Terms and conditions for a kitchen and bathroom fitter

A kitchen or bathroom job is three contracts pretending to be one: the goods, the fitting, and the other trades that have to happen in between. When the units arrive late, the wall is not square and the plumber cannot come until Thursday, the customer wants one person to blame. Terms that separate those things, and say who is responsible for each, are what I draft, for a fixed fee of £995 in five working days.

Who this is for

Kitchen and bathroom fitters in England and Wales, whether you supply and fit, fit units the customer has bought elsewhere, or subcontract to a showroom. The terms are written mainly for homeowners, with a section for landlords, developers and showrooms who are business customers.

What matters in kitchen and bathroom fitting terms

Survey, measurements and the customer's own units

If you measure, you own the measurements; if the customer or a showroom measured, the terms should say the fit is at their risk. Where the customer supplies the units, worktops or appliances, the terms should make clear that you take no responsibility for their quality, completeness or delivery date, that missing or damaged items delay the job at the customer's cost, and that you may charge waiting time.

What is behind the old kitchen

Removing the old fittings reveals the plumbing, wiring, plaster and floor that were hidden by them. The terms should treat anything that has to be moved, replaced or made safe before the new units go in as an extra, agreed in writing before you continue, and should give you the right to stop if continuing would be unsafe. That covers the corroded pipework, the unearthed socket and the floor that is two inches out.

Sequencing and other trades

A fit depends on the plumber, the electrician, the tiler and the worktop templater arriving in order. The terms should say which trades you provide and which the customer arranges, that delays by the customer's trades extend your programme, and that you are not responsible for their work. If you coordinate everyone, price it and say so.

Goods, bespoke items and the right to cancel

Where you supply the units, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to the goods as well as to the fitting: they must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, with the fitting done with reasonable care and skill. A contract agreed at the customer's home or by email gives a consumer 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Goods made to the customer's measurements or specification are excluded from that right, but the fitting service is not, so the terms and the order paperwork have to deal with the two separately and record the customer's express request before anything starts within the 14 days.

Deposits, payment and snagging

Deposits should reflect the cost of goods ordered on the customer's behalf and be explained as such; a large deposit with no explanation is the kind of term a court looks at closely against a consumer. Stage payments on delivery and on completion are normal, with the balance not conditional on the customer's satisfaction. The terms should define completion, give a short snagging window, and say that minor snags do not entitle the customer to withhold the whole balance. Business customers can be charged interest and compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted around your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want to know how much of a problem they are. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of terms drafted around your business, not a template with your name inserted
• A covering note in plain English explaining every commercial choice I made and why, so you can defend the terms in a negotiation without ringing me
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions set at a level that will survive a procurement review
• Consumer-facing wording drafted to be enforceable where you sell to consumers
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly, which is where most businesses actually fail
• One round of amendments after you have read them

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country

Questions I am often asked

The customer bought a kitchen online and it does not fit. Whose problem is that?

If the terms say that customer-supplied goods are fitted at the customer's risk and that you take no responsibility for their suitability, it is the customer's, and adapting or returning the units is chargeable. Without that term you will be arguing about it.

Can I keep the deposit if the customer cancels a bespoke order?

Where goods have been made to the customer's specification, there is no right to cancel those goods, so the deposit can be applied to them if the terms say so. Any part of the deposit that relates to the fitting service is a different question, and the terms need to keep the two separate.

Who is responsible if the worktop supplier delivers the wrong size?

If you supplied the worktop, you are, because it is your goods. If the customer bought it, the terms should say they are, and that you can charge for the return visit.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495, if a main contractor or business customer has sent you their terms to sign
• Terms and conditions for a plumbing and heating business, if you do the plumbing yourself

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.