The 8-step framework

1. STEP 1

   Lock the layout and sizes before cabinetry is ordered

   Cabinetry is made to measure and ordered weeks ahead, so the kitchen layout - bench runs, island size, appliance openings and the work triangle - has to be final before it goes into production. The fixing stage, when cabinets are about to be installed, is your hard deadline. Changes after the cabinets are made are slow and expensive, so confirm the plan, the appliance list and every opening size first.

2. STEP 2

   Choose the benchtop material early

   Benchtops are templated and fabricated AFTER the cabinets are installed, and stone in particular has a lead time, so pick the material (laminate, engineered stone, natural stone or timber) well before fixing. The choice sets the look, the budget and the edge profile, and some materials need specific cabinet support. Decide early so the fabricator can template the moment the cabinets are in and you are not left with a kitchen you cannot use.

3. STEP 3

   Decide the sink before the benchtop is templated

   The sink choice changes the benchtop cutout, so it must be settled before templating. Undermount sinks sit below a stone top for a seamless look; top-mount (drop-in) suits laminate; a flush mount sits level with the top. Decide single vs double bowl and whether you want a butler/farmhouse sink (which needs a specific cabinet). Have the actual sink on site so the fabricator templates to it exactly.

4. STEP 4

   Pick tapware and plan the rough-in

   Your mixer and any filtered or boiling/chilled tap need plumbing points set at rough-in, so choose them before the plumber first fixes. Check the gooseneck height and reach suit the sink and any window behind it, and whether a boiling-water tap needs an under-bench unit and a power point. Pull-out sprays, pot fillers and water filters all change what the plumber leaves behind the cabinetry.

5. STEP 5

   Plan appliances and their services

   Every appliance needs its services provisioned before fixing: a gas vs induction cooktop needs completely different connections (gas point vs a dedicated high-amp circuit), the rangehood needs ducting run to outside, the oven needs its circuit, the dishwasher needs water, waste and power, and a plumbed fridge needs a water point. Finalise the exact appliances and their specs early so the electrician and plumber rough-in to them, not to guesses.

6. STEP 6

   Set splashback and power points before tiling

   Decide the splashback (tiled, stone slab, or glass) and where the power points, switches and the rangehood switch sit, because this is planned before tiling and after the benchtop goes in. Stone or glass splashbacks are templated like the benchtop; tiled splashbacks are set out around the points. Plan enough bench power points (a double every metre or so) and their heights so they clear the benchtop and splashback cleanly.

7. STEP 7

   Sort the island and storage

   If you have an island, confirm the overhang for stools (around 300mm) and whether it needs power, a sink or a cooktop - all of which must be provisioned before fixing. Plan the storage mix now too: drawers vs doors, a bin pull-out, a corner solution, and the pantry (walk-in or cabinet). These decisions shape the cabinetry order, so they belong before it is made, not after.

8. STEP 8

   Sequence the fit-out in the right order

   The kitchen comes together in a set order: cabinetry install, then benchtop template, then benchtop install, then sink and tap fit-off, then splashback, then appliance connection and final electrical fit-off. Order your sink, tapware and any supplied appliances so they are on site when each step needs them - a missing sink stalls the benchtop, a missing tap stalls fit-off. Matching your product deliveries to this sequence keeps the trades moving.

FAQs