Planning and costing the electrics for a new kitchen
What kitchen electrical work involves, the circuits a modern kitchen needs, and why the first-fix date drives the whole project.
Kitchen electrics are cheap to get right at first fix and expensive to correct afterwards. A modern kitchen needs more circuits than the one it replaces: an induction hob, an oven, a dishwasher, a washing machine, worktop sockets, task lighting and often an extractor.
The board is often the limiting factor and the item people forget to budget for.
- Dedicated cooker circuit sized to the appliance, not the old one
- Appliance circuits with accessible isolation above the worktop
- Worktop sockets positioned to the final layout, not the old one
- Under-cabinet task lighting with a serviceable driver position
Induction hobs change the sums
Induction hobs commonly need more current than the gas hob and single oven they replace. That is a dedicated way at the board and correctly sized cable — worth confirming before the appliance is ordered, not after it arrives.
First fix drives the programme
Cables must be in before plaster and tiling. If the electrician arrives after the plasterer, the choice is chasing finished walls or surface trunking. Booking first fix into the schedule early is the single biggest cost saver in a kitchen project.
Board capacity
Adding three or four new circuits to a full board means a board change. Doing it during the kitchen project means one visit and one lot of disruption instead of two.
Common questions
When should the electrician come?
Twice: first fix after strip-out and before plastering, second fix after decoration and once units are in.
Do I need a new cooker circuit for an induction hob?
Usually. We check the appliance rating against the existing circuit and tell you before ordering.
Can appliance isolators be hidden?
They need to be accessible. Grid switches above the worktop are the usual tidy solution.
Get a fixed price
Send your kitchen plan and appliance list — we'll tell you which circuits are needed and whether the board copes, before anything is ordered.