At Steelplan Kitchens, we understand that installing a new kitchen in your church can feel like a daunting task, with concerns over time, budgets and upheaval. But whether you’re after a full renovation or you have a small project in mind, we can help…

With spring in the air and the promise of lockdown lifting, there’s never been a better time to begin thinking about new opportunities in your church – starting with a new kitchen. Whether you’re still fundraising, have the budget ready to go or you’ve not quite pulled the committee together, if you want all the warmth and welcoming feel of a domestic kitchen but the robustness of a professional space, Steelplan Kitchens can get your project off the ground. Here, we explore what you can expect during the installation process.

Full renovation
If you’re thinking of a full renovation, now is the ideal time – with social distancing and COVID restrictions still in place, your church might a little emptier than usual, so work can take place and create minimal disruption to daily church operations. However, before you start ripping out the old units, there are several things to consider:

• How long will your kitchen be out of use? A full renovation is not a simple task, so it’s important to think about whether your church can cope without your kitchen. In some instances, churches choose to close their doors until the project is complete.
• Are you just using the original space? If you’re just fitting a new kitchen into the old space, the project will take a lot less time and budgets can stay within your limits.
• Will you need new plumbing or gas pipes? If you want to completely change the layout of your kitchen or add new appliances, such as a dishwasher, you will need to look at the infrastructure of the space and consider if your budget can stretch to further works.
• Is your church a listed building? If it is, you might not be able to knock down a wall, for example, and there will be restrictions on the kind of renovation that can take place. It’s a good idea to speak to your local council first.

Smaller refurbishment
For some churches, a full renovation is either too expensive or unnecessary – in fact, if your kitchen is already the perfect size but just needs updating, a refurbishment is ideal. It also allows you to add new features to your kitchen, such as a serving hatch or a hot water boiler, making it easier to whip up 50 cups of tea in one go. The important things to consider here include:

• Think about the best time to start – even a small refurbishment will take time to complete, so you need to look at who uses your kitchen. Can you cope with just a kettle and sandwiches made at home for the time being?
• What do you want to improve? Do you need better washing up facilities? Two ovens? Or even an island? Once you know what it is you want, it’ll be much easier to design the kitchen you need – and quicker to get things moving.
• How do you want your kitchen to look? While Steelplan Kitchens offers the halfway house between domestic and commercial spaces, colours, worktops and even appliances are unique to every church, allowing you to create the space that you want.

Obviously, installation time is dependent on the size of the kitchen, plus the complexity and specification of the equipment you want. With Steelplan Kitchens, we will work with you from the initial project idea through to the finished kitchen, with clear budget ideas at the offset – making it easier for you to have a clear plan and timeline.

At Steelplan Kitchens, we want to help you create a hygienic, safe, and friendly space for your congregation. Call us today on 0844 809 9186 to find out more about our robust worktops and top-quality appliances.