Kitchen Units Assembled and Fitted — Handyman Scope, Clearly Explained in Dudley

What this service actually covers

A new kitchen arrives as a stack of flat pack carcasses, doors, plinths and panels, and someone has to turn them into a kitchen. What we do is the assembly and fitting of that furniture within handyman scope: building carcasses, levelling and fixing them in place, fitting doors, drawers, plinths, end panels and cornices, and adjusting hinges and runners until everything lines up. What we do not do is the work of other trades — no plumbing connections, no electrical or gas work, and not a full kitchen installation with worktop templating and services. If your project needs those, we are a useful part of it, not a substitute for it.

How the work runs on site

Kitchen fitting is a levelling discipline. The base run is set out from a datum line, carcasses are levelled front-to-back and side-to-side on their adjustable legs, and adjoining units are aligned and joined so the run reads as one piece rather than a row of boxes. Wall units are fixed at the manufacturer's height with fixings suited to the wall we actually find — solid masonry and plasterboard differ, and we assess before drilling rather than after. Doors and drawers go on last, adjusted until the gaps are consistent along the whole run, then plinths and trims finish the job.

Where our limits sit

We are honest about scope because kitchen projects mix trades. Appliances are not connected by us: a washing machine or dishwasher needs plumbing, an oven or hob needs electrical or gas work, and those belong to the appropriate trades. We do not cut worktops for hobs or sinks as standard, and we do not touch existing services. What we can do is coordinate sensibly — fit the furniture so it is ready for the trades that follow, work alongside your plumber's or electrician's schedule where that helps, and tell you plainly when a task is outside what a handyman should do. That clarity saves arguments later.

Preparing for a kitchen visit

Clear the room and the route in, and keep the cartons near the kitchen — they are heavy and plentiful. Have the manufacturer's plans and instructions available, and know which cartons are which; mislabelled boxes cause most on-site delays. Tell us about anything unusual: uneven floors, out-of-plumb walls, boxed-in pipes, and where services will run, so the carcasses we fix are positioned for them. If parts are missing or damaged, flag it early — kitchen orders are big and replacements take time to arrive.

Decisions to make before we start

Kitchen jobs go best when the small decisions are settled before the carcasses are fixed: the layout per the manufacturer's plan, which carcass sits where in the run, where end panels and cornices go, and — importantly — handle positions, because many kitchen doors arrive undrilled and handles often need to be supplied separately. Confirm the handle layout before we fit the doors, since moving drilled holes is not a fix we can undo. We will run through these decisions with you on site before anything permanent happens, and follow the plan you approve.

Decisions to make before we start

Kitchen jobs go best when the small decisions are settled before the carcasses are fixed: the layout per the manufacturer's plan, which carcass sits where in the run, where end panels and cornices go, and — importantly — handle positions, because many kitchen doors arrive undrilled and handles often need to be supplied separately. Confirm the handle layout before we fit the doors, since moving drilled holes is not a fix we can undo. We will run through these decisions with you on site before anything permanent happens, and follow the plan you approve.

Booking and cost

Kitchen work is quoted by scope: how many units, the room's condition and how much adjustment the walls and floor need, so tell us as much as you can when you call. A booking fee is paid when you book, labour is charged hourly with the rate depending on how soon you need the visit, and the full cost is quoted for your approval before work starts. Same-day slots are not how kitchens work — this is planned work — but we can often move quickly once a date is agreed. We are fully insured across the West Midlands.