Kitchen FAQs | Buying a Kitchen in Milton Keynes | Lima Kitchens
Kitchen FAQs | Buying a Kitchen in Milton Keynes | Lima Kitchens
Honest answers to the questions worth asking before you buy a kitchen — budgets, timescales, guarantees and more. From Lima Kitchens, Milton Keynes.
Buying a new kitchen brings up a lot of questions, and you deserve straight answers to all of them. Below are the ones we’re asked most often, covering how to choose a company, how to think about budget, what actually happens during a project, and how your kitchen and your money are protected.
We’ve answered them honestly, the way we’d explain things sitting across the table from you, rather than telling you only what sounds good. Some of the answers are specific to how Lima Kitchens works; many apply to any company you’re considering, so they’re worth reading whoever you end up choosing. If your question isn’t here, get in touch — we’re always happy to talk it through.
- All
- Kitchen & Home Improvement Planning & Budget
- Design & Your Space
- The Process, Installation & After
- About Lima Kitchens?
Do you charge a design fee?
For most clients, the design service is free.
As an award-winning practice registered with the British Institute of Interior Design, we offer design expertise beyond the average kitchen team, and our free service is structured across three stages:
- A comprehensive consultation to understand you, your space and how you live.
- A design concept presentation, with detailed ballpark supply or project costs and 3D images.
- A design confirmation appointment, where we make tweaks, confirm your products, and provide a moodboard, updated 3D images and a revised quote.
At that third stage, you choose one of two paths.
You can place your deposit to proceed, which allows further design tweaks and confirmations up to two weeks before your technical survey.
Or, if you’d like more design work before committing fully, placing a deposit and booking your survey, you can pay a Design Development Fee of 2% of the project cost, or £1,000, whichever is greater.
There’s one further fee for larger projects. For ground-floor renovations and projects of three or more rooms, we charge an initial Scoping Fee of £500 to £1,000, which covers the detailed site assessment and preliminary multi-room planning that these projects need from the outset.
Every one of these fees is credited against your project. So for clients who proceed, the design and scoping work is never an additional cost, it simply comes off your final total. The fees exist to protect the time and expertise that proper design takes, and to reserve it for clients who are moving forward.
For more detail on our process and service please follow to our Kitchen and Interior Design & Installation Services
What guarantee and aftercare do I get?
Your kitchen is covered on two fronts: the products themselves, backed by their manufacturers, and our own installation.
The product guarantees vary by item, and as a general guide run as follows: appliances are typically covered for one to two years; furniture for six to ten years (styles do get discontinued, so exact matches aren’t always available beyond that point); and worksurfaces, flooring, hinges and drawer boxes for anywhere between ten and twenty-five years, depending on the product. On top of that, our installation of your furniture is guaranteed for two years.
Your deposit is also protected through QANW, an insurance-backed scheme, so if the business were ever unable to complete or honour its workmanship guarantee, an insurance policy is in place to cover putting things right. And beyond the formal guarantees, we’re here after completion in the same way we are during the project, so if something needs attention, you know who to call.
What happens after I pay my deposit?
What happens after I pay my deposit?
One question, several answers worth having.
How much can you still change, in design and in products? Is the deposit non-refundable, and from what point? Where are the terms written down, and are they given to you in writing rather than explained in passing? Ask what happens before your order goes to the manufacturer, who becomes your point of contact, and whether you can meet them first. And ask who runs the project day to day and how they’ll keep you updated. You want all of this in front of you before you commit, not after.
At Lima, our full terms sit at the foot of every email we send, so you always have them to hand. Your deposit is also protected through QANW, an insurance-backed scheme, so it’s covered even in the unlikely event the business could no longer complete your project.
Do you have your own fitters, or do you subcontract?
Both. We work with directly employed trade specialists alongside trusted subcontractors, and everyone who works on our installations is vetted.
Each must carry adequate insurance and release it to us annually for their work to continue, so the standards don’t slip over time.
During your installation we visit and oversee the work ourselves and carry out completion checks, so responsibility for the finished result sits with us rather than being passed between separate trades. We hold our installers to a high standard, and that’s an expectation they understand and sign up to.
We’re also here throughout. If you have questions, concerns, or you’re simply feeling overwhelmed at some point in the process, that’s completely normal and we understand it. You can always pick up the phone. And we back our work with a two-year warranty on all furniture installation.
Is it worth self-managing my kitchen project?
It can be, and for some people it’s the right choice. But it’s worth going in with clear eyes about what you’re taking on, because it’s a lot more than ordering units and booking a fitter.
