Major works

We want to make our council homes safer and greener for our residents.  To achieve this, over the next two years we will be investing £23 million to upgrade kitchens and bathrooms across the borough. 

All our residents should have kitchen and bathroom facilities that are fit for purpose and safe. To ensure this, we will be upgrading kitchens and bathrooms based on their current condition and age. Various elements may be replaced, depending on what is needed.

Kitchen Upgrades

What is included?

Our kitchen programme include upgrading or installing: 

• kitchen base units  
• doors  
• wall units  
• worktops  
• handles  
• stainless steel sink, drainer, and sink tap  
• ceramic tiles to walls above work surfaces   
• full wall height tiling behind cookers and washing machines  
• extractor fans   
• vinyl flooring  
• electrical rewiring  
• gas supply testing  
• waste and service pipes  
• space and plumbing for washing machines and fridge/freezers  
• entire room decoration  
• space for a cooker  
• lighting installations  
• pest proofing  
• fire compartmentation work for pipes

Design stage

We expect the work to take approximately 10 working days to complete, working Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm. Your resident liaison officer will be on hand to help you with any issues or queries.

The sequence of the works will be: 

• stripping out the existing kitchen and floor  
• re-wiring electrics and plumbing works 
• any plastering required 
• laying new flooring 
• installing new kitchen units 
• tiling 
• decorating 
• finishing 
• checks 
• approval of works and handover 

Don’t worry, at the end of each working day we will ensure that you have water for cooking, washing, and toilet facilities.

After works - defects/warranty period

Your new kitchen will be under warranty for 12 months from the date it is signed off. 

If you do have any issues with your new kitchen, raise your concerns with a member of the team during one of our follow-up visits. No kitchen will be completely signed off until you are happy with it.

Bathroom upgrades

What is included?

Our bathroom upgrade programme covers:   

• new pressed steel bath    
• new china wash hand basin and pedestal   
• new china low-level toilet with double flush   
• new taps for bath and basin   
• ceramic wall tiles  
• new vinyl flooring   
• new extractor fan   
• new supply and waste pipes   
• full room decoration   
• new light fitting   
• grab rails   
• mixer tap with short hair-washing hose 

Design stage

This will be your new bathroom: we want you to get involved to help us to develop the designs.

Our experienced designers will make appointments with you to look at potential layouts and options. At this stage, any aids and adaptations issues may be identified and any necessary referrals made.

We will give you plenty of notice and a detailed timeline of the work before it takes place.  

Getting ready for the works

Before any work starts, there are a few things we need you, as the tenant, to do: 

• empty the bathroom of all your belongings 
• tell us if there are any fittings, such as cabinets or towel rails you would like to keep. The team will then make sure they are kept safe and put back when the work is finished. 
• pack a toiletry back with essentials you may need throughout the day 
• advise your home contents insurance provider of the works  
• let your resident liaison officer if you are planning any holidays during the work 

Sequence of works

We expect the work to take approximately ten working days to complete, working Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm. Your resident liaison officer will be on hand to help you with any issues or queries.

The sequence of the works will be: 

• strip out the existing bathroom and floor  
• re-wiring electrics and plumbing works  
• make good - plastering may be required, if so, once this is complete, we will need to allow one to two days for it to dry before we can move on to decorate 
• tiling  
• decorating  
• flooring  
• finishing  
• approval of works and handover

Don't worry, you will not be left without a toilet or washing facilities overnight. Also, no bathroom will be completely signed off until you are happy with it.  

After works - defects/warranty period

Your new bathroom will be under warranty for 12 months from the date it is signed off.

If you do have any issues with your new bathroom, please raise this with a member of the team during one of our follow-up visits.

Further information about bathroom upgrades and questions and answers can be found in the guide that has been delivered to residents. To request another hardcopy or digital copy, please contact us  

Further information 

Further information about kitchen or bathroom upgrades and questions and answers can be found in the guide that has been delivered to residents. To request another hardcopy or digital copy, please contact us.

Contact us

We have a team of experts overseeing the kitchen and bathroom refurbishments who will be available for residents to speak to throughout the project.

You can contact the team by email [email protected], or telephone 0800 137 111 and ask to speak to a member of the Kitchen and Bathroom Team.