Kitchen Electrics for a London Renovation

/ 01

Start with the finished kitchen

Imagine an ordinary morning in the completed room. Where will the kettle stand? Can two people prepare food without trailing leads across a walkway? Will the coffee machine live on the worktop or inside a cabinet? Where will someone switch off a faulty integrated appliance?

Those questions turn a list of sockets into a useful layout.

Give the electrician the kitchen floor plan and the cabinet elevations, including the island, worktop heights, splashbacks, tall housings and any concealed appliance cupboards. Show furniture that affects access, such as a dining table or breakfast-bar seating.

Then add an appliance schedule. Each fixed appliance needs its own entry, with the exact model and installation instructions when available. Ask the electrician to confirm its electrical load and connection requirements from that information. If a choice is unresolved, mark it as unresolved rather than using an old appliance as a placeholder.

Swipe or scroll sideways to view the full table →

Use the same references on the drawing and in the schedule. A change to K01 should be visible to the electrician, kitchen supplier and fitter, not buried in a separate email.

A wider appliance list may include a microwave, warming drawer, wine cooler, washing machine, tumble dryer or waste-disposal unit. Record the equipment you actually intend to install.

/ 02

Do you need a kitchen rewire or a new consumer unit?

A new kitchen does not automatically require a full rewire or a replacement consumer unit.

It does require the proposed changes to be assessed against the installation that will supply them. The electrician needs to establish which circuits serve the room, their condition, the available capacity, protection, earthing and bonding, and whether suitable cable routes are practical.

A spare space in the consumer unit is not, by itself, proof that another circuit can be added. Equipment compatibility and the loading of the assembly also matter. The IET highlights the need to verify suitable components with the consumer-unit manufacturer. IET guidance on component compatibility.

The resulting scope might be alterations to suitable existing circuits, new circuits serving selected equipment, a kitchen rewire, or work extending beyond the kitchen.

Room boundaries do not necessarily match circuit boundaries. A socket in the next room may share a circuit with the kitchen, so the effect of alterations can extend beyond the area being refurbished.

For a fuller explanation, see our guide to consumer unit replacement, partial rewiring and full rewiring.

The right decision follows the evidence and the planned use of the home. An older installation is not automatically unsafe simply because a newer edition of the Wiring Regulations exists. IET guidance on existing installations.

/ 03

Induction hobs and ovens: check the supply before buying

Changing from gas to induction is a common point at which the electrical scope changes.

The small electrical connection serving ignition on a gas hob is not evidence that the same supply can run a new induction hob. The proposed appliance, its instructions and the existing installation must be considered together. AEG's hob installation guidance identifies the electrical supply and appliance load as checks to make before installation.

Some induction models offer a manufacturer-approved power-limiting setting. That can affect the supply needed and how much cooking power is available simultaneously. It is not permission to connect any hob to any convenient socket, and it may not provide the cooking performance the household expects. The AEG NCH74B01AB instructions, for example, describe both an adjustable power limit and the sharing of available power between cooking zones.

Before purchase, establish whether the selected model can operate as intended on the proposed supply. If the installation depends on a particular power limit, that setting and its practical consequences should be agreed and recorded.

An existing cooker circuit may be reusable, but that is a design decision. It is not settled by the previous appliance working satisfactorily or by a cable size quoted on an online forum.

Apply the same care to ovens. A single oven, two separate ovens and a combined oven-and-microwave arrangement can have different connection requirements. Do not assume a new appliance is plug-in, or that every device must automatically have its own circuit. The design should reflect the actual products and expected use. AEG's oven preparation advice also highlights checking the new appliance's electrical load before purchase.

Where gas equipment is being removed, arrange the gas work through an appropriately qualified Gas Safe registered engineer. Coordinate that attendance with the electrical and kitchen-fitting programme. Gas Safe Register guidance.

/ 04

Kitchen sockets: plan positions and future access

Worktop sockets should follow the way the room will be used, including preparation areas, everyday small appliances and places where temporary equipment is likely to stand.

A neat row of outlets is not necessarily a good plan if they finish behind a toaster, conflict with a splashback joint or leave an island dependent on a lead stretched across the room.

Think about permanent equipment separately from occasional use. A coffee station, for example, may need its own considered arrangement rather than consuming every outlet intended for food preparation.

Positioning must also account for water, heat and the relevant installation requirements. Electrical Safety First recommends at least 300 mm horizontal separation from a sink where possible. This is guidance to inform the layout, not a universal kitchen zoning rule or proof that every position beyond that distance is suitable. Electrical Safety First kitchen advice.

