Straight answers before you spend a penny.
Kitchen guides: costs, planning, brands and more
Costs and budgeting
Cost is the first question almost everyone asks, so it's where most people start. These guides explain what drives the price of a kitchen, what a quote should include and how to set a budget you can stick to. For what real Suga kitchens have cost at three levels of specification, download our pricing guide alongside them.
How much does a German kitchen cost?
Why German kitchens are priced the way they are, and how much of the budget goes on appliances.
Read the guideWhat a luxury kitchen in Altrincham costs
The factors that push a kitchen budget up, and the ways to keep it under control.
Read the guideWhere the money goes in a kitchen budget
A line-by-line look at how a typical kitchen budget is split.
Read the guideA real cost breakdown of a bespoke kitchen
How the cost of a bespoke kitchen project breaks down from start to finish.
Read the guideWhat's included in a bespoke kitchen quote
What to look for when you compare quotes from different kitchen companies.
Read the guideHow to budget without going over
Setting a realistic budget for a kitchen renovation and keeping to it.
Read the guidePlanning and design
Good kitchens are planned around how you live, long before anyone talks about doors and colours. These guides cover the early decisions: how long to spend planning, how to choose a layout, how to read a floor plan and what to ask a kitchen company before you commit. Start with the first step most people skip.
The first step most people skip
Why understanding how you use your kitchen comes before any drawing.
Read the guideDesigning for the way you actually live
Planning a kitchen around your routines, rather than a showroom layout.
Read the guideThe ultimate guide to planning a kitchen renovation
An overview of a kitchen renovation from first ideas to installation.
Read the guidePlanning a kitchen renovation in Altrincham, step by step
A local, step-by-step plan for an Altrincham kitchen renovation.
Read the guideKitchens in period Altrincham homes
What to think about when planning a kitchen in an older property.
Read the guideHow to read a kitchen floor plan
Making sense of the drawings your designer shows you.
Read the guideHow many design revisions to expect
What's normal when it comes to changing your design.
Read the guideChoosing a cabinet style
A guide to the main kitchen cabinet styles and what suits which home.
Read the guideKitchen design ideas for Knutsford homes
Ideas for kitchens in Knutsford's period homes and open-plan extensions.
Read the guideSmart technology in your kitchen
How to plan connected appliances and smart features into a new kitchen.
Read the guideWhat to bring to your first showroom visit
How to make the most of your first visit to a kitchen showroom.
Read the guide9 questions to ask a kitchen showroom
What to ask an independent kitchen showroom before you commit.
Read the guideChain, independent or bespoke brand?
The differences between the main types of kitchen company, and which suits your home.
Read the guideBrands and materials
Much of what separates a kitchen that lasts from one that doesn't is hidden inside the cabinets and underneath the finish. These guides compare the brands we work with and explain cabinet construction, timber, worktops and sustainability in plain English, so you can judge quality for yourself when you're standing in a showroom.
Schüller, Keller or next125?
A plain-English comparison of the three brands on price, choice and build quality.
Read the guideWhat makes next125 different
How next125 compares with Schüller, the sister brand made in the same factory.
Read the guideWhy German kitchen cabinets last
What goes into a cabinet built to last, and what goes wrong with cheap ones.
Read the guideGerman vs British kitchens
Seven engineering differences you can see, touch and hear, from board thickness to hinges.
Read the guideWhy Altrincham homeowners choose German kitchens
Why German kitchens are a popular choice locally.
Read the guideCabinetry that lasts 20 years and more
How to choose kitchen cabinets for the long term.
Read the guideResponsibly sourced timber
What "responsibly sourced" actually means for your kitchen.
Read the guideUnderstanding FSC certification
What FSC certification is, and why it matters in kitchen design.
Read the guideWhy natural materials age better
How natural materials compare with synthetic ones over the years.
Read the guideThe environmental case for a bespoke kitchen
How a bespoke kitchen compares with flat-pack on environmental impact.
Read the guideQuestions to ask before choosing a worktop
The questions worth asking before you settle on a worktop material.
Read the guideNatural stone worktops: quartzite and marble
What to know about quartzite and marble worktops.
