How to Take Measurements — or Check Your Surveyor's Work
What to measure before ordering a kitchen: walls, recesses, pipes, sockets, ventilation. How to verify a surveyor's plan and what it must include.
When to take measurements
Final measurements should only be taken after all rough work is complete: walls plastered, floor screed laid, windows and radiators installed. Measuring against the old kitchen or bare unplastered walls introduces errors that surface during installation.
What to measure
- Length of each wall — at floor level, mid-height, and near the ceiling (walls are rarely perfectly parallel)
- Floor-to-ceiling height — at several points along the wall
- Recesses and projections: width, depth, height from floor
- Window and door openings: distance from the corner to the opening, reveal width
- Radiator: distance from the corner, width, depth, height from floor to bottom edge
- Pipes: all hot, cold water and waste outlets with distances from two walls and from the floor
- Gas riser or cooker point (if present): exact position
- Ventilation duct: dimensions and position in space
Electrical points to record
- Position of all sockets: distance from the corner and from the floor
- Light switches: make sure none end up behind a cabinet door
- Extractor outlet position: ducted extraction needs a route to the vent or outside
- Dedicated outlets for oven, dishwasher, fridge — 230 V needed near each appliance
How to measure correctly
- A laser measure is more accurate than a tape, especially over 2 m
- Take every measurement twice — a discrepancy over 3 mm needs re-checking
- Check the floor level: place a spirit level along the full length of the kitchen wall
- Floor variation: measure at the start and end of the run. More than 10 mm — tell the manufacturer before ordering
What the surveyor's plan must show
- All wall dimensions with openings, recesses, and projections marked
- Pipe positions referenced from two walls (not just one)
- Socket positions with height from floor
- Ceiling height at several points
- Floor variation (if any)
- North arrow or window orientation — to understand natural light direction
Ask the surveyor to show you the plan before they leave. If it shows only one wall length with no pipes, sockets, or floor variation — the survey is incomplete. The manufacturer will build to whatever they were given.
Common surveyor mistakes
- Floor variation not recorded — base units install with a gap underneath or won't fit at all
- Waste pipe under the sink not noted — it obstructs the drawer or cabinet door
- Window reveal depth ignored — a wall unit hits the reveal
- Measured against the old kitchen — after removal the wall turns out to be different
- Ventilation duct forgotten — the extractor won't fit where it was planned
If you're measuring yourself
- Sketch the room outline on paper first, then add all the details
- Write each dimension directly on the sketch as you go — "pipes: 340 mm from left corner, 120 mm from floor"
- Photograph the wall with the tape measure next to each feature — photos resolve disputes later
- Send both the sketch and photos to your designer together
You can put the sketch straight into the floor plan editor: walls with thickness, openings, and on each wall's elevation — pipes, outlets and ventilation with distances from the corner and the floor. The kitchen itself is then built on that plan.