Managing a kitchen project means coordinating trades in the right order, handling access and services, sequencing deliveries so nothing arrives too early or too late, solving the problems that inevitably come up mid-job, and carrying the risk if something doesn’t fit or doesn’t work. Most of that sits out of sight until you’re in the middle of it. The saving people imagine at the outset can shrink quickly once a delay, a mistake or a gap between trades has to be put right, and by then the responsibility is yours.
When you work with us, that coordination is part of the service. You have a single point of contact, a team who’ve done it many times, and the reassurance that the responsibility for it all coming together sits with us, not you. That’s not to say self-managing is wrong. It’s to say the real question isn’t whether you can, but whether the time, stress and risk are worth what you’d actually save. We’re always happy to talk that through honestly, whichever way you’re leaning.
How long does a new kitchen take?
It depends heavily on the scope of the work, so the honest answer is a range rather than a single figure.
As a guide, a more straightforward project takes around three and a half weeks. That covers removing the old kitchen, first-fix work such as electrics, plumbing and plastering, then installing the units and worktops. At the other end, a full reconfiguration takes up to four months, where we’re changing wall layouts, replacing flooring, decorating, and modifying heating and cooling as part of the project.
Most kitchens fall somewhere between the two, and the biggest factor is how much is changing beyond the kitchen itself. When we assess your space, we’ll give you a realistic timeline for your specific project, and we’ll be honest if something is likely to extend it, rather than quoting an optimistic date we can’t hold to.
Will I have to take the measurements of my kitchen?
No. We work either from architectural plans or from our own visit to the space, so the measurements the design relies on come from a professional source.
Some clients already have measurements, and you’re welcome to share them, but we rarely design from a client’s own measurements. Areas get missed, and there are too many variables in a room to work confidently from partial information. In almost all cases we’d rather start from architects’ drawings or see the space ourselves and get it right.
That’s because a proper assessment does far more than measure. We’re looking at access and services too, the things that quietly determine what’s actually possible in a room and can’t be captured with a tape measure. Layout and budget come after that, once we understand what we’re genuinely working with.
Can you work with an awkward, small, or period space?
Yes. In many ways it’s where we do our best work.
Difficult spaces are exactly where good design earns its place. A proper assessment looks at far more than measurements, taking in access, services and the quirks of the room, which matters most in spaces that don’t follow standard sizes, such as period properties, awkward layouts or small footprints. Because we design around your space rather than fitting you into a fixed range of standard units, we’re able to make the most of rooms that off-the-peg kitchens struggle with.
Period and listed properties bring their own considerations, and we’re experienced in working sensitively with older homes and alongside your own builder where structural work is involved. And a small kitchen isn’t a lesser one. Clever storage and considered planning often make a compact space work harder than a large one. If your room feels like a challenge, that’s a good reason to talk to us, not a reason to hold back.
What happens if I like a kitchen style but want a different colour?
Usually we can give you both, but how we get there is worth explaining, because it isn’t standard across the industry.
Our job at the consultation stage is to identify what actually matters to you, colour included, and then select a product that delivers it. So if you have a specific colour in mind, we work to find a range that accommodates it, rather than showing you a fixed palette and asking you to pick the nearest match. The requirement leads, and the product follows.
That’s a real difference. Many companies are tied to a single manufacturer or a fixed set of finishes, so your choice is limited to whatever they happen to offer. Because we work across a range of products, we’re able to start from what you want and choose accordingly.
There are still limits, and we’re upfront about them. Some ranges are made to order and can be matched to a specific paint reference. Others come in a set number of colours. If the exact shade you want isn’t achievable in a product that’s right for the rest of the kitchen, we’ll tell you why, and talk through the closest alternatives.
And colour never sits on its own. The same door can feel like a completely different kitchen depending on the worktop, the handles, the flooring and the light in the room, so we look at all of it together to make sure the finished result works as a whole.
Are Lima Kitchens out of my budget?
Probably not for the reason you might think, and it’s worth not ruling us out before we’ve spoken.
People often assume an independent, design-led studio will cost more than a national brand. Compared like for like, on a fitted kitchen of the same specification, we’re frequently competitive with the national companies, but with a higher spec, more flexibility and a genuinely personal service. The headline impression and the actual figure aren’t always the same thing.
We work across a range of products and budgets, and a good designer can do a great deal at different price points. As we explain in our budgeting answer above, the cost of a kitchen depends on far more than it first appears, and an early guess, in either direction, is usually just that. The honest way to find out whether we fit your budget is to have the conversation. If we’re genuinely not the right fit for what you want to invest, we’ll tell you plainly rather than waste your time.
How much value does a new kitchen add to my home?
A well-designed kitchen is one of the best investments you can make in your home, which is worth remembering when the figure feels daunting.
