Kitchen electrical work depends on the final cabinet plan, appliance schedule, worktop positions, lighting design and programme of the other trades. Early information helps avoid sockets behind appliances, unsuitable circuit assumptions and late changes after finishes have been installed.
When to enquire
Define the scope
Kitchen requirements
Kitchens carry the heaviest sustained loads in a house, and a modern refit usually increases them: induction hobs, multiple ovens, dishwashers, washing machines and boiling-water taps all arrived after most existing kitchen circuits were designed. A separate socket circuit for the kitchen is common for that reason.
The positions matter as much as the capacity. Appliance isolation has to be reachable once the units are fitted, sockets have to clear the worktop and the splashback, and lighting has to be decided before the ceiling is closed. All of it has to be agreed against the kitchen plan before first fix.
A single built-in oven is often within the rating of a 13A plug — check the manufacturer figure. A hob, particularly induction at 7.4kW or more, usually needs a dedicated cooker circuit with suitable cable and protection. The rating plate decides this, not the appliance type.
Integrated appliances are fed from switched fused connection units, with the switch placed where it can be reached — above the worktop or as a grid panel — rather than behind the appliance you would need to move to reach it.
The most worthwhile addition, because it lights the worktop rather than your own shadow. Decide before the kitchen is fitted; the driver needs an accessible position for future replacement.
Extraction rates for kitchens fall under Part F of the Building Regulations. The hood is normally supplied from a switched fused connection unit sited away from directly above the hob.
Include the postcode, preferred timing and any useful existing information.