new kitchen

[cannco]

Hi all,

I've a question regarding fitting a new kitchen. We live in a property about 120yrs old. The kitchen has wooden floorboards at the moment, that are well worn, damaged in places and the floor as a whole is not perfectly flat. We are thinking of getting a new kitchen and are wondering what to do (if anything) with the floor. If we want to get the boards repaired, should we do this before we get the kitchen in, or after ? Everyone I ask seems to have an opinion on this, but nobody as yet can convince me on the best option.

Regards

 

[NT]

Before. Your new units wll be sat on those boards, making the job all but impossible after a unit refit

Most boards can be turned over to get a decent face again.


NT

 

[sarahj]

We were faced with this problem when we moved in . The kitchen was early eighties, bright orange and with coordinating mushroom tiles. The floor is concrete and we didn't know whether to replace it, one of the walls is under ground and will need attention at some point. However, I definitely couldn't live with the kitchen, not even in the short term. In the end the perfect solution - freestanding kitchen furniture - whatever you decide to do with your floor or walls you can just move the furniture. You can put it where you want it, it will be made of real wood, you can have new, reclaimed or original pieces, it doesn't cost any different to a fitted kitchen, you don't pay for any fitting (apart from plumbing in a freestanding sink) and you can buy it piece by piece. Not to mention that it is easier to sell a piece if you change your mind. Our kitchen is quite small yet we still have an original pine kitchen press and a reclaimed 7' pine dresser. For working surfaces there are kitchen tables - great height for baking - and those butchers tables that you can move around (we have a small one and it makes all the difference as we can tuck it out of hte way when its not in use.

Sorry for the long post!

 

[L1zzy]

Just wanted to add I'm also a fan of unfitted kitchens and in fact when I get my building work comepleted the current ghastly fitted kitchen will be demolished - I intend then looking for a good scrubbed pine table and will 'compose' my kitchen as I find the old practical bits of kitchen furniture I need. I'm afraid I have a violent dislike of all that matching this, that and the other . But hey its personal choice isn't it?

Re Floorboards - I'd definitely renovate the boards rather than replace and BEFORE the kitchen is installed then you can see what you're doing.