Read the guideRecycled and low-impact worktops
Worktop materials with a lower environmental impact.
Read the guideSurvey and installation
Most kitchen problems start on site, and most of them can be spotted on paper first. These guides explain what happens at a site survey, what tends to go wrong during an installation and how long the whole process really takes, so you know what to expect and what to ask about before anything is ordered.
What happens at a kitchen site survey
What gets measured and checked, and why it matters before anything is ordered.
Read the guideWhat goes wrong during an installation
The common, expensive mistakes and how to avoid them.
Read the guideHow long a new kitchen actually takes
A realistic timeline from first ideas to a finished kitchen.
Read the guideKitchen lead times, from design to installation
What happens between signing off a design and fitting day.
Read the guideWhat kitchen lead times look like now
Why made-to-order German kitchens take the time they do.
Read the guideKitchens for extensions
If you're extending, the kitchen should be planned alongside the building work, not squeezed in once the walls are up. These guides explain when to bring a kitchen designer in, what to brief your architect on and the coordination issues around services, ceilings and floor levels that most often catch people out.
When to bring in a kitchen designer
Why the concept stage is the right time, and what the designer gives your architect.
Read the guideThe coordination issues that trip up extensions
Services, ceiling heights and floor levels, and how to get the sequencing right.
Read the guidePlanning a kitchen for an extension or knock-through
How to plan the kitchen side of an extension or knock-through.
Read the guideAftercare
A kitchen should keep working properly for decades, and a little knowledge goes a long way. These guides explain what to expect once your kitchen is installed, from the snagging visit to the check-up a year later, and how to look after natural stone and solid wood so they still look good in twenty years.
Kitchen aftercare: what to expect
What happens after installation, from snagging to the year-one check.
Read the guideCaring for natural stone and solid wood
How to look after stone and timber surfaces for the long term.
Read the guideTrends and ideas
Trends are worth knowing about, as long as you choose the ones that will still suit you in ten years. These pieces look at what's popular in Manchester kitchens right now, from warm minimalism and colour drenching to textured fronts and hidden storage. If a trend catches your eye, your designer can help you work out whether it belongs on every door or on a single detail.
Manchester's most popular kitchen styles
The kitchen styles we're seeing most across Manchester right now.
Read the articleColour drenching a kitchen
How to carry one colour across cabinets, walls and ceiling.
Read the articleQuestions people ask early on
See all FAQsHow much does a Suga kitchen cost?
It depends on the size of the room, the cabinetry and the appliances you choose. Our pricing guide shows real project costs at three levels of specification, so you can set a realistic budget. For a figure for your own kitchen, book a free design appointment.
How long does it take from design to installation?
Most kitchens are installed 8 to 14 weeks after you sign off the final design, depending on the brand. Once you've signed off, you'll get a written schedule, and we'll call a week before installation to confirm the details.
What’s the difference between Schüller, next125 and Keller?
Schüller is a family-owned German brand with the widest choice of doors and finishes. next125 is its design-led sister brand, made in the same factory, using materials such as ultra-matt lacquer, glass and ceramic. Keller is made to order in the Netherlands and is best known for calm, matt slab doors. Our brand guide compares all three in detail.
When should I bring a kitchen designer into my extension?
At concept stage, before the planning and building regulations drawings are finished. That's when the position of the kitchen, the services and even the windows can still change easily. We can then give your architect a services overlay drawing and a zoning brief, and visit at first fix to check everything is where the design needs it.
What happens at a design appointment?
You'll meet one of our designers in the showroom or at home, talk through how you use your kitchen and what you'd like to change, and look at layouts, doors and worktops. It's free, there's no obligation, and you'll leave with a clear idea of the next step.
Start whenever you're ready
Pick whichever suits you best. Whichever you choose, you'll be speaking to a designer who can answer your questions properly.
Book a free design appointment
Meet a designer, talk through your ideas and get a quote for your own kitchen. Choose a time → 02Download the pricing guide
See what Suga kitchens cost before you speak to anyone. Get the guide → 03Request a call back
A quick chat with a designer at a time that suits you. Pick a time → 04Visit the showroom
See the kitchens in person, or take the virtual tour from home. Plan your visit →Or call 0161 962 7261