Integrated equipment creates another issue: access. Connections, switches and any required means of isolation must be considered in relation to the finished cupboards and appliance housings.

Agree a suitable arrangement with the electrician before the cabinetry is manufactured. Do not assume that every appliance needs an identical switch on the splashback, or that a connection hidden behind a fitted appliance provides satisfactory access.

Check door swings, drawers and appliance depth against the electrical drawing. Small clashes become expensive when the only available correction involves a finished cabinet or worktop.

/ 05

Kitchen island electrics: resolve the routes before closing the floor

An island combines several decisions in a small area. It may contain cooking equipment, extraction, sockets, lighting controls, a dishwasher, a sink or seating.

The electrician needs the final position and cabinet construction early enough to agree cable routes. If the floor is being rebuilt, those routes must be coordinated with insulation, heating, plumbing, structural constraints and the finished floor level.

A venting hob needs particular attention. The electrical supply is only one part of its installation: the appliance and any ductwork, filters or air-return provisions occupy space within or below the furniture. Check the selected manufacturer's arrangement before committing to drawers or storage. The Bosch PVQ731H26E planning information illustrates why air routes and service access are model-specific.

Recirculating extraction should not simply be assumed to replace the ventilation required for the room. The appropriate solution depends on the ventilation design and the work being undertaken. A recirculating hood alone does not extract kitchen air outdoors; nor does every refurbishment automatically require a new extractor. Approved Document F guidance for homes in England.

Where UFH is included, agree the island footprint and service routes as part of the floor design. For electric systems, fixed-unit exclusions and installation restrictions must follow the specific product instructions; a rule for one heating mat is not a universal rule for every system. Island fixings must also be coordinated so they do not damage concealed heating. The Warmup StickyMat installation manual provides one product-specific example of these planning requirements.

Our guide to retrofitting underfloor heating during a renovation explains the wider implications for floor construction and finished levels.

/ 06

Kitchen lighting: plan fittings, switching and dimming together

Start with what each area needs to do.

Task lighting should help people work at the sink, hob and preparation surfaces. General lighting should make the room comfortable to move around. Pendants, cabinet lighting or other feature lighting can support dining and a quieter evening setting.

The electrical plan should show how those elements are controlled, not just where the fittings appear.

An open-plan kitchen may benefit from being able to leave a small amount of useful light on without illuminating the whole room. That requires the switching and control arrangement to be considered before wiring is installed.

For LED systems, compatibility matters across the complete combination of light source, driver and dimmer. A product described as dimmable is not automatically compatible with every control. Confirm the proposed combination and its operating limits rather than discovering flicker, noise or poor low-level performance after fitting. Varilight's LED dimming guidance explains why the selected lamp, driver and control matter.

Drivers and other serviceable components also need suitable locations. A concealed position should not become a permanently inaccessible position behind finished joinery.

Ask who supplies the fittings, who confirms compatibility and who is responsible for any specialist configuration. Choosing decorative fittings late can affect mounting positions, recess depths, drivers and the work already completed.

/ 07

Coordinate the spaces shared by different trades

A cupboard beneath a boiling-water tap may need to accommodate its tank, filter, electrical connection, water services and future maintenance access. Additional chilled or sparkling-water equipment can introduce further space, power and ventilation requirements. Check the complete selected system: the Quooker CUBE installation guide, for instance, covers an additional module, not the boiling-water tank alone.

An island might combine power, extraction and drainage. Neither arrangement works well if every trade plans only its own component.

The coordination should identify both physical space and responsibility.

Swipe or scroll sideways to view the full table →

Agree the actual division of work for the project rather than assuming this table defines everyone's contract.

PEP's electrical, plumbing and heating services allow these interfaces to be coordinated within one programme where we are appointed for the relevant work. Other specialists may still retain responsibility for their designs or systems.

The published Notting Hill building-services project illustrates our wider coordination work. It is a whole-property installation example, rather than a standalone kitchen case study.

/ 08

Agree decisions at three points in the programme

A kitchen renovation rarely consists of one uninterrupted electrical visit. First fix, finishes, cabinetry, connections and commissioning depend on one another.

Swipe or scroll sideways to view the full table →

These are coordination points, not a fixed construction timetable. Some projects require additional visits or staged decisions.

At first fix, the electrical work prepares the routes, wiring and connection positions required by the agreed design. Those positions should be checked against the current kitchen drawings before the relevant areas are covered.

Second fix includes fitting and connecting the appropriate finished components as the room becomes ready. Final connections may depend on worktops, appliances or specialist equipment being installed. Inspection and testing are part of the work, not an optional appointment after everyone has left.

