Stage one — the on-site measure
Someone comes to the house. The existing cabinetry, benchtop, services, window and door positions and appliance sizes are recorded, the condition of the carcases is assessed, and the things that cannot be seen in a photo get looked at: ceiling space for a rangehood duct, the switchboard, the slab, and whether any wall in the plan is load-bearing.
This is also where the two directions get separated — targeted upgrade or full renovation. There is no charge and no obligation.
Stage two — brief and concept
How the household uses the kitchen, what currently frustrates you, and what the budget is meant to achieve. A concept layout comes back, usually with one or two alternatives where there is a genuine choice to make, such as whether the sink stays in the island or moves to the back run.
Stage three — drawings, schedule and services
A measured plan, elevations of each run, an appliance schedule with real model numbers and their clearances, and a services mark-up showing every plumbing point, power point and the duct route. This is the document everything else is built from. See kitchen design and planning.
Stage four — the itemised fixed price
Cabinetry, benchtop, splashback, sink and tapware, plumbing, electrical, ventilation, appliances and making good — each named and priced, so a change to one line does not re-price the job. Guide bands are on the cost page.
The contract and the statutory protections are explained at this point: the maximum deposit allowed in NSW is 10 per cent, and home building compensation cover is in place before a deposit is requested where the contract value requires it.
Stage five — selections locked, cabinetry into manufacture
Cabinet finish, door profile, handles, benchtop material and edge, splashback, sink and tapware, and the final appliance list. Once the last one is signed off, the cutting list is issued and manufacturing begins off site. Your existing kitchen is still in use for all of this, which is the entire point of the sequence.
Typical manufacturing lead time runs a few weeks, and it is the main reason the overall project looks long while the disruption is short.
Stage six — strip-out and rough-in
Protection down, services isolated, old kitchen removed, waste taken away. Plumbing, electrical and gas rough-in to the services mark-up. Walls patched, floors levelled, bulkhead removed if that is in scope. This is the noisy, dusty week.
Stage seven — cabinets in, benchtop templated
Carcases set, levelled, fixed and scribed to the real wall. Panels, kickers and fillers cut on site. Then the fabricator templates the installed cabinets for the benchtop, and the top is cut and polished off site.
This gap is the stretch where the kitchen has cabinets and no bench. It is also the step that must not be rushed.
Stage eight — benchtop, splashback, tapware, appliances
Benchtop fitted and sealed. Splashback set out to the cooktop and window lines and installed. Sink and tapware connected and tested. Appliances installed, the rangehood commissioned and the ducting checked. Final electrical fit-off, including island power and under-cabinet lighting.
Stage nine — handover and defects
A walk-through together, with doors and drawers adjusted, silicone lines checked, and anything on the list written down. Those items are closed out before the final payment, not after it. Appliance manuals, warranties and care instructions are handed over, along with the finish and material details in case something needs matching years from now.
Keeping the house liveable
Before strip-out we set up a temporary kitchen: fridge relocated with power, a bench or table for the kettle, microwave and toaster, and a plan for washing up. It is a small thing that makes a three-week job tolerable.
Ready to start
Call 02 4601 3179 or send through your kitchen details. Everything else people ask is on the kitchen FAQ.
Questions people ask before they commit
How long from first call to finished kitchen?
For a full kitchen, commonly eight to twelve weeks end to end, of which most is design, selections and off-site manufacture. On-site time is usually two to four weeks. A targeted upgrade is shorter at both ends.
How long are we actually without a kitchen?
The real gap is between strip-out and the benchtop being fitted. With cabinetry manufactured in advance, that is often a week to ten days, with a further few days for splashback, tapware and appliances. We set up a temporary arrangement with the fridge, microwave and kettle before the strip-out.
What is the longest wait in the schedule?
The benchtop. Stone and porcelain are templated only once the cabinets are installed, then cut and polished off site. Nothing can compress that step without risking a top that does not fit.
Can we live in the house during the work?
Almost always, yes. Dust protection goes up, the work is contained to the kitchen zone and services are isolated only when needed. Families stay put for the vast majority of jobs.
What happens if something unexpected is found?
It is raised before it is worked on, with the cost and time implication in writing. Unlevel slabs, hidden bulkhead ducting, old vinyl needing testing and switchboard limits are the usual four, and the measure is designed to catch them early.