Kitchen delivery: before or after plastering and flooring?

Only agree the delivery date once you have coordinated plastering, drying time and flooring with your tradespeople. That work determines whether the room is ready for the kitchen. Whether the flooring continues underneath the units also depends on the type of floor you choose.

Kitchen renovation: the order up to fitting

1. Remove the old kitchen.
2. Alter the pipework, drainage, electrics and ventilation.
3. Repair and plaster the walls and ceiling.
4. Let the plaster dry and paint areas that will be inaccessible behind the kitchen.
5. Have the moisture in the screed measured and, if there is underfloor heating, follow the prescribed heating-up procedure.
6. Lay the flooring according to the requirements of the chosen floor type.
7. Have the kitchen delivered and check it.
8. Fit the kitchen.
9. Finish the splashback, plinths, sealant and remaining paintwork.

Kitchen or flooring first: the floor type matters

Glued-down vinyl flooring, tiles or a poured floor often continue underneath the kitchen. A floating floor, such as click vinyl, laminate or some wooden floors, needs room to move and is usually not trapped underneath heavy fixed units. Agree the finished floor height with the kitchen supplier and flooring installer.

Continuous flooring makes a different kitchen layout easier later. Flooring that stops at the plinth makes replacing the floor easier. Which works better depends on what you want to change in the future. Fitting the kitchen yourself or hiring someone explains who does the fitting and when.

Let plaster dry before the kitchen arrives

A newly plastered room contains a lot of moisture. How quickly it dries depends on the thickness of the plaster, temperature and ventilation. Do not leave kitchen parts sitting in a damp room for weeks. Wood-based worktops and fronts can react to moisture and temperature.

With a cement-based screed, the heating-up procedure generally starts around 28 calendar days after pouring. The water temperature often rises in stages, following the flooring supplier’s instructions. The supplier of the floor finish sets the permitted residual moisture level. Dutch flooring suppliers quote around 2.0 CM% for a sand-cement screed, or around 1.8 CM% with underfloor heating. For a calcium sulphate or anhydrite screed, the figures are around 0.5 CM% and around 0.3 CM% with underfloor heating. Have the flooring installer measure using the specified method and record the result. Your floor’s installation instructions remain the deciding reference.

Schedule a check before delivery

About a week before delivery, walk through the room with your schedule. Is it empty, level, dry and lit? Compare the connection points with the pipework plan and check where the parts can be stored dry. Keep walkways clear so you can also reach the delivered packages to inspect them.

What to do now

• let the plaster dry before the kitchen is delivered
• schedule delivery, the package inspection and fitting as three separate stages
• check every front and appliance on delivery and report damage before fitting