Kitchen Started .....

Popped in B&Q today and bought some 34x34mm wood to make the frame up for the kitchen unit. Whilst I was there I had a quick look at the kitchen doors they had for sale. They had some there called Maple Style Modern, the 500mm doors for a sink unit base, were 715mm high, and only £7 each, so have built my kitchen unit now to accomodate those. Slightly higher than I intended but only by a couple inches. The sides will be some 400mm Maple Conti Board, one 2 meter board should be enough for both sides. Once finished off, on the outside wont look any different to a normal kitchen unit, you wouldnt know it was hand built :) Space inside is limited for the water container, waste container and gas bottle, but I think I can do it, just wont be any room for storage. Will think of something. Oh and this unit will definately house the Smev 9222 unit, so will be able to have my glass lids :). Its going to look very posh.

To find out if my kitchen unit would receive it ok, within the framework, I rang Rainbow Conversions, that sell the Smev 9222, and asked the guy that answered the phone if he knew how deep the hole had to be cut for the 9222, as I only had a 400mm worktop and then the framework off of that to play with, he wasnt exactly rude, but basically told me I would need the unit here in my hands before I could know such information, in other words buy it and see, which I didnt find very helpful at all, when I pushed and asked if there were fitting instructions or something that might help, he was quite blunt and said he couldnt help, I need to have the unit here. So I went to the Smev Italy site and emailed them asking the same question, once I did that I found a Smev 9222 on Ebay being sold by CMS-Customs, so went on to the website and rang them, the phone was answered by Carla, who couldnt do enough and took my number to go and ask, she rang me back twice trying to help, then John from CMS rang me back and was also trying to help, although they didnt have a unit in stock to go measure, John ended up saying that they had a unit coming in next week and he would go measure it and ring me back, he'd also make a template for future customers, now to me these guys couldnt have been anymore different to the guy at Rainbow if the tried, they were very helpful and customer orientated, and as a relatively new business, I wish them all well and good luck for the future. Anyway, I rang off from John, leaving it that I would speak to him next week, and checked my emails, I had a reply from Smev, within an hour !, another good business that knows how to keep its customers, a guy called Filippo had emailed me back attaching the recommended cut out plans in PDF format with all the sizes and angles. This told me that the max depth of the hole was only 307mm ! Minus the frame I had 312mm spare, so absolutely perfect ! :). Loads of Kudos to CMS-Customs and Smev Italy, you know how to treat your customers ! :) I forwarded the email on to John at CMS as he had been so helpful, and got a nice email back saying thanks. It really pays to do good turns and makes you feel good about yourself :) My little lesson on life there, you get the lot here ! :)

So once I had this information I knew how big I had to build my kitchen.

I have totally run out of cash now so the conti and doors will have to wait unless I can earn some tomorrow ! :) I am casting my beady eyes all around me now looking for things to sell ! :)
I did set the cushions up into a bed, with the kitchen frame in place, and id say they have to be squashed up no more than 2" once the doors are on, which is absolutely fine, a nice snug fit that means the cushions wont move around when we sleep on them, the trade-off was worth it, definately.