Guides
Costs, timings and honest comparisons
Everything below is written from jobs we have actually priced and fitted across Hertfordshire and Essex. No sales pitch, just the numbers and the reasoning behind them.
How much does a new kitchen cost in Hertfordshire and Essex?
Real price bands for a full kitchen, and where the money actually goes.
Read the guideHow long does it take to fit a new kitchen?
A day by day plan, including the gap while a stone worktop is made.
Read the guideQuartz worktop cost and kitchen worktop replacement prices
Price per metre, durability and fitting time for each worktop material.
Read the guideSmall kitchen layouts that add worktop without an extension
Five ways to gain worktop in a compact kitchen, with the cost of each.
Read the guideHow much does a new bathroom cost?
Bathroom price bands, and the hidden costs that separate two quotes.
Read the guideHow long does a bathroom renovation take?
Stage by stage timings, including the drying days you cannot skip.
Read the guideWalk in shower or wet room: which suits your bathroom?
Cost, floor structure and waterproofing compared for both options.
Read the guideEngineered wood or LVT: which floor is right for your home?
A straight comparison on cost, water, heating and day to day wear.
Read the guideWhat does it cost to tile a bathroom or kitchen?
Rates per square metre and what really drives a tiling price.
Read the guideWhat does it cost to decorate a house properly?
Room by room prices and what preparation should be in the quote.
Read the guideHow to get your home ready before a kitchen fitter arrives
A practical checklist for the week before your kitchen is stripped out.
Read the guideWhat happens at a kitchen survey, and why it matters
The checks we carry out before quoting, and the problems they catch early.
Read the guideShaker, handleless or in-frame: choosing a kitchen style
The practical differences between the three kitchen styles we fit most.
Read the guideWhy showers leak behind the tiles, and how to stop it
The hidden causes of shower leaks and the build up that prevents them.
Read the guideUneven or creaky subfloor? Fix it before new flooring goes down
How the floor under your floor decides whether new flooring lasts.
Read the guideUneven edges on large tiles: what lipping is and how to avoid it
How to get large porcelain tiles perfectly flat, edge to edge.
Read the guideWhat to expect when bathroom installers start work
The stages of a bathroom fit, in order, and what each one means for your household.
Read the guideWhat order should a home refurbishment be done in?
Why the sequence of trades matters, and how to avoid paying for work twice.
Read the guideHow long does it take to tile a bathroom or kitchen?
The stages behind a tiling job and the waiting times you cannot skip.
Read the guideHow long does it take to fit a new floor?
Why the preparation under a floor matters as much as the laying.
Read the guideKitchen fitting cost, labour only: what decides the price
What a fit only kitchen quote covers, and the factors that move the labour figure.
Read the guideNeed a kitchen fitter for a kitchen you have already bought?
How we install a kitchen you have bought yourself from one of the big retailers.
Read the guideEn suite installation cost: what a shower room really takes
Our en suite price range, plus the drainage and space questions that move it.
Read the guideWalk in shower installation cost, and what affects it
What a walk in shower costs to fit, and how a bath to shower swap is priced.
Read the guideDownstairs cloakroom installation: costs and what is possible
What a downstairs toilet costs, how small it can be and how drainage decides it.
Read the guideBathroom wall panels vs tiles: which should you choose?
Panels or tiles for a bathroom or shower, compared on cost, looks and upkeep.
Read the guideUnderfloor heating in a bathroom or kitchen: is it worth it?
Electric or wet underfloor heating, under tiles or LVT, and what affects the price.
Read the guideLVT flooring cost per m2, supplied and fitted
Fitted LVT prices per square metre, and the preparation that changes the total.
Read the guideReplacing kitchen worktops only: new tops on old units
Whether your old units can take new worktops, and how an upgrade to stone works.
Read the guideBuilding regulations for a new kitchen or bathroom
When a refit needs building control, and how electrics, zones and extraction apply.
Read the guideNew kitchen doors or a whole new kitchen?
How to tell whether new doors will do, or whether the kitchen needs replacing.
Read the guideWet room cost: what a wet room installation costs
The build sequence behind a wet room, and the floor and drain choices that set the cost.
