FAQs
FAQs
Designing a bespoke kitchen or custom joinery project should be exciting, not overwhelming. To help you navigate the process, Rencraft’s Managing Director, John Stephens, answers 20 of the industry’s most frequently asked questions along with some interesting facts about Rencraft.
With over 45 years of British manufacturing experience, local workshop in the Kent countryside, and a lifetime guarantee, Rencraft pairs you with a dedicated designer from start to finish. We do not just build your dream kitchen; we ensure you enjoy the journey of creating it.
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1. Who are Rencraft
We are an award-winning British manufacturer of luxury bespoke handmade kitchens and custom joinery based in Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. Our team of 30 includes the craftsmen in our workshop and mill along with our designers who, between them, possess over 100 years of design experience.
2. Tell me about the history of Rencraft?
We were founded in 1980 by Nick Pile as a local Kent joinery company at our current location on Chart Farm. We introduced “The Wooden Kitchen” shortly after and have specialised in bespoke kitchen design ever since. My journey with Rencraft started in 1986, having just left Cornwall aged 18. I first joined the workshop as a sprayer, later joining the design team before becoming Managing Director and this year I celebrate 40 years with the company. (Fun Fact; Rencraft is an anagram of ‘N’ for Nick, and his family name Crafter)
3. Where do you supply kitchens?
We design and supply kitchens anywhere in the UK and abroad. While we primarily serve clients within a 30-mile radius of Sevenoaks & Tunbridge Wells we also manage international projects. We’ve supplied a kitchen for a client’s holiday home in Barbados in addition to international property owners seeking traditional British craftsmanship for their properties worldwide.
4. What does bespoke mean to Rencraft?
Every piece of furniture is made to measure, bespoke means design freedom without compromise. Our skilled joinery team handcraft every piece of furniture at our workshop on Chart Farm, which allows us to customise your kitchen to your exact specifications. Through close collaboration, we will design a space tailored to your lifestyle and the unique architecture of your home. Because everything is made to measure, there are no limitations on size, door style, colour, materials, finish, worktops or appliances.
5. Who will I work with during my kitchen project?
You will work with the same dedicated designer from your initial consultation to final completion, they will project manage the entire process for you. We feel this is the best approach because it enables you to build a relationship, allowing our designers to collaboratively tailor a design to match your lifestyle and unique household needs. It also removes any miscommunication or delays that can come with project handovers. Designing your dream kitchen should be an enjoyable journey, having one point of contact keeps the process streamlined to the best design in partnership with you.
6. What are the stages of the Rencraft kitchen design process?
To begin, if you have plans of the property you can share these with your designer, or we can visit your home to measure the space. At this first meeting your designer will discuss your vision, including your wish list, specific requirements and things to avoid. Next, we will present an initial design based on these ideas, the designer may include multiple layouts options, depending on the flexibility of your space. Following your feedback we will present a revised design. It is around this stage that we will look to secure the project with a small deposit, after which we will make any number of revisions until you are completely happy with the final kitchen layout.
By visiting your home our designers will be able to better understand your space, how you and your family will use it and how it connects to the rest of your home and garden.
7. How can I visualise my space and my new kitchen layout?
Throughout the design process we will help you visualise your new kitchen through a structured mix of digital designs, showroom displays, and physical material viewings. Your designer will start with detailed line drawings from floor plans, along with elevations to first establish the structural layout and room functionality. As the design progresses, we introduce fully coloured 3D renders so you can see your chosen colours and materials come to life. To help select your final details, by visiting our Tunbridge Wells showroom you can see examples of appliances, finishes, and configurations in person. Similarly, we can arrange a trip to our partner stone yard, allowing you to view full-size slabs and handpick the exact piece of worktop material that will be installed in your home
8. Can you design specialist storage solutions and whole house custom joinery?
Yes. Because all our furniture is designed and custom made especially for you we can fill every little nook of space and maximise awkward architectural features with functional storage. We create integrated storage solutions from custom cutlery inserts to walk-in pantries, every detail will be discussed with your designer and integrated into your design. Our expertise extends beyond the kitchen to provide solutions for whole house projects creating bespoke boot rooms, utility rooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, bars, media walls, studies and home offices.
9. What style kitchens do you manufacture?
We custom manufacture styles ranging from classic hand-painted English Shaker kitchens to sleek, contemporary stained handleless designs. You can explore every style in detail whilst visiting the four floors of our award winning KBB ‘Kitchen Showroom of the Year’ in Tunbridge Wells. With the sheer variety on show it is our hope that you will see things you like, but equally important the things that you don’t! This enables your designer to understand your individual tastes and custom design that perfect kitchen just for you.
