Kitchen flooring before or after fitting units?

2 years ago

I’m having a new kitchen and have been a little disconcerted by companies who only ‘dry fit’ meaning that plumbing, electrics and flooring etc is left to the customer to arrange. I want ceramic-tiled flooring but if I get it installed before the units it will mean a terrible waste of tiles under the units, one of which is a peninsula. On the other hand, if I leave it until after the units are fitted, it won’t look as neat and tiles will have to be cut around the ’solid wood ‘legs’ - unless I choose units where the bases are completely covered by plinths. Many thanks for any advice.

Featured Answer

christineacy

2 years ago

Hello Margretg2

Tiles before fitting

If you ever need to change kitchen you will probably not find the same tiles.

As you say you will not get the neat edges and have to cut around edges.

Tiles after fitting

You will have to make sure the floor is sealed. If there is water leak if the floor is not sealed you will have a bigger job sorting out the damp. And

You will have to ensure the floor is level and flat.

Compromise

You could lay the tiles so that they are partially under the cabinets.

Re: Kitchens. Are you using a national company, a local trades or bespoke kitchen companies ?

Local trades may do all of it for you ? Bespoke companies may do so as well ?

If you have not done so already, armed with a plan and the type/style and images of kitchen you want maybe try some local trades who will do everything.

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Comments (17)

margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
Many thanks for your comments. One of the companies is national, the other is local to Somerset. I’m also awaiting a reply from a local bespoke firm. We’ll have to see.
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The fitter can trim down the plinth. Normally they’re 150mm high, so if you need a lesser height they’d just have to trim them down. At the end of the day you have to have this work done so the floor person will just have to be careful not to damage the newly fitted kitchen. You do however need to bear in mind the floor standing appliances may need to be repaired at some point and moved so have to find a way forward with this. My flooring is underneath the washer and dishwasher for this purpose.
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roblox guy
2 years ago
Definitely before, and buy extra. If ever anything needs repaired (pipe leaks, island electrics), you'll be glad you did. Also, manoeuvering appliances in and out of spaces where there's a ledge is very difficult. Good luck.
margretg2 thanked roblox guy
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks. Good point about the ledge.
Angie
2 years ago
Yes, I agree, tile the whole floor then it’ll work for whatever you do in the future. Our current kitchen (which came with the house) isn’t tiled underneath the cabinets and this limits our options on placement of cabinets. A good excuse to have the whole kitchen ripped out and a new floor laid perhaps?!
margretg2 thanked Angie
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
Angie, thanks. Yes, I'm replacing the whole kitchen and while I don't plan on changing the new units in the foreseable future (the cost of those cabinets will prohibit that) I do think the floor will look neater if it's tiled first. However, at least two metres of it (at £50+ a sq. metre of porcelain) will be buried under the peninsula, which seems a bit daft.
Juliet Docherty
2 years ago
I wouldn't worry about what is under the peninsula, a leak is much more likely to be detected quickly on a tiled floor that not.
margretg2 thanked Juliet Docherty
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks colourhappy. Good point. I'm not too worried about leaks, though - the floor is concrete and there won't be a sink in the peninsula.
Sonia
2 years ago
Hi, I tiled before as previously it was just past the plinth and it was a nightmare moving out the washing machine due to that annoying lip.

My brother did the same but he used cheaper/recycled tiles under the units and the nice posh ones where they could be seen.
margretg2 thanked Sonia
arc3d
2 years ago
How about you get another cheaper tile of the same dimensions for under the peninsula?

Dry fit option sounds terrible. Warranties would be a nightmare.
margretg2 thanked arc3d
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
Sonia and arc3d, that's a good idea about using cheaper tiles under the peninsula. I agree about dry fit. One company (Neptune) wouldn't even recommend a company to do all the other stuff.
PRO
Kingfisher Designs
2 years ago
Always best to tile before if you can, especially if you are having an open plinth.
margretg2 thanked Kingfisher Designs
Daisy England
2 years ago
Is it Wren by any chance that you will be using? I’m aware that they do not take into account extra contractors within their price.

If it is Wren please be cautious. They have a Facebook page called Wren Kitchen Disasters. There are lots of people claiming their money back through Barclays under S75 as some people are on their 3rd kitchen and it is still not fit for purpose. The 0% finance seems to pull in customers. Barclays are up to their eyes in refunds. Just proceed with caution.

Perhapls an independent local kitchen company could quote you a price. They are no more expensive than Wren in fact many times cheaper.
margretg2 thanked Daisy England
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Daisy, no, I haven’t contacted Wren but your warning is welcome. I once saw an example of their work in which they had failed to match the pattern on a countertop. It looked dreadful. As you say, best avoided. Someone on Houzz recommended Harvey Jones and their kitchens do look nice, but I later learned that they’re ‘dry-fit’, so no use to me.
1sandyh
2 years ago
‘Dry fit’ kitchen installation is Industry standard. But most places offer the extra services if you ask. May be better for you to purchase your kitchen via a builder who can do all the extra work too.

You don’t have to fit the tiles first but you will at least need to keep enough in the event you change the kitchen units/layout/any are damaged in the future. So you may as well fit them if the cost isn’t much more?
margretg2 thanked 1sandyh
margretg2
Original Author
2 years ago
1sandyh Not sure about that industry standard. I've had two kitchens from John Lewis. The price included everything from design, to fitting cabinets, plumbing and electrics. Fine kitchens but not bespoke, which is what I want this time around.
1sandyh
2 years ago
It is. A lot of people don’t need all the additional works you’ve mentioned, they are just simply replacing. Then some people do. They offer both services. All they do is sub contract people in & add a percentage on.
margretg2 thanked 1sandyh

Kitchen flooring before or after fitting units?

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