As a rough guide, clients regularly spend around 7 to 9 percent of their property value on the kitchen itself, meaning units, worktops, appliances, sinks, taps and installation, and typically add in the region of 10 percent to the value of their home. If you’re undertaking a major reconfiguration or an extension, both the spend and the uplift tend to increase.
It’s worth bearing in mind what sits inside that percentage. The 7 to 9 percent often doesn’t include extras such as lighting, flooring, decorating, or new internal or external doors and windows. Those add to the total, but they also add to the finished result and to how the whole space presents against your home’s value. As with any budget question, the real figures depend on your property and your project, and we’re always happy to talk them through honestly.
How do I work out a budget?
It’s the question everyone wants answered first, and the honest truth is that a kitchen budget isn’t a number you can look up or easily arrive at on your own.
Most people have no real visibility of what makes up the cost of a kitchen, and there’s no reason they should. The price reflects materials, appliances, the trades involved, insurance, project management and the time it all takes, most of which sits out of sight. So when clients arrive with a figure in mind, it’s usually a guess, often anchored to a high-street price or something a friend mentioned, rather than to what their actual project involves.
It’s also not as simple as more work costing more, and it often depends on what you were going to do anyway. Relocating a sink or reworking a layout to improve access or make better use of the space doesn’t always change the overall total, because cost is spread across the whole project and a change in one place is often absorbed rather than added on top. Removing a wall is another good example. If you were already going to redecorate and refloor the room next door, the real cost of opening it up is small, because most of that work was in your plans regardless. It only looks expensive if the whole cost of finishing that second room gets loaded onto the kitchen. Part of our job is understanding where the true cost of a change actually sits, and where it doesn’t.
That’s why we don’t give firm figures before we’ve assessed the space. A number given too early is either a guess or a hostage to fortune. What we can do, once we’ve seen what we’re working with, is give you a clear and realistic figure and talk you through exactly what’s driving it, so you understand where your money is going rather than just what the total is.
The most useful thing you can bring to the conversation isn’t a precise budget. It’s an open mind and a rough sense of what you’re comfortable investing. From there, we can steer you toward the products and approach that make the most of it.
Prefer to listen? We go deeper on budgeting in two episodes of The Home Improvement Podcast:
- Home Improvement and Kitchen Budgeting — Apple Podcasts | Spotify
- Kitchen Designer Reveals: Real Cost Saving Tips vs Common Misconceptions — Apple Podcasts | Spotify
What are the top five questions I should ask when buying a new kitchen?
Every project is different, but these five questions tell you most of what you need to know about the company you’re considering and whether they’re right for you.
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What is your design process, and do you charge for it?
Understand this from the start so there are no surprises: no unexpected costs, no stalls you didn’t see coming. It varies from company to company. Don’t be put off by a design fee. A company that charges isn’t automatically more expensive than one that doesn’t. Often it reflects the level of design work involved.
At Lima, we charge a design fee that’s credited back to you when your project proceeds. We tell you what it is before any work begins.
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What services do you offer?
Listen to how they answer. Do they explain their whole service, or hold detail back? Do they offer one fixed approach, or adapt to what you need? Do they ask what you’re looking for before telling you what they do? The answer tells you how they’ll communicate for the length of your project.
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How flexible are your products and services?
This reveals how the company actually works. Are they fitting you into stock products with fixed solutions, or do they customise? If they offer bespoke, ask where the limits are, and whether everything in your design is bespoke or only part of it. If you have your own builder, ask how they’ll work alongside them. Will they manage that relationship or do you? What do they need from you and your team to do their best work?
At Lima, we’re happy to work alongside your own builder, and we’ll tell you exactly what we need from them and when.
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What happens after I pay my deposit?
One question, several answers worth having. How much can you still change, in design and in products? Is the deposit non-refundable, and from what point? Where are the terms written down, and are they given to you in writing rather than explained in passing? Ask what happens before your order goes to the manufacturer, who becomes your point of contact, and whether you can meet them first. And ask who runs the project day to day and how they’ll keep you updated. You want all of this in front of you before you commit, not after.
At Lima, our full terms sit at the foot of every email we send, so you always have them to hand.
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What are your payment terms?
This varies. Some companies ask for materials and installation in full up front. Others stage payments, or hold a portion back until completion. There’s no right or wrong. What matters is understanding the terms before you start and sticking to them. Every business relies on these terms being met, and changing them mid-project can cause problems, because their whole model is built around them.
Bonus question worth asking: Who is actually designing my kitchen, and what are they accountable to?
