Kitchens

The first point of contact us usually our showroom at our Cairntradlin Workshop. Potential clients can see  several fully-fitted and freestanding kitchen displays as well as examples of some of the different materials and construction styles we work with.

We like to give visitors to our showroom a guided tour of our workshop; to view what we're currently working on and to see the Lethenty team in action.

We also need to hear from you – we’ll be keen to hear your thoughts on your existing kitchen and your plans for the future.

We spend some time to explain the process of commissioning a bespoke Lethenty kitchen and we’ll also discuss the likely timescale and the range of possible costs.

Principal designer Graeme Winram will meet with potential clients in their own home for an on-site kitchen consultation and survey.

We want to see first-hand how the customer uses their existing kitchen and how it relates to the rest of the house and the family that use it. We’ll consider the current layout and what should be changed in order to improve the function, the aesthetics and the ergonomics of the space.

To do this effectively, we need to be good listeners. We need to know how you like to cook, where you like to eat and which way the sun shines on a summer evening. Are there kids doing homework on the kitchen table? Where do you like to sit to share a coffee with friends? Where does the dog sleep? One client needed a large clear worktop space on the central island for dressmaking, another needed a small home office incorporated into the kitchen design. We need to pay attention to every detail.

And every customer is quite different. Some want us to design a very cool and sophisticated workspace, others want durable practicality. Some may want a very organic design – full of natural curves and wild grained timber while others need a design that compliments the traditional integrity of a period home. Our job at this stage is to listen carefully so we can arrive at a design that works well for the individual client. Some customers have very fixed design ideas, others are less certain and want to hear our suggestions.

During the site visit we will carefully survey every part of the area, discuss lighting, flooring, choice of materials etc. We will also pay close attention to the architecture of the house. Whether it is a new build, a conversion, an extension or an existing house, we’ll consider the architectural features; the height of the ceilings, the style of the windows and doors, the flooring, the direction of the best natural daylight, etc. We want to design a kitchen that works in harmony with your home.

Following the site visit, we will produce scale drawings of the proposed design and prepare a detailed quotation. This quote will normally list several design options with a range of costs included.

We will also provide separate costs for the different parts of the kitchen – the central island, worktops, appliances etc. At this point, neither the design or the costs are “set in stone.” They can simply act as a starting point for further discussion. At this stage, we will often need to prepare a revised version of the design with an updated quotation. 

Once the customers have our full quotation and have decided to proceed, a deposit (normally around 10% of the total charge) will progress the project to the stage where we can officially add it to our workshop schedule.

Our workshop team are usually working on two projects at once with several more in the pipeline. This is effectively a queue of work and can vary between two and eight months long. 

Once we begin work on your kitchen, the construction phase can take between 4-8 weeks. We build everything in our Cairntradlin Workshop and customers are most welcome to visit at any time to view progress.

We will build the cabinets, make and hang doors, fit drawers, plinth and cornice. Once the whole kitchen is fully assembled, we invite all clients for a final visit before any paint or varnish is applied. That way, we can be sure that they’re happy with the design prior to finishing and installation.

Please note: Depending on the size of the kitchen project, we may ask for stage payments throughout the construction process, with the final payment due following installation.

Installing a bespoke kitchen requires very careful planning and good project management — particularly as we often have to schedule our work around other work being carried out in the home. We are often asked to recommend and organise other trades — plumbers, electricians, decorators etc. We prepare a detailed kitchen installation schedule and liaise with all involved to coordinate the work and to ensure a smooth process. 

For an example of a recent kitchen installation schedule — click here.

Installing a kitchen will normally take several days, and for larger jobs, we may fit the kitchen in two phases — the main kitchen cabinets first with the central island and larder cupboard installed afterwards.

We do not subcontract the kitchen installation work - this will be carried out safely, professionally and to a very high standard by the same craftsmen who build your kitchen. 

We realise that having your home invaded by tradesmen and living without your kitchen for a few days can be quite disruptive. We make every effort to minimize the inconvenience. Simple things like being properly organized, clean and tidy on site, laying protective blankets on vulnerable flooring and remaining friendly and courteous are far more important than most other tradesmen realize. We’ve found that the most important factor for a smooth kitchen installation is good communication; both with the clients and with the other tradesmen involved.

Our cabinetmakers are polite, friendly and communicate well. We keep our promises and we will respect you and your home.

Once the kitchen is fully installed, we will carry out a thorough post-installation survey. We check every aspect of the newly fitted kitchen — including making sure that every door hangs properly on its hinges, the gap between every drawer is even, the plinth is tightly scribed to the floor and every handle is correctly aligned. This is what a Lethenty Cabinetmakers kitchen is all about – we take the time to do it right.

At this stage, final payment is taken and the bespoke kitchen design process draws to a close. We do, however, always welcome customers to contact us with any queries about their kitchen in the months that follow — we're always happy to help.