Even if you have decided to buy replacement kitchen doors for your new kitchen, you may still feel uncomfortable about installing them yourself. In most cases the installation is very easy, however if you are putting in new worktops, plinths, end panels, new handles and even some new appliances, you may feel that you need the help of an expert.

This is the point where many people abandon the project altogether. Finding someone you trust and who will do a good job at a reasonable cost is hard. Great tradesmen are often booked up months in advance and that is if you can actually find one which is recommended in your area. Poor tradesmen are a dime a dozen and it is all too easy to fall into their clutches just because you want the work done quickly.

A new look kitchen will help with selling your property
The difference between a good kitchen and a great one is the fitting

Follow these few tips to ensure you find the best money can buy and get your kitchen doors installed by someone who will take care to get the results you dream of.

Think ahead

Bear in mind that tradesmen who have great reputations are usually booked up at least three months in advance. If they are not – you should ask why. That said, if your job is relatively small (adding new doors to your kitchen should only take a day or two) your tradesman may be able to fit you into an off day here and there. Don't give up at this first hurdle as they may be able to squeeze you in. Otherwise – be prepared to wait.

Talk to people

Try to find friends or family who have had a kitchen installed recently and go around to see it. Check the small things, like are the doors all sitting even, do all the handles match, are the small things taken care of? What are the worktop joins like and are the end panels and plinths finished off correctly? It is these small details which will set your kitchen apart.

Go local

If you cannot get a recommendation, you should choose a few tradesmen from your local area. There are a number of factors you should think about before you invite them for a quote.

  • Have they advertised in your area for a long time – are they well established?
  • Do they have a landline number for your area?
  • Do they have a website where their work is pictured?
  • Do they live locally and do you know their home address?

Try looking them up online to see if there have been any county court judgments or complaints about them. Choose at least three tradesmen for quotes.

Follow up all quotes

Get references from your tradesmen and arrange to visit examples of their work. They should be more than happy to provide these if they are proud of their work and got on with their clients. If not – walk away.

Cheapest is not always the best

Even for a small job, you should consider going for a middle range quote rather than the cheapest. These tradesmen know their own worth and they are not desperate for the work. The highest quote may simply be a chancer who is quoting high so you will refuse. They don't really want to do the work. Fitting kitchen cabinet doors may be an easy job for a professional – but they should still quote realistically.

If you have followed all of these steps, you should now have your tradesman ready to go. All you need to do now is find the kitchen doors you love and order them in time for your tradesman to fit them perfectly.