Everyone selling you a kitchen needs the order, us included. That’s not something to be wary of; it’s how any design business keeps its people in work. What matters is what sits alongside that. Ask whether the person designing your kitchen is a qualified, registered designer, because registration means they’re accountable to professional standards, not only to the sale. Good design and a signed order aren’t in conflict. You just want to know both are in the room.
Lima is the only BIID-registered kitchen design practice in Milton Keynes.
What does it mean to be a BIID-registered design practice?
The BIID is the British Institute of Interior Design, the only professional body for interior designers in the UK.
There’s no legal protection around the words “interior designer” or “kitchen designer” in this country, so anyone can use them. BIID registration is the closest thing the industry has to a recognised professional standard, which is why it’s worth understanding.
There are two parts to it. The first is individual. To become a BIID Registered Interior Designer, a designer needs at least six years of combined training and experience, has to hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and has to pass a face-to-face assessment where they present a complete project and are examined on how they took the brief, developed the design, handled building regulations, managed the site and met their professional obligations. It isn’t a certificate you buy. It’s assessed, and it can be refused.
The second part is the practice. A registered designer can extend their registration across their studio, so the whole team works to the same standards rather than the credential sitting with one person.
Registration also isn’t a one-off. Members have to complete and record at least 20 hours of continuing professional development every year, and abide by the BIID Code of Conduct, to stay registered.
For you, it means a few practical things. The person designing your kitchen has proven experience, carries the right insurance, is accountable to a national code of conduct, and keeps their knowledge current. If something ever went wrong, there’s a professional standard behind the work, not just a company promising it does a good job.
Lima is the only BIID-registered kitchen design practice in Milton Keynes.
How do I choose a kitchen company, and what should I look for?
Take your time, and don’t judge on price alone.
A kitchen is a significant investment and one you’ll live with for fifteen to twenty years, so the company you choose matters as much as the kitchen itself.
The most useful thing you can do is ask every company you consider the same set of questions and compare how they answer. We’ve set those out in full below, in our answer on the top five questions to ask, but in short: understand their design process and whether they charge for it; ask what’s genuinely included in the price and what’s extra; find out whether they design around you or fit you into a fixed range; ask who actually installs the kitchen and who’s accountable if something goes wrong; and make sure you understand the payment terms before you commit.
How a company answers those questions tells you how they’ll work with you for the length of your project. Look too for real reviews, examples of completed work rather than showroom displays, and a company that gives you time to decide rather than pressing you to sign today. And be wary of anyone whose price is always “on sale” or who can’t tell you plainly what their kitchens are made of.
Where should I buy a kitchen in Milton Keynes?
There’s no single right answer, and you should look at a few options before you decide.
What matters is finding a company whose approach, products and way of working suit you, which is exactly what the questions elsewhere on this page are designed to help you work out.
What we’d say is this: decide early whether you want a design-led, independent studio or a national showroom. They’re different experiences. With a national brand you’re usually choosing from a fixed range and dealing with a larger, more transactional process. With an independent like Lima, you’re working directly with the people designing and delivering your kitchen, with more flexibility in products and a more personal service from start to finish.
Lima Kitchens has been designing and installing kitchens in Milton Keynes since 2006. We’re independent, award-winning, and we offer a free comprehensive design service within a 20-mile radius of our Milton Keynes showroom. The best way to find out whether we’re right for you is to come and meet us, see the quality in person, and have an honest conversation about your project. There’s no obligation in that first visit, and even if you decide we’re not the right fit, you’ll leave knowing far more about what to look for.
Who are Lima Kitchens Milton Keynes?
Lima Kitchens is an independent, award-winning kitchen design and installation company based in Milton Keynes.
We were founded in 2006 by Matt Lawson and Elizabeth Pantling-Jones, and we’ve been designing and fitting kitchens across Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire ever since.
We’re a design and service led studio, not a showroom chain. That means we handle the whole process ourselves, from the first conversation through design, supply and installation, working with a trusted network of local trades we’ve built relationships with over the years. We supply British-made kitchens, including as exclusive retailers of Kitchen Makers, alongside the German range Next125, and we specialise in Neff, Siemens and Gaggenau appliances.
Being independent and locally run matters to how we work. We use local businesses and trades wherever we can, we answer to our clients rather than to a national head office, and much of our work comes from people who were referred to us by someone we’ve worked with before. If you want to know more about how we think about design, budgets and the renovation process, that’s also what our podcast, The Home Improvement Podcast, is for.
Contact Us
Showroom Details
11 Darin Court
Crownhill Industry
Milton Keynes
MK8 0AD
Tel: 01908 261126
Monday – Friday: 10:00 – 16:45
Saturdays: 10:00 – 16:00
Sundays and Bank Holiday weekends: Closed
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