Measuring up for a first worktop estimate

Sketch each separate run and label it. Add an island or peninsula as its own piece. Mark which edges meet walls, which will be visible and where the kitchen connects to another room.

Use one unit throughout, preferably millimetres, and write it clearly on the drawing. Measure the accessible length and depth of each run. If a dimension is uncertain or obstructed, label it as approximate rather than guessing silently.

Mark the sink, hob and taps, along with drainer grooves or any other requested openings. Note whether you plan to reuse existing items or replace them. Attach model details to your own project records when known.

List upstands, splashbacks, shelves and waterfall panels separately. Include their approximate heights or dimensions and which edges will show. The splashback guide covers wall details that can change the specification.

Take a general photograph of the kitchen and closer views of corners, cabinet ends and appliance positions. For replacement work, record how the current top meets the wall and what lies beneath it.

Do not move heavy worktops or dismantle appliances to gather an initial estimate. Tell us what you cannot see or safely measure. Clear uncertainty is more useful than a misleadingly precise drawing.

Note the floor level, stairs, doorways, tight turns and practical unloading arrangements. For a flat, include lift access and any building-management restrictions you know about.

These notes help us decide what to check during a site visit. Our Barnet area guide explains why property access belongs in a local worktop brief.

Ask what needs to be fixed in place before templating and who signs off the final specification. Do not order fabrication from this guide or from approximate homeowner dimensions.

Read the installation sequence, then assemble your choices in the project brief. When you are ready, send the details through the quote form.