Frequently asked questions

The thing that genuinely sets us apart is that design, manufacture, and installation all sit within the same business. Nothing is outsourced, and nothing gets lost between stages. Your designer works alongside the people making your kitchen, which means every detail you agreed in the design room is understood by the people in the workshop.

We’re part of the Bramling Workshops Group, a family of companies working towards B Corp certification and committed to responsible, ethical sourcing throughout. The joinery tradition behind what we do runs through our sister company, Denne Joinery, whose roots go back to 1803. And because everything is made in our own workshop, we can extend the same quality and finish well beyond the kitchen and into the rest of your home.

We are based just outside Canterbury in Kent and cover the South East of England, including South East London. For returning customers, we can discuss a nationwide service.

We’d always recommend starting with a phone call first, around 15 to 30 minutes, so we can understand where you are in the process and make sure we’re the right fit for your needs. From there, we’ll arrange a design consultation in our workshop (our showroom is opening Autumn 2026), which is usually up to two hours of meaningful, focused time tailored to your project with one of our designers.

Yes, we will tailor the appointment to suit your needs and can accommodate virtual appointments where needed. That said, our consultation space in our workshop has been designed to make the design process an enjoyable experience for the whole family, set in a beautiful location in the Kent countryside with space for children and pets to also attend and good coffee.

An initial discovery call is typically 15 to 30 minutes. A showroom or workshop visit runs between one and two and a half hours, though we never rush you in you need more time.

Absolutely. We’d be delighted to work with your architect once commissioned.

It starts with a discovery call to understand your brief, your space, and where you are in the process. We’ll gather any existing plans or drawings you have and arrange a home visit to see the space properly. Within two weeks of that visit, you’ll come to the showroom to see your design in 3D, including the layout, materials, and an initial cost. That’s the point where, if everything feels right, you commit to us. From there, we move into the detailed design stage, which is collaborative and thorough, covering every specification, finish, and measurement until everything is exactly right before we go into production. Then it’s installation, worktop templating, and handover.

Start collecting images of spaces you love, even if you can’t explain exactly why. Pinterest, Instagram, and magazine features are all useful. Your designer will set up a dedicated WhatsApp group for your project so you can drop in images, links, and ideas as they come to you. We’ll also need any information you can share about the space, such as photos, key measurements and the location of doors and windows. We’ve put together this helpful guide, How to Prepare for Your First Waterfield Design Consultation, to walk you through the process, and our designers will also discuss this with you on the phone before you come in. Don’t worry about having it all figured out before you come in. That’s what the process is for.

Our design consultation and presentation of the initial concept are complementary for serious buyers. The quotation for your kitchen will be provided at the design presentation and will include the design, manufacture and installation fees. There are no hidden design fees, and everything is transparent from the moment we quote.

Yes. Every kitchen we design is bespoke, built around your space. Whether you have a compact galley or a large open-plan layout, the process is the same, and the result is entirely yours.

That’s exactly what the design process is for. We’ll start by asking how you use your kitchen, who uses it, and what isn’t working about the space you have now. From there, your designer will guide you through styles, finishes, and layouts until something clicks. There’s no single right answer. There’s just the one that works for you.

Yes. Samples can be provided at your consultation so you can see and feel the finishes in person. There’s a real difference between a finish on a screen and a finish in your hands, especially when you’re choosing something you’ll live with every day.

Everything is made in our 23,000 sq ft workshop in Bramling, just outside Canterbury. During the process, you’ll be invited to visit and see your kitchen taking shape. There’s something about seeing the craftsmanship of the cabinetry being made just for you that makes the final result feel even more significant.

Every cabinet is made to order. We use precision technology to ensure that every groove, recess, and connector is positioned exactly right, and the components we specify are industry-leading. Construction varies depending on the style you’ve chosen, from inframe to slab, but the standard of finish is consistent throughout. All our cabinetry comes with a 10-year guarantee.

