Over the years we’ve been asked many questions by prospective clients trying to ascertain which kitchen supplier they should trust with one of the largest property improvements they’re ever likely to undertake.  So here’s a list of the most popular but if you don’t see the answer to your burning question, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01480 468598 or email us at info@nicholashythe.co.uk.

 Q. Do you offer a free design service?

A.  Yes we do and with absolutely no obligation to take any further.  We also don’t believe in charging for any changes as we want you to be 100% delighted with your design before any work starts.  For more info, please click here

Q. I have an awkward kitchen.  The retailers I’ve spoken to seem to leave me with a lot of dead space.  Is this how you work?

A.  Absolutely not – we love awkward kitchens (it gives our designers a chance to show how innovative they can be!)  Our cabinets are specifically manufactured for your kitchen not off the shelf so can be designed to fit any awkward spaces you have.  For more info, please click here

Q. Do I have to arrange my own electrician, plumber etc?

A. No, if we’re installing your new kitchen our full project management service means we organise all the trades required and ensure they turn up when they’re supposed to.  All our contractors are fully certified by their trade bodies and will provide the necessary certificates at the end of the install. For more info, please click here 

Q. What are your kitchen cabinets made from?

A.  All our cabinets, including the backs and drawer bases, are manufactured from 18mm Melamine Faced Chipboard.  We do not use hardboard in the construction of any of our cabinets to give you greater durability against wear and tear and are designed to last much longer than the 15mm or less products many retailers offer.  As standard, they’re also fully glued and dowelled at the factory for stronger joints and are 1mm edged (which is more than twice as thick as many of our competitors) to avoid chipping, thereby keeping your kitchen looking beautiful for longer. For more info, please click here 

Q. Do your cabinets have soft close doors and drawers?

A. At no extra cost all our cabinets are supplied with clip on soft close steel hinges so you can remove the doors for cleaning without undoing screws and potentially misaligning them when putting them back on. All our drawers are fitted with high quality soft-close drawer boxes and runners.  For more info, please click here

Q. How much will my kitchen cost?

A. The cost of your new kitchen is dependent on so many variables (e.g. size, number of units, worktop and appliances required – the list is never ending!)  However, a rule of thumb of 8% of a home’s value is often quoted by ‘design experts’ that people should spend on replacing a tired, worn out, out-of-date kitchen with a quality new one without overspending.  However, the true answer is spend what you can afford on the best you can get so that you only have to do it once! For more info, please click here

Q. How long will it take to install my new kitchen?

A.  It depends on the amount of work involved and the products you choose.  For example, granite worktops take a week to manufacture and Corian is two so a new kitchen can take between one and three weeks from beginning to end.  Because all our cabinets are supplied fully assembled the fitter isn’t wasting time building from flat pack or looking for missing components. We also endeavour to get the appliances working as soon as possible so that at least you can eat and clean and minimise disruption to your daily life

Q.  My kitchen’s quite small so I need to optimise the space available – how can you help?

A. Smaller kitchens need careful design so we routinely offer suggestions such as bespoke-sized wall cabinets, corner cabinets, deep drawers and organisers, hanging units, fitting wirework shelving to existing doors, full height larders, islands and trolleys, dividers and compartment storage and ‘magic corners’ to optimise the space you have available. For more info, please click here

Q. Do I have to arrange for the worktops to be fitted by a specialist supplier?

A. We don’t understand why some kitchen retailers don’t supply worktops – you can’t use your kitchen without them!  We arrange all installations as part of our project management service including templating of all worktops, any upstands and integrated splashbacks to ensure a perfect fit.  For more info, please click here

Q. What choice of worktops do you have?

A.  We offer a full range of laminates, solid woods, solid surface, granite, quartz and Corian™ in just about every colour, design, style, texture and thickness and budget you might be considering. For more info, please click here

Q. Do you offer a guarantee?

A. Yes, we do.  For your peace of mind, our guarantee ensures that your kitchen will remain structurally sound when exposed to high temperatures, water splashes and heavy loads and normal everyday use. It covers any defects in the materials and any construction flaws to all of the items you would expect including carcasses, hinges, drawers, drawer dampers, plinths, legs, and worktops provided they are cared for in line with our ‘caring for your new kitchen’ guide.  For more info, please click here

Q. What happens to my old kitchen?

A. We remove it so you don’t have to make countless trips to the recycling centre!  Typically, every old kitchen will have wood, electrical, paper, glass and even batteries that need to be removed. We work with contractors with sound environmental principles and policies and a positive attitude towards waste management, thereby minimising the amount sent to landfill.  They have to comply with all existing legislation and regulations but we also want them to comply with the spirit of these too by actively sorting your old kitchen to determine what may be reused or recycled and ask that they’re able to confirm a minimum 80% of the total waste they collect is reused or recycled. For more info, please click here

Q. Do you offer a supply only service?

A. We do.  We can design and supply only or work to a design produced elsewhere.  For non-trade customers we always insist on measuring the room ourselves to ensure the  measurements others have taken are 100% accurate otherwise we cannot guarantee a perfect fit (or if it will fit at all!) For more info, please click here

Q. Do the cabinets match the doors?

A. All our cabinets, inside and out, are colour matched as close as possible to the finish of the doors you choose meaning, for example, no white or cream interiors with wood-grained doors or unfinished looking end panels that you often have to compromise for. For more info, please click here

Q. Do I need to buy special pans for an induction hob?

A.  Induction hobs use electromagnetism to heat the pans and not the surface of your cooker, making them safer to use.  You can test your existing pans by seeing if a magnet will stick to the bottom of them!  If it does then they’ll be OK to use on an induction hob.  Occasionally, appliance manufacturers will offer free pans with induction hobs but, if not, we can provide the appliance manufacturer’s recommended pans

Q.  Are your kitchens manufactured in the UK?

A.  Absolutely!  We’re proud to source 90% of our supplies and services from within the UK. This not only allows us to be competitive but, by supporting other businesses in our region and the UK, we’re also helping you and us do our bit for the economy and the environment.  For more info, please click here

For more information about Nicholas Hythe Kitchen Design Studio please go to www.nicholashythe.co.uk or telephone 01480 468598 or email us at info@nicholashythe.co.uk

For hundreds of pictures of kitchens we’ve installed for delighted clients please go to www.facebook.com/NicholasHytheKitchenDesignStudio