This kitchen renovation checklist covers the essentials: most single-storey rear kitchen extensions fall under Permitted Development, so no planning application is needed, though Building Regulations still apply to the electrics, plumbing and any structural work. Kitchens are a "special location" under Part P, meaning new circuits need a registered electrician, and work on a shared wall usually triggers the Party Wall Act. A typical fitted kitchen in the UK runs £7,000 to £30,000, and North Somerset Council handles planning and Building Control for Congresbury and the surrounding villages.
Planning a new kitchen is exciting until the questions start piling up. What can you build without permission? Who needs to sign off the electrics? What happens if your budget doesn't stretch as far as you hoped?
This kitchen renovation checklist walks through every stage, from setting your goals to the final walkthrough, with the UK rules explained in plain English along the way.
Before you choose a single tile, decide what the renovation actually needs to achieve. Is storage the problem? Is the layout awkward to cook in? Do you need more worktop space, or is this really about knocking through to make room for a family table?
Write your priorities down and rank them. It stops a nice-to-have finish eating the budget that should have gone on better storage or lighting.
Cabinets and worktops are only part of the spend. The kitchen you can't see, the pipework, the wiring, the wall behind the plaster, usually decides whether the project runs smoothly. Budget for plumbing, electrics, ventilation, flooring, decorating, waste removal and a contingency fund for surprises behind old walls and floors.
The kitchen you can't see, the pipework, the wiring, the wall behind the plaster, usually decides whether the project runs smoothly.
Most UK kitchen renovations, a straightforward refit or replacement, land somewhere between £7,000 and £30,000 supplied and fitted, based on current UK building quotation averages. Adding an extension pushes that up considerably, since you're paying for the build as well as the kitchen. Get a specific figure for your project rather than budgeting off a national average, every kitchen is different.
Older properties tend to reveal problems once units come out, a damp patch, an unexpected pipe run, tired wiring behind the plaster. Keep a reserve for it rather than being caught out.
Don't assume anything can simply be reused. Look properly at the walls, floor, plumbing, electrical points, windows, ventilation and drainage. Moving a sink often means moving drainage. Moving an appliance often means a new electrical point. These details shape both the design and the budget, so it's worth having them checked before you commit to a layout.
A striking kitchen can still be frustrating to cook in if the layout doesn't suit your routine. The right layout comes from how you actually cook and move through the room, not from what looks best in a photo.
Galley: two runs facing each other, works well for narrow rooms and tighter budgets.
L-shaped: frees up floor space and suits a wide range of room sizes.
U-shaped: fills the room with storage and worktop, best where there's space to give.
Island: only earns its place if there's genuinely enough clearance to move around it.
Often, no. Many single-storey rear kitchen extensions fall under Permitted Development, meaning no planning application is needed.
| House type | Standard Permitted Development | Larger home extension scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | Up to 4m beyond the original rear wall | Up to 8m, with prior approval and neighbour consultation |
| Any other house | Up to 3m beyond the original rear wall | Up to 6m, with prior approval and neighbour consultation |
Source: Planning Portal, maximum height 4m under the larger home extension scheme. This doesn't apply on designated land, conservation areas, or to listed buildings, and flats never have these rights. If you're unsure, it's always worth a quick check with your local authority before ordering anything.
Planning permission is about how a building looks. Building Regulations are about whether it's safe, and they apply far more often than people expect, even when planning permission isn't needed.
Source: Approved Document P and the Party Wall Act explanatory booklet. Getting the party wall notice served properly, and early, avoids the single most common cause of neighbour disputes on extension projects.
Leaving technical work until late is one of the most common renovation mistakes. Sockets, switches, appliance connections, water supplies and extractor ventilation all need deciding alongside the layout, not squeezed in afterwards. A kitchen with sockets hidden behind appliances is a kitchen that was designed backwards.
Appliance measurements affect cabinet sizing and utility connections, so lock these in early. Built-in models often have different clearance requirements from freestanding ones, and you'll want proper access for future repairs.
A material that looks striking in a photo isn't always the easiest to live with. Think about how much daily wear the room takes, and balance style against durability and maintenance when choosing worktops, flooring, splashbacks and finishes.
One team, two to five people depending on the job, on your project from first conversation to final walkthrough. No call centre, no rotating site managers. A focused team means decisions get made on the spot, not passed up a chain of command. It also means we run one major project at a time rather than spreading attention across a dozen sites, so the person who quoted your job is the person who finishes it.
One team, two to five people depending on the job, on your project from first conversation to final walkthrough. No call centre, no rotating site managers.
Confirm goals and budget
Measure and assess the space
Finalise layout and choose appliances
Select materials and confirm technical requirements
Arrange any approvals, then order materials
Preparation, first-fix plumbing and electrics
Cabinets, worktops and appliance fit
Finishing and final walkthrough
It's tempting to order cabinets and worktops as soon as a design is agreed. But without final, confirmed measurements, a small error can become a major problem once made-to-order items arrive. Check final measurements, appliance sizes, door openings and delivery access before placing big orders.
Even a well-run renovation usually means no working kitchen for part of the project. Set up a temporary space, kettle, microwave, small fridge, basic utensils, and think ahead about dust, noise and access through the rest of the home.
In our experience, three things derail a kitchen project more than anything else: ordering cabinets before final measurements are confirmed, leaving electrics and plumbing as an afterthought instead of planning them alongside the layout, and assuming permission isn't needed without actually checking. All three are avoidable with an hour of planning up front.
We're Overstones, a local design and build team based on Wrington Lane in Congresbury, North Somerset, building extensions, kitchens and renovations across the villages covered in this guide since 2005.
We focus on one project at a time, which means the person who quotes your job stays involved through design, Building Control, trades and finishing, and we prioritise getting it right over rushing to the next site. Fixed pricing, one point of contact, and a build that actually gets our full attention.
See our kitchen and general building work →
Related: Kitchen Renovation in Congresbury: What Actually Matters Before You Start →