Read the guideTiled kitchen splashbacks: ideas, set out and timing
Choosing splashback tiles, setting them out around sockets and the hob, and when to fit them.
Read the guideSmall bathroom ideas a fitter can actually build
Buildable layouts and fittings for a small family bathroom, and what affects the price.
Read the guidePainter and decorator day rate, or a price for the job?
Day rate, per room and whole job pricing compared, and how preparation shapes a quote.
Read the guideExterior house painting: preparation, weather and access
Preparing render, masonry and woodwork outside, choosing the weather, and what sets the price.
Read the guideLaminate flooring fitting cost: what you are paying for
The preparation and finishing that decide what a laminate floor costs to fit.
Read the guideHerringbone flooring fitting: set out, waste and timing
How herringbone is set out and fitted, and why it takes longer than plank.
Read the guideKitchen island cost: what you are really paying for
The services, space and worktop decisions that set the cost of a kitchen island.
Read the guideBathroom floor tiles: how to choose ones that last
Grip, material, size and the base underneath: what decides whether a bathroom floor tile works.
Read the guideWhat is the best flooring for a kitchen?
Tile, LVT, engineered wood and laminate compared for the way kitchens are really used.
Read the guideSolid wood worktops: what living with them is really like
Oiling, sinks, movement and marks: the honest picture of owning a timber worktop.
Read the guideWallpaper removal: doing it without wrecking the walls
Steam or soak, painted-over paper and damaged plaster: stripping walls the careful way.
Read the guideShower screen installation: getting a screen that keeps water in
Bath screens, walk-in panels, fixings and silicone: fitting glass that keeps the floor dry.
Read the guideBath replacement cost: replacing just the bath
The bath itself, the tiles at the rim, pipe positions and the panel: what sets the price of a bath swap.
Read the guideQuartz vs Granite Worktops
Quartz and granite compared on daily use, care, appearance and fitting.
Read the guideBest Flooring for Bathroom: Compare the Options
The best flooring for bathroom use depends on more than water resistance.
Read the guideLVT vs Laminate: Rooms, Water and Everyday Use
LVT vs laminate is a comparison between different constructions, not just different looks.
Read the guideHerringbone vs Chevron: Choosing a Floor Pattern
Herringbone vs chevron starts with how the ends meet.
Read the guideFlooring Installation Quote: What Drives Fitting Cost
A flooring installation quote is useful only when it describes the floor you will actually receive.
Read the guideKitchen, floor and tile problem guides
Worktop Repair: Damage, Causes and Replacement
Worktop repair depends on the material, the depth of the damage and whether the surface still has sound support. A burn, swollen joint or cracked slab needs a different response, so there is no single repair method for every kitchen. This guide helps distinguish a cosmetic mark from damage that makes replacement the more sensible enquiry.
Kitchen Unit Hinge Repair and Cupboard Door Problems
Kitchen unit hinge repair starts by checking whether the door is misaligned, the hinge is worn or its fixing has pulled out of the cabinet. Adjusting a sound hinge may correct a gap, but it will not straighten a warped door or restore swollen board. Customers can ask about the scope; a standalone repair service needs confirmation.
Squeaky Floor: Find the Movement Before Covering It
A squeaky floor is a sign of friction or movement, but the sound alone does not identify the failed part. It may come from old boards beneath a carpet, a new floating floor or a connection deeper in the structure. Find where and when it happens before deciding whether another covering or a levelling treatment is appropriate.
Water Damaged Laminate Floor: Lifting and Swelling
A water damaged laminate floor may show raised edges, swollen joints or boards that no longer sit flat. Similar lifting can also result from restricted movement or an unsuitable base, so appearance alone is not enough. Begin with the water source and the extent of damage before considering a new laminate or LVT installation.
Cracked Floor Tiles: Loose Tiles and Moving Bases
Cracked floor tiles should be assessed as part of the floor assembly, not just a damaged finish. A single impact mark is different from a line crossing several tiles or joints that repeatedly break apart. Loose and hollow-sounding tiles provide further clues, but the cause needs checking before a replacement tile or fresh grout is proposed.