A well-designed, well-built kitchen is one of the most significant investments you can make in a home and could make it more attractive to potential buyers. But beyond the financial return, it changes how you use your space every single day, and that has a value all of its own.

Our focus is on designing and delivering a complete kitchen. If you’re a returning client with a specific requirement, we’re always happy to talk through what might be possible.

We can offer supply only if needed, though it’s worth knowing that using your own installers does affect the warranty terms on your cabinetry. We’d always recommend using our installation team, not just for the guarantee, but because it means one point of contact from start to finish with no gaps in accountability.

Our installation includes delivery, positioning, and fixing of all cabinetry, along with the final alignment and hanging of all doors. If you’ve sourced your worktops through us, templating and installation is included too. We’ll liaise with your plumber and electrician throughout on socket locations and plumbing connections, so you’re not managing two separate conversations at once.

It’s a dry installation. This means we fit all the cabinetry first, and your plumber and electrician then complete their connections around the finished units.

Not necessarily. We’ll talk through the phasing of your project during the consultation stage and work out what makes sense for your household. In some cases we can set up a temporary kitchen, or phase the works to limit disruption but these would incur additional costs.

Yes, temporary worktops can be provided on request. It’s worth raising this during your consultation so we can factor it into the plan from the start.

It depends on what’s included in The Waterfield Collection’s scope for your project. If plumbing and electrical are part of your installation with us, we coordinate everything and you won’t need to manage it separately. If you’re using your own trades, we’ll mark out all socket and plumbing positions clearly before we start, so there’s no ambiguity for your contractors.

Yes. Where gas, plumbing, or electrical work forms part of your installation, all trades are fully registered and the work comes with the appropriate guarantees.

Yes. Your project manager will coordinate directly with you to arrange delivery at a time that works. We understand that a kitchen delivery requires you to be at home, and we work around you.

If we’re carrying out your installation, we quality-check everything on arrival and replace any damaged components at no cost to you. If you’re installing yourself, let us know with photographs within 24 hours of delivery and we’ll work through a solution with you. You will not be charged for items damaged in our transit.

Yes, we can arrange this. Just raise it during the consultation and we’ll include it in the project scope.

Some joinery pieces can be repurposed if that’s what you’d like, and it’s worth discussing during your consultation. Worktops are trickier, as the seamless jointing and the removal process can cause damage. We’ll always be honest about what’s practical and what isn’t.

Flooring can be included as part of a complete kitchen project. We don’t offer it as a standalone service, but if it forms part of your wider installation we can include it in the planning from the start.

Our experience goes well beyond the kitchen. The Waterfield Collection is part of the Bramling Workshop group of businesses and through our group we can provide a full design service for your entire home. A lot of our clients find it makes sense to carry the same finish and style through into the utility or boot room, or complementary bespoke furniture pieces, and we can make that happen seamlessly.

Yes. We design and install utility rooms and boot rooms to the same standard as your kitchen, using the same finishes and materials if you want a consistent look throughout.

Yes. We can design, manufacture, and install bespoke joinery pieces throughout your home, from dining tables and credenzas to fitted shelving and storage. Everything is made in the same workshop as your kitchen.

Through our wider group of companies, we can offer a complete residential service covering interior design, project management, and specialist joinery. If you’re undertaking a larger project, it’s worth having a conversation early about what else we can help with.

We work with a range of reputable appliance brands and aren’t tied to a single supplier. During your design consultation, we’ll talk through your priorities, whether that’s performance, energy efficiency, or aesthetics, and recommend brands that genuinely fit your brief. We’ll only suggest what we’d recommend without hesitation.

Your own freestanding or existing appliances can absolutely be reused or supplied by you. The one exception is integrated appliances, which need to be sourced through us, as the cabinetry is built specifically around them. Using your own appliances won’t affect the guarantee on your cabinetry and doors.

