Kitchen fitters move out

It's the only part of the redevelopment we're project managing ourselves and it has put us off this stuff for life. Big time! From the start, last Tuesday, there has been a string of issues to resolve, including a big discussion about who should wire up the appliances. Is this the responsibility of the kitchen fitter’s sub-contracted sparkie, or does it end up with the electricians on the main project? In the overall scheme of things, the value of this work is peanuts, but if a discussion can be had, let's have it! The fitters wanted nothing to do with it and neither did the main contractor. As it turned out, it was the responsibility of the latter. If they'd read the contract, we could have saved ourselves a lot of time and grief over something pretty trivial.

In the meantime, we've had to play go-betweens, which would have made the most hardened diplomat proud. There is a quantum leap between the kitchen design stage and the actual fitting, which was conclusively proven when the fitter was asked by the designer to create something which frankly defied gravity and logic. However, after a bit of design input and a dose of common sense, we had a solution.

The result is a clean, linear, contemporary kitchen, which works wonders with the former lounge. There is still a lot of work to take place in this room, including the wrapping-up of the electrical work, a bit of snagging - including a missing cupboard door – and general finishing touches, including a new smooth ceiling.