Useful records include the agreed drawing revision, photographs of routes before concealment, product information and any changes authorised during construction.

If a cabinet, appliance or island moves, tell the electrician before the change is carried out. A revised kitchen drawing needs a corresponding review of the electrical plan.

/ 09

Kitchen electrical costs: compare what the quotation includes

There is no reliable single price for kitchen electrical work in London without knowing what is being installed and what can remain.

Three kitchens of a similar size may require very different amounts of work:

• A retained layout: selected alterations may be possible where the existing circuits are suitable and equipment requirements are compatible.
• A new island and induction hob: the scope may include new supply routes, floor coordination, changed lighting and assessment of the home's electrical capacity.
• A kitchen within a larger extension: the installation must connect the new area with the retained property, with responsibility for distribution, controls and other services agreed.

These are planning examples, not completed PEP projects or fixed-price packages.

The quotation should identify the assessed scope, materials, labour, testing and documentation. It should also explain how hidden conditions or later design changes will be handled.

When comparing offers, ask whether each includes:

• new circuits, alterations and any consumer-unit work;
• cables, accessories, protective devices and lighting components;
• fitting equipment supplied by the homeowner;
• opening up, protection, waste removal and making good;
• electrical connections for heating, extraction and other fixed equipment;
• inspection, testing, certification and any applicable notification;
• VAT, exclusions and the number or basis of planned attendances.

The finish specification matters too. Standard accessories, decorative fittings and specialist lighting controls do not represent the same supply cost or installation work.

A price described as a kitchen rewire may exclude the new consumer unit, fittings, plaster repairs or additional circuits you assumed were included. Compare the written scope before comparing the total.

Where a wider change is justified, PEP can explain the relationship to full and partial rewiring in London or a consumer unit replacement.

/ 10

Allow for the realities of London properties

A kitchen in a mansion-block flat has different access questions from a rear extension to a terraced house.

In flats, establish which equipment and routes belong to the individual dwelling and which involve communal areas. Check the lease and any required written consent before planning changes to wiring routes, ventilation openings or shared spaces. Building Regulations approval does not replace consent required by the lease. LEASE guidance on alterations. Delivery arrangements, permitted working hours and access for isolation can affect the programme.

In period properties, identify the finishes and fabric that need protection. Original floors, plasterwork and joinery may influence the route available for services. Listed-building consent may be required where work would affect the building's special character; seek advice before intrusive alterations rather than assuming that internal work is exempt. Historic England guidance on installing services.

An occupied home also needs a practical plan for interruptions. Discuss access to the kitchen, periods without particular circuits, the availability of cooking facilities and whether temporary arrangements are needed. They must be agreed safely, not improvised around an unfinished installation.

PEP undertakes planned work across Central, West and North West London, including Notting Hill, Chiswick, Kensington, Chelsea, Hampstead, Maida Vale and St John's Wood. The scope still follows the actual property, not an assumption based on its postcode.

/ 11

Part P and kitchen electrics: notification and certificates

For homes in England, a kitchen is not automatically a special location for Part P notification simply because it contains a sink.

Installing a new circuit or replacing a consumer unit is notifiable work. Certain additions or alterations within defined special locations are also notifiable. Altering an existing circuit in an ordinary kitchen does not become notifiable solely because it is kitchen work.

Non-notifiable does not mean exempt from electrical safety requirements. The work still needs appropriate design, installation, inspection and testing. The rules elsewhere in the UK differ, so advice written for another jurisdiction should not be applied uncritically to a London project. Government guidance on Part P.

Agree the notification route before work starts. For notifiable work undertaken within a registered installer's scheme scope, the installer can normally arrange notification through that scheme.

The electrical certificate and Building Regulations compliance documentation serve different purposes. New circuits and consumer-unit replacements require an Electrical Installation Certificate with the relevant schedules. A Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate may be appropriate for qualifying additions or alterations that do not introduce a new circuit. The IET provides the relevant Electrical Installation Certificate and Minor Works certificate forms and scope notes. Where notification applies, keep the separate compliance documentation too.

/ 12

Make handover part of the job

A completed kitchen should be understandable as well as attractive.

Ask for the applicable certificates and test information, an accurate circuit schedule, equipment instructions and an explanation of the controls. Any agreed hob power limit, specialist lighting settings or service-access locations should be included in the handover information.

Check that appliance access remains practical after the furniture is finished. Establish how to operate the relevant switches, which controls serve each lighting group and who to contact if a product or installation problem arises.

Where other contractors have supplied or commissioned equipment, make sure their information is included in the overall project handover rather than assuming the electrician holds every manual and warranty.