoid the chaos that happens when people rush into these projects unprepared. If you want to know more about the planning phase for these rooms, or understand the specific challenges that come up during construction, you’ll see why getting the design right upfront matters so much. London Design & Build focuses on kitchens and bathrooms regularly, and they’ve learned what works and what creates problems. The journey from deciding you need a new kitchen or bathroom to actually using the finished room involves a lot of moving parts.
Why Kitchens and Bathrooms Are Different Projects
Most rooms in your home are relatively simple. You can paint. You can change flooring. You can update furniture. Kitchens and bathrooms are not like this.
These rooms have plumbing. Electrical work. Gas lines maybe. Ventilation requirements. Building Regulations that apply specifically to these spaces. They’re wet rooms with moisture concerns. They need proper waterproofing or you’ll get mold and decay.
Because of all this complexity, kitchens and bathrooms take longer than regular rooms. They cost more. They need more planning. They need more specialized work.
A design and build company london that does kitchens and bathrooms well understands all of this. They’re not treating it like a simple decoration project. They’re treating it like the complex renovation it actually is.
The Planning Phase for Kitchens
Before any work starts, you need to understand what’s actually possible in your space. Your kitchen might have limitations. Maybe the plumbing is in inconvenient places. Maybe the boiler is taking up space. Maybe the window position doesn’t work with where you want the sink.
A good designer looks at these constraints and works within them instead of ignoring them and creating problems later. They measure everything. They photograph everything. They understand the existing systems.
Then they create a layout. Where does the sink go? Where does the cooker go? Where’s the fridge? How much counter space do you actually get? What about storage? These decisions are fundamental. Get them wrong and you have a kitchen that doesn’t work.
You’ll probably see a few different layout options. Not 50. Just a few good ones that actually work in your space. You pick which one appeals to you most.
Once the layout is locked, everything else flows from that decision. Electrical outlets get placed based on the layout. Plumbing gets routed based on the layout. Ventilation gets planned based on the layout.
The Planning Phase for Bathrooms
Bathroom planning is similar but with different constraints. Where does the toilet go? Where does the shower or bath? Where’s the vanity? How much storage? What’s the layout that works best?
Bathrooms also have specific Building Regulations about ventilation. You need mechanical ventilation unless you have a window. Even with a window, many bathrooms benefit from a fan. Water damage is a real risk in bathrooms, so ventilation is crucial.
The designer thinks about water management. How does water get to the bathroom? How does it leave? What’s the drainage situation? These details matter because bad drainage creates problems.
Like kitchens, once the layout is locked, everything else follows. Plumbing lines. Electrical outlets. Ventilation ducting.
Material Selection and Specification
For kitchens, you’re choosing cabinets, countertops, flooring, backsplash, lighting, taps, and possibly appliances. That’s a lot of decisions.
A good design and build contractor london helps you think through these choices. They explain tradeoffs. Granite counters are durable but expensive and need sealing. Laminate counters are cheaper but show wear faster. Quartz is durable and low maintenance but costs more than laminate.
Same with flooring. Tile is durable and waterproof. Wood is warm but can be damaged by moisture. Vinyl is practical and inexpensive but might not be what you want long term.
For bathrooms, you’re choosing wall and floor tiles, vanity, toilet, shower enclosure or tub, lighting, mirrors, and taps. Again, a lot of options.
The key is making informed choices. Not just picking what looks pretty in a showroom. Understanding how these materials will actually perform in your space over time.
Budgeting for Kitchens and Bathrooms
Kitchen and bathroom budgets have a big range. You can do a basic bathroom for 8,000 to 15,000. A nice bathroom runs 15,000 to 40,000 or more. Kitchens have even wider ranges. Basic kitchen might be 10,000 to 20,000. Nice kitchen might be 30,000 to 80,000 or more.
The budget determines what’s actually possible. A bigger budget means better quality materials, more options, maybe custom cabinetry. A smaller budget means you make choices to stay within it.
An honest design and build services provider tells you upfront what’s possible in your budget. They don’t get you excited about something and then reveal it costs twice what you budgeted.
The Ordering Phase
Once designs and specifications are locked, materials need to be ordered. This is not quick. Some items have weeks of lead time.
Custom cabinetry might take 8 to 12 weeks. Certain tiles might be special order. Some appliances take time.
A good contractor orders early with lead time built in. They’re not ordering two weeks before they need something and then panicking when it’s delayed.
Preparation and Demolition
When construction actually starts, the room needs to be cleared and demolished. Cabinets come out. Old flooring comes up. Plumbing gets disconnected. Electrical gets disconnected.
This part is messy and takes time. For a kitchen, it might be a week. For a bathroom, usually a few days.
During demolition, sometimes surprises happen. The wall behind the cabinets is damaged. The floor is rotten. The plumbing is in worse shape than expected. A good contractor has contingency for these discoveries.
The Installation Phase
Once the room is cleared, real work starts. New plumbing gets installed. New electrical gets run. Walls might need preparation. Waterproofing happens in bathrooms.
Then flooring goes in. Walls get finished. Cabinetry gets installed. Counters go on. Fixtures get connected.
This phase takes several weeks depending on complexity. It’s not quick. But it’s where the new kitchen or bathroom actually takes shape.
The Finishing Phase
Grouting happens. Caulking happens. Paint or other wall finishes. Trim and details. Everything that makes the room actually finished instead of just rough construction.
Lighting gets installed. Mirrors get hung. Taps get hooked up. Appliances get connected and tested.
This phase looks simple but it’s where quality shows. Good finishing makes the room feel complete and professional. Rushed finishing makes even a well designed room feel sloppy.
Building Control and Inspections
Kitchens and bathrooms need Building Control inspections. Plumbing work gets inspected. Electrical work gets inspected. Final completion gets inspected.
These inspections take time and need to be scheduled. A good contractor plans for this upfront instead of getting to the end and discovering they need an inspection but it can’t happen for weeks.
Timeline Expectations
A simple bathroom renovation might take 4 to 8 weeks. A more complex bathroom might take 8 to 12 weeks.
A simple kitchen might take 8 to 12 weeks. A more complex kitchen might take 12 to 16 weeks or longer.
These timelines assume you have your decisions made, materials ordered on time, and no unexpected problems. Delays happen. That’s normal. A good contractor builds this into their schedule.
Living Without Your Kitchen or Bathroom
This is something people don’t always think about. Once work starts, your kitchen or bathroom is unusable. You need to plan for this.
Can you use another bathroom? Can you temporarily move your kitchen somewhere? Can you get takeaway instead of cooking? These practicalities matter.
A design and build contractor london helps you think through the logistics of living without these spaces during construction.