10. Where are Rencraft kitchens manufactured?
Your Rencraft kitchen is handcrafted right here in Kent. Since 1980 all cabinetry and joinery projects have been handmade at our workshop and mill on Chart Farm, just outside Sevenoaks. We use traditional woodworking skills and meticulous care to build robust furniture that will last a lifetime. We’d love for you to visit our workshop or showrooms to see the craft and detail that goes into every piece first hand.
11. Who will make my kitchen?
We have always prided ourselves on our in-house manufacturing process with a dedicated team of 18 skilled craftsmen. We’ve found the perfect balance of heritage and fresh talent, while some of our senior makers have been with us for over 30 years, our newest member joined just last week. By making everything in-house, we ensure total quality control, a smaller carbon footprint, and a boost to our local community.
12. What materials are used to make my kitchen?
Our kitchen carcasses are built from high-quality plywood, chosen for its engineered strength and an ability to resist the heat and moisture common in every kitchen. For hand-painted kitchens we use premium tulipwood for doors and frames, as its fine grain provides the flawless, smooth paint finish. With a solid wood design we will craft from oak or walnut to the client’s aesthetic preference.
13. Do you provide full kitchen installation services?
Yes, we can provide a ‘turnkey’ service. When you choose a Rencraft kitchen, full project management and installation can be included. Your dedicated designer will oversee the entire process, we work with trusted teams of independent fitters and painters, some of whom we have partnered with for 30 years. The designer will coordinate between you and these specialists, managing every detail from on-site delivery to the final coat of paint.
14. Will you remove and dispose of my old kitchen?
Yes, we can help arrange the removal of your existing kitchen. Depending on its condition, we can even connect you with possible avenues to resell or recycle your old cabinetry to reduce waste.
15. Can you arrange kitchen and cabinetry lighting?
We can provide both integrated and specialist lighting solutions. In-cabinet lighting such as downlighting in wall cupboards or sleek LED strips can be fitted by our workshop team. For a more comprehensive lighting plan we can recommend lighting specialists who we work with. There are plenty of different lighting configuration examples that you can view in our Tunbridge Wells showroom.
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16. How much does a bespoke Rencraft kitchen cost?
Because every Rencraft project is custom-built to order, final pricing depends on your structural layout and choices in appliances, worktop materials, and your bespoke joinery requirements. To give you a general idea typically our pricing is:
• Small Joinery & Cabinetry Projects: Prices start from approximately £35,000.
• Complete Tailored Kitchens: Typical projects range from £60,000 to £95,000.
• Large-Scale & Comprehensive Projects: Premium installations range up to £150,000, which includes full professional fitting and on-site hand-painting. Joinery for a full house project may be £200,000+ depending on the size and number of rooms.
The final cost depends on your wish list and vision, the best thing to do is visit us in person. If you bring along your room measurements and initial ideas to our Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells showrooms then we can provide a more accurate and transparent estimate for your project.
17. What is a realistic timescale for a kitchen project from start to finish?
Typically, we operate on a four-month lead time from initial consultation to installation. At times our workshop is pretty busy which means there can be a six month wait. However, because we control 100% of our in-house manufacturing on Chart Farm, we can be flexible and have been known to adjust scheduling slots for urgent projects, it’s always worth asking!
The most important thing to us is being honest; we won’t promise a date we can’t hit. That’s how we have never missed a delivery deadline in over 45 years! If you’re planning ahead, we have plenty of clients who sign off on their draft designs a year or more in advance, and we’re more than happy to hold a spot for you until you’re ready. It’s important to remember that final technical designs do not need to be signed off until the project enters production 6-8 weeks prior to fitting.
18. When will you require initial payment for my kitchen?
Following your first design consultation and initial layout revisions we require a small 5-10% commitment deposit from you. This commitment works both ways, it secures your manufacturing slot in our workshop and releases the technical drawings to you.
19. How long is a Rencraft kitchen guaranteed for? Simply we will guarantee your furniture for as long as you love it!
What does this mean? We provide a lifetime guarantee on all Rencraft kitchen furniture and custom joinery for as long as you live in your property. A promise we believe champions sustainability. Our in-house manufacturing process gives us complete confidence in the structural integrity and longevity of our cabinetry. Many of our clients enjoy their Rencraft kitchen for decades, because our cabinetry is made from solid timber frames, hand painted on site, you can easily refresh the colour whenever you fancy a new look while keeping those rock-solid ‘bones’ exactly where they are.
20. How do I begin my kitchen design journey with Rencraft?
The best way to start your Rencraft journey is to explore the four floors of our flagship showroom in Tunbridge Wells for kitchen inspiration and chat with one of our designers. If you are inspired to start right now then our website is packed with detailed ‘Project’ case studies and don’t forget to download and browse our digital ‘Lookbook’ for a further 100 pages of inspirational ideas. When you’re ready, please book an appointment, we’d love to talk through your project with you. Click here to book
