How we supply it: Modular kitchens, wardrobes and carpentry are arranged through partner interior workshops that measure, design, make, fit and bill them and pay us a referral commission. We share your plumbing and electrical point drawings so the workshop plans units around them, and fitting is scheduled after the granite and tiles are in.
In one line: A modular kitchen is a set of factory-sized cabinet units, base, wall and tall, built from boards with standard hardware and fitted to the room instead of being built in place with masonry and stone shelves.
Carcass material: plywood, HDHMR or board?
| Material | Water near edges | Screw holding | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BWP or marine plywood | Best of the boards | Good | Sink and hob base units, vanities |
| HDHMR board | Good if edges are sealed | Fair at edges | Wall units, tall units, shutters |
| MDF | Poor | Fair | Dry furniture, painted shutters |
| Pre-laminated particle board | Poor | Weak | Dry wardrobes on a budget |
What modular means
A modular kitchen is a set of factory-sized cabinet units, base, wall and tall, built from boards with standard hardware and fitted to the room instead of being built in place with masonry and stone shelves.
Units can be removed and repaired one at a time. That only works if the plumbing and electrical points were planned around the unit sizes.
Layouts
Whatever the layout, keep the sink, hob and fridge within a few steps of each other.
| Layout | Shape | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | One wall | Narrow kitchens and studios |
| L-shaped | Two adjoining walls | Most house kitchens |
| U-shaped | Three walls | Larger kitchens with lots of storage |
| Parallel (galley) | Two facing walls | Long, narrow kitchens with a utility at the end |
| Island | Extra free-standing counter | Large open kitchens |
Sizes that make a kitchen comfortable
These are typical values; your carpenter should confirm them against the appliances you have chosen.
- Counter height: 850–900 mm from the finished floor, adjusted to the main cook
- Base units: 560–600 mm deep including shutters
- Wall units: 300–350 mm deep, starting about 600 mm above the counter
- Chimney height above the hob: as the chimney maker specifies
- Wardrobes: 550–600 mm deep for hanging clothes
Checks during and after fitting
- Get the carcass grade and thickness written per unit, for example BWP 18 mm under the sink.
- Check hinges are soft-close and channels are full-extension, with their load rating stated.
- Every cut edge, inside ones included, should be banded, especially under the sink.
- Base units should stand on adjustable legs or a waterproof plinth, clear of mopping water.
- Shutters should line up with even gaps after fitting.
- The sink cabinet should have a liner or tray to catch leaks.
Delivery timing and storage
- Bring units in after flooring, tiling and painting; dust and paint ruin shutters and channels.
- Store flat-packed units in a dry room, off the floor.
- Keep shutters wrapped until final fitting.
Kitchen planning mistakes
- Designing cabinets after the plumbing and electrical points are fixed.
- Particle board under the sink.
- Hob and chimney positions that do not match the duct opening in the wall.
- Wall units so high the top shelf is out of reach.
- No ventilation gap around the fridge.