We offer a full range of accessories and components, including storage solutions, soft-close hinges, pull-out larder mechanisms, bin systems, drawer organisers, handles and lighting. Everything is specified during the design process, so it’s built into your kitchen from the start, rather than added as an afterthought.

Quartz is widely regarded as one of the most practical surfaces for a kitchen. It’s highly resistant to stains, comes in a huge range of colours, and can be jointed seamlessly. That said, there isn’t one single right answer. Granite, timber, and solid surface each have their own strengths, and the right choice depends on how you use your kitchen. We’ll go through the pros and cons of each during your consultation.

We offer natural stone, quartz, granite, timber, and solid surface options, including Corian. Each has different characteristics in terms of durability, maintenance, and appearance, and we’ll help you find the right match for your kitchen and the way you live.

Functional. The grooves channel water away from the surface and towards the sink, which helps protect your cabinetry over time.

At handover, your project manager will walk you through everything you need to know about caring for your specific surface. Maintenance varies depending on the material, so we make sure you leave with the criteria for your product.

The worktop template is the final, precise measurement of your worktop surface. It accounts for any irregularities in your walls, deviations in corners, and the exact position of your cabinets once they’re fixed in place. It’s taken after the first fix of cabinetry, so nothing goes into production until the real-world dimensions are confirmed.

Within 48 hours of your base units being in place, level, and fixed. It’s one of the final steps before your worktops go into production.

No changes can be made after templating, as this is the point at which your worktops go into production. Your project manager will go through the templates with you and make sure you’re in agreement with the template before final sign off.

We source all our materials through responsible, ethical sources, working with local timber and panel merchants who share our commitment to our ESG goals. Where possible, we keep the supply chain close to home.

Not at all. We have an in-house finishing studio where we can create a bespoke colour for your doors across a range of textures, finishes, and even metallic options. If you can point to a colour, we can almost certainly match it.

Yes. RAL and British Standard colour guides are available in the showroom during your design consultation, so you can reference exact codes and we can match them with precision.

All our cabinetry comes with a 10-year guarantee.

All our doors come with a 10-year guarantee.

Appliance warranties are set by the manufacturer and vary by brand, but you can expect a minimum of one year as standard. We’ll make sure you have all the relevant documentation at handover.

Your project manager will walk you through this at handover, including which products to use and what to avoid. The guidance varies depending on your door finish, so we make sure you leave with a clear maintenance guide specific to your kitchen rather than a generic one.

We’ll show you how to make adjustments at handover. If something isn’t sitting right after that, call us before making any adjustments yourself. Incorrect adjustment can affect the warranty, and we’d always rather come and take a look first.

As a general guide, the whole process from placing your order to installation completion takes between 10 and 20 weeks, depending on the complexity of your design and your materials choices. If you’re working to a specific deadline, tell us early and we’ll be straight with you about what’s achievable. A fast-track service is available for time-critical projects at an additional cost.

Delivery of your cabinetry typically falls between 10 and 16 weeks from receipt of your order, depending on the complexity of your design.

Four to six weeks from sign-off of your final manufacturing design.

Installation typically takes between one and three weeks, depending on the size and complexity of your kitchen. We’ll give you a specific timeframe during the planning stage so you know exactly what to expect.

Every kitchen is priced to your specific brief, but as a general guide the following ranges apply. All prices include VAT, quartz worktops, and mid-range appliances in either a slab or traditional shaker style.

Small kitchen: £30,000 to £40,000

Medium kitchen: £40,000 to £60,000

Large kitchen: £60,000 to £120,000

For more details take a look at our pricing guide, and get in touch if you’d like a conversation before committing to a consultation.

We can introduce you to finance brokers to support your purchase. It’s worth raising this early in the process so we can make the relevant introduction at the right time.

Payment is made in stages, all clearly set out in your quotation before you commit. Nothing is a surprise. You’ll know exactly when each payment is due and what it relates to from the very start.

We accept bank transfer, debit card, and credit card. Outsourced finance options are also available through our broker introductions.