When to order the kitchen, doors, tiles and fixtures

The main rule: lead time versus accurate dimensions

Every order has two constraints:

• making and delivery time - the longer it is, the earlier you need to order;
• which dimensions it's made to - the kitchen and doors can't be ordered against rough walls: plaster and screed change the size of rooms and openings.

Hence the order: whatever depends only on the design (tiles, installation frames, concealed mixer bodies) is ordered right away. Whatever is made to fit on site (kitchen, doors, glass shower screen, worktop) is ordered after measuring the finished base.

The lead times below are guide figures from the items of the app's route. The order items are currently under review by a builder and may change. The supplier gives the exact lead time when you order - ask and write it down.

At planning: before the rough work

• Specification with lead times. Put finishes, plumbing fixtures, lighting and furniture into one list, each item with its lead time. Mark what to order now: long-lead items go first.
• Tiles. First approve the layout: the pattern, joint direction and starting point. Then order the tiles from a single batch with a 10-15% margin. Made-to-order tiles take 4-12 weeks, so order right after the layout, before the rough work.
• Concealed doors. Choose the interior doors and opening sizes. Order concealed door frames and leaves right away: the frame goes in before the walls are skimmed, and the opening is made to the maker's dimensions. They take 3-6 weeks.
• Built-in plumbing. Buy what the plumber can't start without: installation frames, concealed mixer bodies, a floor drain or channel, a bathtub or shower tray. Imported models take 2-6 weeks, and the water outlets are marked out to the fixtures you've bought.
• Air conditioners. Choose the models and unit locations and book the installation: the model determines the pipe run diameter and the breaker in the panel. In May-August installers are booked 2-4 weeks ahead.
• Kitchen design. It's too early to order the kitchen itself, but its design with the appliance layout is needed now: sockets, water outlets and the hood are marked out from it.
• Windows and front door. Choose the profile, glazing unit and hardware, and for the door - the security class and sound insulation. Measure the openings allowing for future reveals.

During rough finishing

• Front door. Measure the opening and order the door. It takes 1-5 weeks to make and goes in during the final fit-out, after the dirty work, so it doesn't get damaged.

During tiling

• Flooring. Order the chosen flooring so it's on site in time for laying. Boards and parquet take 3-8 weeks.
• Glass shower screen. After grouting, call the measurer. Tempered glass is made 1-3 weeks after measuring against the finished tiles.

During wall finishing: after check measurements

This is the key moment for made-to-fit orders.

1. Check measurements. Measure the rooms against the plastered walls and screed before the kitchen and furniture go into production. Measuring rough walls before plastering leads to rework.
2. Kitchen and custom furniture. Agree on drawings, materials and hardware, and place the order. A kitchen usually takes 4-8 weeks to make - build that into the schedule.
3. Interior doors. Measure the openings against the plastered walls and order the doors. Made-to-order doors take 3-6 weeks and go in after the floors.
4. Stretch ceiling, finishing fixtures, lighting and curtains. Call the stretch ceiling measurer and order the membranes, tracks and profiles. Order mixers and fixtures, light fittings, sockets and switches, curtains and rails. Product ranges and imports take 2-6 weeks - everything should be on site for the final fit-out.

During furniture installation

• Stone or quartz worktop. Once the kitchen's base units are installed, call the templater. A stone worktop is made 1-3 weeks after templating. The splashback and its sockets come after the worktop: their height is measured from it.

A short cheat sheet

What to order, when, and the guide lead time from the route:

• Tiles - at planning, after the layout; 4-12 weeks.
• Concealed door frames - at planning; 3-6 weeks.
• Built-in plumbing - at planning; 2-6 weeks.
• Front door - during rough finishing; 1-5 weeks.
• Boards, parquet - during tiling; 3-8 weeks.
• Kitchen, furniture - after check measurements; 4-8 weeks.
• Interior doors - after check measurements; 3-6 weeks.
• Finishing fixtures, lighting - during wall finishing; 2-6 weeks.
• Glass shower screen - after grouting; 1-3 weeks.
• Stone worktop - after the kitchen base units; 1-3 weeks.

How not to forget orders in the app

• Route items. The orders are already in the right stages: “Order the tiles” in planning, “Order the front door” in rough finishing, “Order custom furniture” in wall finishing. Check the item off once the order is placed.
• Tasks with a due date. Create a task with a date for each delivery: “Home” → “Tasks” → “See all” → “+ Add”. Overdue tasks show up in notifications. More in Property tasks.
• Prepayment in the budget. If you pay a deposit for an order, record it as an expense on the “Budget” tab and scan the receipt. How to do it is in Budget, expenses and receipts.
• Order documents. Put the contract, specification and kitchen drawing into “Documents” → “Contracts”.

How to work out the budget in advance so there's money for the orders is in How to draw up a renovation budget.

Order checklist

• There's a specification: every item has a lead time.
• Tiles are ordered from one batch with a margin, after the layout is approved.
• Built-in plumbing is bought before the plumbing work starts.
• The kitchen and interior doors are ordered to measurements of the plastered walls.
• Finishing fixtures, lighting and the stretch ceiling will be on site for the final fit-out.
• Each delivery has a dated task, and deposits are recorded in the budget.