Kitchen electrics need a registered electrician
A kitchen refit usually means new dedicated circuits for higher-draw appliances (oven, hob, dishwasher) rather than sharing a ring main, plus RCD protection near the sink — this is notifiable work under Part P. If your kitchen fitter isn't a registered electrician themselves, ask who handles this part and whether they're NICEIC or NAPIT registered.
Kitchen ventilation and extraction
An extractor hood vented to the outside removes cooking odours and moisture more effectively than a recirculating (filter-only) hood, but needs ducting planned into the layout — easier to arrange during a full refit than retrofit afterwards. Building Regulations require adequate ventilation in kitchens generally.
Utility rooms as an alternative to a kitchen laundry
Moving a washing machine and tumble dryer to a separate utility room, where space allows, frees up kitchen cabinet space and reduces noise/moisture in the cooking area — worth considering during a full refit if the property layout allows for it, rather than assuming laundry appliances belong in the kitchen.
Kitchen lighting layers
A well-lit kitchen usually combines general ceiling lighting, task lighting (under-cabinet lights over worktops, where most food prep happens), and sometimes accent lighting — a single central ceiling light alone often leaves worktops in shadow. Worth planning lighting circuits before, not after, unit installation.
KBSA and TrustMark, what they actually mean
The KBSA (Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association) is the main UK trade body for the sector, though membership is limited to a few hundred companies nationally, so not every kitchen fitter will hold it. TrustMark is a broader government-endorsed scheme covering many trades — worth asking which, if either, your fitter holds rather than assuming either is standard.
Common kitchen fitting jobs
Kitchen fitters handle everything from a single worktop or cupboard door replacement to a full gut-and-refit: removing old units, fitting new cabinetry, worktops, and coordinating the plumbing and electrical work a kitchen needs (sink, dishwasher, oven, extractor). Many fitters manage the whole job and bring in a plumber or electrician for specific parts.
Three steps to hiring the right kitchen fitter
First, ask to see photos of similar completed jobs. Second, clarify exactly who handles the electrical and plumbing work. Third, get a written quote that separates units, worktop, appliances and labour, so you can see where the money's actually going.
What affects the cost
Cost depends on worktop material (laminate vs stone vs wood), whether the layout is changing (moving plumbing/electrics vs replacing in place), unit quality, and appliance integration. Moving a sink or hob position adds cost beyond the units themselves because of the pipework and electrical work involved.