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‘the first thing to determine is how much money you have to spend. once you have a set figure, it’s not too difficult to look at what you have and work out where to go from there. You need to consider how long you plan on staying in your home – don’t spend all your savings on a kitchen you only plan on using for the next five years.

In order for a kitchen designer to start looking at options, it’s really useful for them to have measurements and a good idea of what they are working with. If you’re asking for a fully kitted-out kitchen with an island and tall larder cabinets in a small cottage, this may not be feasible. the first rule of budgeting is to pick a price and stick to it. next, look at what you want to achieve; will it require a complete revamp with building work? these are factors that need to be determined right at the start, as any work to your home will cost time and money. Generally, planning permission isn’t required when installing a kitchen unless it’s part of an extension or a listed property. For advice on these matters, it’s best to speak to your kitchen designer or consultant who will have a good knowledge of what would qualify.’ John Sims-hilditch, neptune