Investment works

We have some information about our kitchen and bathroom replacement scheme and how it could affect you. The work may vary slightly from what is stated depending on the type of property you live in and all works will be subject to an individual survey.

Why is the work being done?

The kitchen units, work surfaces and bathroom fittings in your home are predicted to have a 25 year life expectancy. Our programme of replacements aims to ensure your kitchen and bathroom are renewed within this timescale to maintain the Decent Homes Standard. You will be notified in writing by us if your area is scheduled for such works in the current financial year. If your kitchen and bathroom have recently been fitted and are in good condition, they will not be replaced as part of the scheme.

In some homes the layout of the kitchen may be poor and there may not be enough space. We will look to see if we can improve this as part of the work. If you have a disability, the kitchen and/or bathroom layout and fittings might not be suitable for your needs. In these circumstances your needs will be discussed at the survey visit and referred to an occupational therapist for assessment. We may be able to alter your kitchen and bathroom to make them more suitable for you.

How long will the work take?

Your kitchen and bathroom replacement will normally be completed within three weeks. During this time the operatives will install your new kitchen units and bathroom fittings, while carrying out other repairs and improvements to a number of properties in your street. The operatives may not need to access your home every day during this three week period and there may be times when you feel there is little progress on your home. This is usually when the tiling and painting is being carried out to a group of houses at the same time. The customer liaison advisors will let you when access will be required to your home to complete the work.

A member of our Property Services team will also need access to your home to carry out a final inspection once the work is complete.

What should I do before the work starts?

The customer liaison adviser will visit you at least a week before the work is due to start and explain what you will need to do.

The following preparations are normally required:

• Empty your kitchen cupboards and clear all worktops to allow easy access for the workers.
• Safely store all electrical items such as kettles, toasters, microwaves, as well as crockery, bathroom cabinets, toilet roll holders, mirrors, toiletries, ornaments and belongings. This will prevent any damage.
• Remove all your kitchen white goods such as fridge, washing machine or dryer. This will prevent damage during the work.  Our customer liaison advisors will advise you about storage, removal and protection of these items.
• If your home has not been rewired recently and a new fuse-board needs to be fitted, you will need to clear the area around your present fuse-board.
• Lift carpets or laminate flooring and move furniture as advised by the customer liaison advisor.
• The contractor will disconnect your gas or electric cooker to ensure the work is carried out safely.

If you need help moving any items please inform the customer liaison advisor when they visit your home.

What choices will I have?

We will offer you a wide range of choices to help you put your own personal touch into your kitchen and bathroom.

Choices will be available for the following:

• A range of unit fronts
• A range of tap styles
• A range of worktops
• A range of wall tiles
• A choice of emulsion wall paint colours
• A choice of floor tile colours

We will design the kitchen around your existing white goods wherever possible. We will try to take your views into consideration during this process. However, we need to consider the safety and design aspects of the kitchen so it may not always be possible to meet your exact requirements, such as cooker positions. If we can’t, we will tell you why.

If you have a disability and any special design requirements these will be identified at the survey visit and an occupational therapist will advise us on how we can best meet your needs.

What work is involved in replacing my kitchen?

The existing kitchen units, sink and worktops will be removed. If you have any walk-in cupboards or a pantry, we may offer you the choice of having it removed in order to improve the space and layout in your kitchen. We will discuss any proposals with you to make sure you are happy with what we suggest although sometimes the work may not be possible for structural reasons.

If your home has not been re-wired recently, we may need to install a new consumer unit (fuse-board). We may also fit additional sockets in the kitchen to cope with the increased number of electrical appliances that people now have in modern kitchens. We may need to carry out a fixed wired test. New kitchen wall and floor units will be fitted along with new worktops, sink and taps. We will also fit wall-tiles above the new work surfaces. If you have fitted your own tiles and you want to keep them, we will try to save them and fit any spares you may have as part of the work. If we can’t, we will discuss with you the options you have.

We will remove your wall paper if required and paint your ceiling, walls and woodwork.

What work is involved in replacing my bathroom?

The bath, toilet and washbasin will be removed unless you have adaptations in which case these will remain if they are in a good working order. If you have a second toilet in your home, we will inspect it. If it is in poor condition it will be replaced. The new bath, toilet and washbasin will normally be fitted in the same location as the old ones. A plastic bath panel and matching toilet seat will also be fitted. New tiles will be fitted around the bath and the washbasin to protect the walls from water splashes.

We will remove your wall paper if required and paint your ceiling, walls and woodwork.

What disruption will there be?

At times the work may be noisy and there may be some dust. The use of your kitchen and bathroom will be disrupted during the work and you will be without water for a short time while the plumbing work is done. This may prevent you from using your toilet. The new bathroom suite will normally be fitted and working in one day.

If a new electric circuit is to be installed in the kitchen, this may involve cutting into your walls to make space for the new wiring and socket outlets. During the installation you will only be without electric power for a short time. As most heating systems rely on electrical controls, there will also be minor interruption to your heating and hot water supply. 

You will not be left without heating and hot water overnight. We will reconnect your cooker at the end of each day so you will be able to use it that evening if required. Temporary work surfaces will also be provided during the work for use in the evenings.

Safe working practices will be followed at all times. All old fittings and materials will be removed and disposed of correctly.

If you feel that your personal circumstances, or health may prevent you from coping with this work and would like to discuss what options are available, please contact the customer liaison advisor or the Property Services team.

Will my decoration be damaged?

There is no guarantee that the new kitchen or bathroom fittings will be exactly the same size as those that have been removed. This may result in gaps in your floor coverings. Unfortunately we are not able to fit new floor finishes, which will be your responsibility. Any damage to your wall decoration will normally be put right when the new wall-tiles are fitted and emulsion paintwork done. If you have fitted your own wall-tiles and you want to keep them, we will try and save them and fit any spares you may have as part of the work. If we can’t save them, we will discuss with you the options you have.